28 Mar 2017

 Ms Chenesani John, 34, of Semitwe in the Tututme Sub-district clearly understands that finding a decent job in a rural village can be a wild goose chase.
With this understanding, Ms John was equipped enough to withstand the lack of employment opportunities in her own village and find other means of earning a living.
In the end, she approached the Youth Development Fund (YDF) for intervention and was fortunate enough to be assisted with P76 000 to start her own business.
Speaking in an interview with BOPA, Ms John said ever since she started operating her dress making business in 2012, she has never experienced any dull moment with her business project.
She could not hide her joy as she said every day at sunrise, she gets so eager to face the day for she now has a meaningful activity to engage in all day long.
She said upon completion of her diploma in Fashion Design in 2011 from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, she had to return home and ponder her next move.
Idleness back home was not something she cherished as the cracks of hardship began to show after being thrown from pillar to post in search of employment that was in line with the course she had studied.
With all the disappointments, Ms John felt it was time to try her luck with one of the government empowerment initiatives; hence she approached YDF.
Like any start up business, she noticed a gap in the fashion design market at her home village as people often travelled to Francistown and Tutume so as to access fashion design related services.
With such a market opportunity and her educational background, she was convinced to give it a try and today her business project is one of those dimned a success story.
“The support I have always received from residents here is one aspect that makes my business continuously gain momentum,” she said.
Ms John said though she sometimes operates on compassion, she always gets pleased because at the end of the day her customers settle their debts.
From humble beginnings, the young entrepreneur has now become a force to reckon with as her elegant colours, contrast and diversity of designs defines the exclusiveness of her collection.
For the doubting Thomas who do not see any opportunities in the fashion design industry, especially operating from villages, they will have to revisit their thoughts.
Through her profit making, Ms John said she had achieved a lot, citing advancing her skills through educational correspondence in fashion design, taking care of her two daughters and her siblings.
She said being a single parent did not in any way disturb her business because her mother is always there whenever she has to go out on business errands, particularly because she operates from home. ENDS