Barolong Entrepreneur Makes Living Out Of Leather
Tumelo Mouwane | Monday July 24, 2017 15:01
The downside are the overwhelming challenges he faces in the Barolong Farms with its frustratingly limited opportunity. Having completed his basic education at Goodhope Senior Secondary School in 2011, he could not proceed to tertiary education but the budding youthful entrepreneur simply shrugged off the setbacks. He shortly ventured into leather production when he started his business with absolutely nothing but a trimming knife he used for cutting leather.
Unlike other youth, who are blessed to have been funded by the government under many of the available youth business funding programmes, the young entrepreneur self-financed his project from savings. Without training or a certificate in leather production or any background but merely determination, Motsatsing produces top class Setswana traditional sandals, leather bags, belts, coats, aprons and other products upon request.
His artifacts will convince one that talent could take one places if it is used and recognised and appreciated by society. Recently, adjudicators were blown off at an annual Goodhope Sub District Council market day held in Goodhope.
Motsatsing said his first step into the demanding industry was initiated by ‘boredom’ and by the fact that he had capabilities as a youth. “I started looking for a job immediately after finishing my Form Five to no avail. This demotivated me, hence I moved out of the city to my home village because it was quite hard to survive without an income.
When I got home, I started being bored but I quickly remembered that I have talent in leather products manufacturing. I started saving some few coins from piece jobs in order to buy my first piece of leather where I produced a pair of sandals that was bought immediately and that motivated me. I now operate my business from home,” Motsatsing said.
Regarding challenges, Motsatsing raised common concerns amongst leather products manufacturers, which include the long distance to raw material suppliers and markets as well as the high prices of leather. Motsatsing said his dream in the future is to see his business stabilised and being able to produce products on industrial scale hence employing other youths.
“They say dreams become real when you wake up from them and take action in putting them into reality. I want this business to have grown in the next few years employing other youths and producing products at industrial scale. I want to move to a bigger space outside the rural area in order for me to reach the markets and I dream about having branches across the country,” he said.