Duo Dodge Joblessness With Artworks
Tumelo Mouwane | Monday March 13, 2017 17:15
Indeed this has been practised by two Lobatse based craftsmen, 26-year-old Taolo Dipakwe and his 28-year-old partner, Letsweletse Motlhageng, who have proved that passion can move mountains through their exceptionally competitive artworks, passion and perseverance.
The duo operates a business called Diversion of Modern Kudus of Power (DOM-KOP).
Formed in 2014 as a partnership, they specialise in office decorations and other artistic products including canvas bags, canvas decorations, sculptures, paintings and general design and printing. For now, their business operates from home in Pitikwe ward in Lobatse.
Growing up together as close cousins, Motlhageng and Dipakwe said they realised their talent whilst at primary school and the talent developed with time.
Despite their unsuccessful attempts to secure capital since 2010, the duo did not give up on their dreams.
Dipakwe said after completing his four-year Graphic Design course at Limkokwing University back in 2011, he joined his cousin and they blended skills.
“After I finished my studies with Limkokwing, I realised that it will be a waste of time to wait for someone to employ me. I approached my cousin who is now my business partner and we came up with this idea. We are both gifted in terms of artistic ability.
We grew up with some skills in art, therefore nothing could really stop us from what we intended to do,” he said.
His business partner, Motlhageng said despite challenges they want to see their business grow.
“We have just started, but our dreams make us afraid sometime. We want this business to grow bigger than where it is now. In the future we want to be the country’s best office decoration suppliers who are also highly competitive.
“We want to have our own industrial-size warehouse because we cannot operate from home forever,” he said. Motlhageng further acknowledged the challenges.
“We are up to the game. The challenges are there including lack of office space and storage. We cannot work on rainy days because we don’t have a warehouse yet.
Our machinery is very expensive, its maintenance also drains our pockets but when someone is determined they cannot submit to challenges,” he said.