17 Nov 2016

When 24-year-old Bonno Mosweu completed her Cambridge Certificate at Shashe River School in Tonota with poor results, she dreaded what life without suitable education would be like.

The young lady swore to take the destiny of her life into her own hands and that she would not allow such a challenge to down her.

That was in 2010 when the high rate of unemployment added to Mosweu’s woes, sending her knocking at the corridors of government youth empowerment schemes.

Born in Dukwi village in the Tutume sub-district, today the determined young woman is celebrating the rewards of government’s Youth Empowerment Fund through a funded project.

With society expecting that upon completing their studies, young graduates should be in a position to start caring for their families, Mosweu was determined to do just that.

Throughout her days of basic education, she was a passionate artist and in 2012, remembering her childhood passion, she started a business in beadworks, handbags, lampshades, photo frames, and shoes.

“The business is blossoming, and diversifying my products has inspired me a lot because of improved profits,” she told BOPA in an interview.

She said she had been motivated to go an extra mile in her work as more people have started showing interest in her products.

She has even marketed and challenged herself by performing in the annual Presidential Arts Competitions from which she got positive feedback.

Mosweu’s growth has been due to the need to produce more quality work to meet the ever growing customer demands and the advice she got from people around him to seek help from the Youth Development Fund.

She said she never looked back as she immediately visited the youth offices at Sowa where they usually get helped from.

And despite being tossed from pillar to post with processes taking long, she never lost hope and maintained her calmness and patience which paid at the beginning of 2016.

With her application for funding having been approved, she kick started her project after undergoing a workshop on how to run a business.

The young entrepreneur said she learnt a lot about entrepreneurship including financial matters, marketing, and customer service.

After grooming she was now in a position practice what she had learnt and in the end she registered a company by the name of Bonbose Creativity and Art World.

She said her business brings back the taste of vintage, culture and uniqueness from her youthfulness and thirst for success; the business is performing so well that she has added wood, paper and leather products.

Being in an area where tourists are regularly passing by, she said the motivation builds up every day and having so much faith in what she does she had an opportunity to showcase her products at big events such as Makgadikgsdi Epic this year.

Mosweu said she is forever so busy that she had no time for negative issues that entertain youth these days.

She has turned out to be a blessing to other youths as she had  employed them to help at her workshop.

“I like what I wake up to every day as its part of who I am and my life,” she said, adding that meeting customer expectation helps her put a smile on their faces at any given time.

She however noted that though she is good with what she does, challenges are still there such as the lack material because she uses mostly vintage material that is not easily available.

Mosweu said despite all the challenges, she is always positive in whatever she does, adding that dreams come true only if one is focused and determined to overcome the challenges. BOPA