03 Apr 2016

When the reality of unemployment knocks at the door, you have no choice but to look for other means to put food on the table.

While some will look for piece jobs in the formal and informal market, others prefer waiting for a miracle job to fall on them.

Not so with Mr Lopang Motsamai who turned to his childhood passion of craft.

He started making flower pots and sculptures using cement and wire mash.

Mr Motsamai’s magic hands are able to turn a mixture of cement and sand into an attractive set of flower pots and beautiful sculptures that attract the eyes of customers.

He started doing flower pots with paper mash in his home village of Kanye in 2008 after completing his Cambridge at Seepapitso Senior Secondary School, but later converted to cement and sand artifacts.

He revealed in an interview that he studied art at primary and secondary school where he fell in love with pottery.

“It is a God-given talent because I enjoyed helping other students with their pottery projects at senior school, and I developed the love of seeing my hands turning raw materials into an artefact,” he explained.

He said after completing his Cambridge, he did not look back as he turned his passion into a business that has attracted customers from all walks of life including government departments, council, companies, individuals and tourists.

Though his business is blossoming, Mr Motsamai recalls how he was forced to work at a local building contractor for some months after writing his final exam to source funds that could help him buy raw materials to start his pottery business.

The materials included cement, river sand, binding wire, net and paint. Other waste materials such as boxes and papers he for free.

He counts on his brother, Mr Mogakolodi Motsamai for support during difficult times when the business is not doing well. The 27-year-old has now moved to Jwaneng to spread his wings and meet other potential customers.

“I have a challenge of operational space and expensive raw materials but I am optimistic of success because I am able to meet my customers’ demands,” he said.

Mr Motsamai intends to expand his business through bigger machines to execute other orders that may arise as the business grows.

He also intends to apply for the Youth Development Fund (YDF). Currently his prices range from P50 to P300 for flowerpots and sculptures.

He said he had always been hands-on from childhood, noting that he was a phone repairer at senior secondary school which also influenced his entrepreneurial skills and passion.

He aims to enter competitions and fairs to see how his counterparts were doing and share skills with other potters.

He urges Batswana to buy local products and implores the government to support youth to enhance entrepreneurship in the country. Mr Motsamai is of the view that the youth are talented and need to be empowered through workshops and funds. He encourages them to use their talent and take advantage of government programmes that seek to alleviate poverty. Ends