26 May 2014

Ghanzi is one of the areas in Botswana that are hardest hit by poverty, especially among the youth.

However, government has put in place poverty eradication programmes that are meant to improve people’s lives and many disadvantaged youths are taking advantage of these initiatives. Mr James Camm is a 28 year old young man who heeded the call for empowerment and set up a bakery in a small settlement called Qabo.

The father of two started his project in 2012 and he managed to attain success after winning a tender from a local primary school. “I was thrilled when I won that tender. For me it was a dream come true and I have never looked back,” he said.

He said he won a tender to supply the school with 86 loaves of bread every day. From the five bags of flour that he uses for the tender, Mr Camm is able to produce 100 loaves, from which he supplies 86 to the school and sells the rest.

“The problem is that many people around here don’t have money. So the remaining loaves are almost always sold on credit,” he said. He sells one loaf at P10 for the community and P9.50 for the school as it is a bulk order. He supplies the school once a month on Thursdays.

Though the bakery does not make much of a profit, especially because Mr Camm employs an additional five people, he is grateful for the opportunity to do something to earn a living for himself.

“We also do odd jobs in the community to supplement our income from the bakery. We have a lot of free time because the bakery only opens on Wednesday to prepare for the school supply tender on Thursday,” said Mr Camm.

He revealed that at the moment he is trying to build his business and seek avenues of growth. He also thanked his employees for their dedication and patience. Mr Camm enrolled for a short course in tourism and hospitality in Gaborone before opening his bakery.

Upon completion he was attached as an intern at Oasis motel where he gained experience and was personally mentored by the hotel’s manager, who taught him the virtue of patience and perseverance in business.

When he opened the bakery, Mr Camm said he was also enrolled in a workshop in New Xade where he reinforced his principles of hard work, patience and perseverance. He encouraged other youth to  take advantage of empowerment programmes offered by government and to never lose hope even when the going is tough. “You have to sacrifice and work hard to see your business blossom. The results will come in the end,” he said. ENDS