15 Mar 2017

Unemployment is a matter of concern everywhere, but it is one’s mindset that helps them to get through the hardships of joblessness.

Forty-six-year-old Mr Kenneth Liwena, a graphic designer and photographer, was inspired by his joblessness to make a living through his talents.

Seemingly oblivious of the fact that people are watching him, he goes around bars and bottle stores to pick bottle tops.

He even goes to lodges to pick used disposable forks and spoons.

“I believe in the Recycle, Reduce and Re-use concept, so I pick bottles, old tires, disposable forks and spoons, to make decorations such as house mats, foot covers, among others.

As much as I am making a living for myself, I am also helping reduce litter in our area and I also try to make my art works educational,” said Mr Liwena.

He said he gets a lot of support and the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) calls him for their market days so that he displays his works, which helps promote the business.

Mr Liwena said he even has lodges supporting him such as Ngoma Lodge as they buy from him in bulk.

“As a way of giving back to my community, I teach all the people who are interested.

I have managed to teach one youth, who is currently using art to survive and I also teach underprivileged children to bead for free,” said Mr Liwena.

Although he manages to put food on the table, he still faces challenges that make it hard for his business to be where he dreams it could be.

One of the issues is office space, which seems to be a problem for every business person in the Chobe District as it is either unavailable or too expensive for starters.

“Because I have the heart and passion for my work, I have even decided to convert my residential plot to a business one so as to try and open my own workshop as I need a lot of space,” said Mr Liwena.

He wishes that government could fund him to cover his travel expenses and buy him the material and machinery he needs for his business.

“Materials that I use together with the ones I recycle are hard to find around Chobe, which becomes a challenge for me to meet deadlines as I have to travel long distances to buy materials, meaning my work lags behind.

I also need machines, but because I am self-sponsored, I cannot afford them,” he indicated.

Apart from making a living from this business, his main mission and vision is to teach people how to do art with recycled materials, as such would not only sustain life, but also reduce litter, especially the bottles and bottle tops that are always found around bars. ENDS