01 Nov 2016

 A young fashion designer is making waves in Francistown.

Ms Naledi Mosweu (22) of Serowe said in an interview that she was raised in a Christian family that moulded her and also enabled her to stick to her beliefs and values.

 She holds a Degree in Adult Education from the University of Botswana (UB) and it is not something that she had applied to do initially, as she had wanted to pursue counseling.

Ms Mosweu, however, did not despair but learnt to love what she did and worked hard and her course broadened her perspective because it dealt with various aspects of human resource such as psychology of learning, psychology of adults as well as social work.

“It is a really diverse course and very interesting, however I still want to pursue a course in counseling and become a therapist in the future but in the mean time I am following my passion for fashion,” she explained.

She said for quite some time now, she had been thinking about venturing into business because of her love for fashion.

Ms Mosweu said she was certain she would excel in such a business because not only did she know and understand what fashion was all about, she was also a hard worker and strives for success.

She said that upon completion of her degree in May 2016, she contemplated the idea of business until July when she proposed her idea to her parents.

However, she said her mother was against her starting the business before graduation, which was scheduled for October 8th 2016 as she did not want her to use the money for something it was not intended for.

 However, her parents trusted her and gave her the graduation money in advance, adding that she received P2 700 from her parents so as to cater for her graduation expenses.

 Ms Mosweu then decided to take a risk of using that very same money to buy items she was to sell for her business and had a turnover of P7000.

She highlighted that from the money she made, she took only P2000 to buy what she needed for the graduation and the rest of the profit are what she used to reinvest into her business.

 What she sells includes designer bags which she sells at P800, wallets at P350, neckpieces at P150 and many other goodies such as shades, MAC lipsticks and designer clothes at a very reasonable price.

Ms Mosweu said that she is thankful to God for He opened the doors of success for her and she is grateful for her parents for being there since day one, as well as one church mate of hers called Ms Thato Ngoni who introduced her to the streets of South Africa, giving her insights on business as well as showing her where to buy high quality products at a cheaper price.

A major challenge that her business has encountered so far is that of delayed payments by some clients, however she overcomes such by hoping for the best and communicating well with the customer.

In the near future, Ms Mosweu said that she hopes to one day own a boutique, as well as pursue her career in counseling.

She urged the youth to learn not to be afraid to take risks because they are meant to move people out of their comfort zone and give room for growth.

“Take risks, believe in what you do, believe in God and you will achieve whatever it is that you want to achieve,” concluded Ms Mosweu. ENDS