26 Aug 2015

Ms Boemo Nkhwa, 22, and her 26-year-old business partner, Ms Chasingwa Simon grew up as childhood friends and never thought someday they would become business partners.

 Today, the duo own and run a successful day care centre and pres-school project, which operates as Alicha Day Care and Pre-School.

Besides the normal business of teaching children how to read and write, the facility also offers lessons on swimming, gymnastics and others. They also take pupils on mini trips after every school term.

Both are armed with a certificate in Early Childhood Education from Bosa Bosele Training Institution in Francistown. They said the passion and love of working with children drove them to establish the business.

“I have always had a passion for teaching, especially children. Even at a tender age when we played school, I always took up the role of a teacher and would scribble on a card board with a piece of charcoal that I regarded as a piece of chalk,” said Ms Simon.

She said to kept her passion alive upon competing her secondary education by working in several pre-schools and later enrolled for a certificate in Early Childhood education.

 On the other hand, Ms Nkhwa also said children were like empty containers that needed to be filled and as such she developed an interest to fill their minds with positive information that they would forever carry.

 Ms Nkhwa also said since most of working parents have a challenge on who to leave their children with, she felt this was an opportunity that they could use to address the challenge, and at the same time earn some income.

 The duo then felt they could do better as pre-school teachers and that was how Alicha Day Care and Pre-School came into existence.

 While waiting for the Youth Development Fund (YDF) response, they asked for financial assistance from their parents so as to get the basics and get rolling.

 Ms Simon said early last year they finally got assisted through a P94 000 funding by YDF which they used to get other necessities and completed other business related issues that had been pending.

 Currently, their project is operating from a rented house at Selepa in Francistown and they have enrolled 30 children who are placed at different levels such as baby class, which caters for children aged two.

 There is also a middle class for children aged three and the reception class for children aged four and above who are ready to enrol for Standard One.

 Ms Simon also noted that they charged P2 100 per term and that there were options to pay P700 at the end of every month for a period of three months.

 “Despite the set agreement in terms of payment, some parents still fail to abide and others end up disappearing into thin air while still owing us,” said Ms Simon.

 She noted that team work and passion towards their project kept them going despite all the challenges.

 Ms Nkhwa also explained that some of the strategies they implemented so as to raise funds included hosting family fun days and having raffles.

The other challenge that the two decried was that of lack of their own business space, noting that they could not make any infrastructure developments from the rented space so as to cater for more children.

 Asked about their future plans, Ms Nkhwa explained that their intention was to grow to a point where they would finally set up a private primary school which would create more employment opportunities.

 Ms Simon advised other youth not to despise any business idea, noting that even a small idea could be a stepping stone.

She also emphasised that it was wise to venture into a business area that one has passion for, adding that when challenges crop up, the passion towards the project would make one seek ideas so as to address the challenges. Ends