10 Sep 2017

Self-taught quilter, Ms Shathiso Major of Likosha Investment in Masunga says passion and determination can propel one to her dreams and aspirations.

Speaking in an interview with BOPA Ms Major took us through her journey of quilting.

“It all started way back when I was doing Form One at Shangano Junior Secondary School in 1995 when I joined home economics,” she said.

Ms Major said they used to cook, make dresses, design food menus, but she fell in love with dressmaking.

That’s when after failing to pass Junior Certificate, thanks to the sewing machine that was  used by her mother, she improved the skills that she acquired at school.

“I kept using the machine to make dresses and after quite a long time I realised I was able and ready,” she said.

She said in October 2012 she was employed by Major Fashions where she worked for three years five months, which she says helped her to gain experience.

Further, Ms Major said during her time at Major Fashions she managed to buy two straight machines with the money she earned, which she said kept her going to realise her dream of owning a business and trying new things.

“One day I looked at my daughter’s comforter and I tried to make it with this straight machines, which I did, but it was not perfect, that’s when I got advice from my co-worker Mr Samuel Sheriff that there is a machine for a particular job.

That’s when I learned about quilting machines, but they were expensive.

That’s when in December 2015 I applied for Youth Development Fund (YDF) through the help of Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) which helped me with filling the forms, business advise and compiling all the necessary documents.

She said in February 2016 she got funded at the sum of P100 000, hence managed to buy the quilting machine, and a few sewing materials.

She further noted that she bought her machines outside the country, which delayed her to start operating as she started to operate in October 2016.

“Our business does comforters, duvets, curtains, pillows, sheets and, with this machine we can make any comforter and  decorate it, because the machine came with different patterns blocks that help us to decorate and design any pattern,” she added.

She indicated that she also sews school uniform, church garments, and wedding dress as per customer’s order.

Ms Major said for now she is operating from home due to lack of operational space because the machine she is using is too big to fit in her one room rented space where her two employees are operating from.

Ms Major said her business is not doing well yet as it is still new in the market, but with the help of LEA flea market she can manage to reach her customers and, drop business cards and show off her products, adding that at the beginning of the year the business suffers, but becomes better in winter as the demand goes up.

Further, she said they need government support to grow their business because at the end of the day they have to repay loans and survive too.

She encouraged Batswana to believe in local manufacturers as most of them doubt them.

“My products are produced locally and are of high quality and Batswana should buy from us so that we can grow as locals,” she said.

On her last words she said her dream was to employ more youths and see her business having branches all over Botswana.

She also encouraged youth to use initiatives such as LEA and YDF to better their lives and help government diversify the economy. ENDS