23 Aug 2016

Monday marked the open day of the 11^th edition of the Botswana Consumer Fair with a new slogan It's more just shopping, and it attracted 564 exhibitors and 30 local manufacturers. 

In an interview with BOPA, one of the exhibitors, Ms Keitumetse Sera of Arts Discovery and Ceramics from Kopong said   they were funded by the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture through the Youth Development Fund programme. 

They specialise in making butter dishes, clay pots, vases and money boxes using pottery, and that the consumer fair will enable them to showcase their products as they intend to sell them to outsiders and to the museum so that they could preserve them.

She said   despite the fact that her business which she shares with her husband is still new, she managed to win three awards. She further explained that they scooped position one in the Thapong Visual Arts competition and became the best in ceramics,they also scooped position one in the Presidential regional arts competition and also became the best in ceramics and lastly they scooped the same position in the ceramic awards.

The couple came up with a concept of three dikgosi who went to Britain to negotiate protection for pre independence Botswana which is the story behind the clay pots. The three clay pots which cost P30 000 represents the three dikgosi namely Kgosi Bathoen, Kgosi Khama III and Kgosi Sebele.

“The tied knot on the strings represents the perseverance shown by the three dikgosi who worked as a team . The shoe laces represent the fact that the three dikgosi fastened their shoes and protested for indepedence and lastly the clay beads show our sign of joy as we see our economy growing,”she said.

She further explained that the machinery is expensive and they only have a few but this will not deter them from meeting their goal which is to see their business growing.   

The other exhibitor, Mr Sobe Nxaragaa who is based in D'kar makes candles,  sculptures and also does painting. 

He said he came to the consumer fair to market his products. He emphasised that he will continue doing this business as he earns a living through it. Ends