05 Feb 2017

Several young people have found ways to escape the jaws of poverty.

At Railpark Mall, located in the Gaborone bus rank, young Batswana women make a living through manicures.

More than 30 young women always seat in their shelters waiting for clients.

Ms Kesegofetse Baleka (22) said she got involved due to the harsh conditions brought about by struggling to find a job after she completed her Form V.

Ms Baleka said she chose to do her business in Railpark Mall since it was a multicultural environment that attracted many people from different lifestyles, social background and different financial status.

She said the environment is good for business since a lot of people pass by the mall in high numbers thus making her to smile at the end of the day though it’s not always the case with some days.

Baleka who is working with other five colleagues in one shade said during month-end weekend they usually make up to P3000 which is satisfactory to them as they say it’s not always easy for someone to get this amount of money a day, so it’s their utmost sweat to appreciate and give them courage not to give up easily.

Another manicure service provider still in Railpark, Ms Godiraone Pulaeng said Railpark is a busy mall which easily attracts a lot of clients to her business.

She continued to say that they are located in a good environment which is free from noise pollution and other sorts of elements that can cause health hazards to clients thus making the health status of clients to deteriorate.

Ms Pulaeng said they are able to attract a lot of clients since they are not as expensive as salons found in the mall as they do stick-on as cheap as P50 and tip with P70.

When commenting about the behaviour of clients they come across, she said clients are always stressing as sometimes they are never sure and certain about the type of nails they want to do, and only patience and determination will do in this kind of case.

But after the work done they don’t normally complain about the service provided to them.

One of the elders by the mall said she feels it’s a good idea for these young women to try and eradicate poverty and unemployment by using creativity of their hands and minds.

He said nowadays it’s not easy to find a stable job which produces a salary that can cover-up ones needs and wants but when one is self-employed it’s even better. He continued to say it’s a good idea also for them as they are able to manage themselves.

As they say; a manicure can knock years of your hand from the way you shape your nails to the shade of nail polish you choose.

One of the clients Ms Aone Botlhale, 35, said she always chooses to apply red nail polish on her stick-on shaped in stiletto like shape as red colour is the only colour she feels it matches her complexion and feels comfortable in.

Ms Botlhale said she likes to do her manicures in this place since it is cheaper than in salons and also says that these young women are respectful to the elders.

When asked to comment about Gaborone City Councils mission that might transpire in the future to remove street vendors from where they are operating on daily basis reasons being that; its illegal and also that they litter the environment, these young women say it’s not fair as street vendors/traders have always been a thing of the past and it’s so surprising that they now want to be proscribed in the modern world where self-employment is mostly the best way to deal with high rates of unemployment. BOPA