03 Jul 2017

With the government struggling to create jobs for the unemployed, a Kgalagadi-born Ms Tumisang Ngwanathebe saw it fit to take the initiative to help alleviate this challenge and started her leather work business.

Ms Ngwanathebe won two awards from the just ended 18th National Women Expo; one for being the best in the leather  work category and the other unique prize award sponsored by Orange Botswana.

In an interview, the fifth time award winner proudly showed her masterpieces that she said made her scoop the P6 000 cash prize and hampers from Orange Botswana.

Gift bags and umbrellas all made from animal leather; Ms Ngwanathebe said were made to such perfection and fine detail that deserved such a prize from one of the event sponsors.

The awards she received, she said, reflected the amount of hard work she had invested in her craft.

She expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs for organising the exposition as well as recognising and appreciating their work.

She explained that since participating in the Women Expo in 2013, she had won awards every year, therefore this year’s award did not come as a surprise.

Ms Ngwanathebe however quickly pointed out that competition this year was tough as compared to the previous expositions and that showed growth on the part of the event.

Ms Ngwanathebe, a BQA accredited trainer and assessor said she did not just sit at home crying poverty while she was an able-bodied youth.

She had always loved leather work; the love she said she developed from her childhood as she grew up in a family that made handiworks using animal skins.

Although she did not go to school for business, Ms Ngwanathebe sought help at the Department of Agriculture where she trained and received her certificate in leather work.

From there she approached the then Botswana Training Authority (BOTA) where she became an accredited trainer and assessor.

Currently, she runs her leather work business called Skin and Things Consultancy, which she started in 2010 that specialises in the creation of wall mounts, portraits, art and handicrafts and other things made from animal skins.

She also consults with government departments to train people to create products such as rugs, traditional mats and flower pots, shoes and wallets all made from animal skin.

Based in Molepolole, the business is doing well, especially in the corporate sphere.

The expo has afforded her the exposure she needed as more government departments sought out her products such as portraits, wall mounts and other art crafts she displayed at the expo.

The expo also crossed her paths with foreign tourists who took a liking to her craft and also scored her international customers who appreciate her work.

She could not contain her joy and gratitude when she narrated how she met an American lady who was fascinated by her handicraft and bought a painted gemsbok tusks and took it with her to Las Vegas, and later asked her to make her another one as more people in America wanted it too.

She said she also made an acquaintance with a Chinese client and had since kept in touch with, giving her support.

She said the client further invited her to go and exhibit her products at the China International Trade Show, a trip she said she would not miss.

One of the downside of her line of business is that it requires dedication and a lot of work, a weakness she said most Batswana suffered from.

Up to this point, she works alone because some people are not hard working and the employees she hires always leave the job, saying it was too much work.

Because of this, Ms Ngwanathebe urged Batswana, especially women to create work with their hands and stop relying on government for handouts.

She encouraged the youth to take advantage of government initiatives such as the funds from the Gender Affairs Department that are meant to empower women.

Her wish is to become the most successful business woman in Botswana supplying big supermarkets with shopping leather bags in efforts to replace plastic shopping bags.

“Matlalo ke teemane ya bobedi ya lefatshe, a ka thusa go baya Botswana mo mmepeng,” she added, emphasising that we should benchmark from countries that value their leather products. ENDS