29 Mar 2016

The ability of a person  is not determined by age, but the zeal to make it in life.

This statement is attested to by Motlalepula Dikganwane (67) of Moshupa who sell traditional cuisine in Jwaneng.

Despite her age, she remained optimistic of success, saying she started from humble beginnings behind her house some years ago.

Dikganwane specialises in bogobe jwa lerotse, morogo, koko ya Setswana, dikgobe and setampa.

She prides herself with feedback from customers who asked her not to switch to modern food. 

Though old age caught up with her, she was excited to reveal that her clientele kept her up on her feet as they wake her up every morning to prepare a healthy meal. 

“I have attracted many customers from government officers to casual workers like taxi drivers who enjoy full meals of nutritious and healthy Setswana food”, she explained.

She was grateful for government for assisting her with cutlery and grocery to take her business to another level through the poverty eradication programme. 

Dikganwane said she also enjoyed catering tenders from the Jwaneng Town Council that supported her business through different functions.

The pensioner was taken for training by the said council to Gaborone to sharpen her skills in cooking as well as business management where she learned how to manage her finances.

She applauded the government for noble programmes such as poverty eradication programme that aimed at improving the lives of Batswana. 

She urged other citizens to take advantage of such programmes to start their own businesses or expand existing ones.

“I am more grateful that they did not consider my old age when I applied for assistance and they made me who I am because now I am able to feed myself and my family,” she said.

Though she was not a  full time farmer like her peers, she prides herself with feeding herself through her hands and responding to the government’s call of cultivating the spirit of entrepreneurship among Batswana. Ends