05 Jun 2018

The belief that people living with disabilities are not capable of performing normal duties has been proven false by Mr Lebesani Baeletsi. The 35-year-old Francistowner, who uses a wheelchair to move around, says living with a disability had never made him see his future as bleak.

LD, as he is affectionately known, said in an interview that he had always pushed for success despite his status to the extent that he became a presenter for the local talent show, Mokaragana in 2002 and 2003.

‘‘Being a presenter helped me gain confidence as I was always behind cameras and this cultivated my love for camera operation,’’ he says. Mr Baeletsi now owns a multi-media business going by the name LD Revolution LAB.

The business, operating from his residence in Somerset East in Francistown, includes video shooting and editing, photography, graphic design, laminating, printing, copying and other related works. He said his passion for multi-media was ignited in 2011 when he participated in a workshop organised by Francistown City Council with the objective of imparting entrepreneurial skills and knowledge to those desiring to venture into business.

Explaining that he was the only one living with disability who participated in the workshop, Mr Baeletsi said he was recognised and advised by Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development officials to consider going into business.

He said since he already had a dream of venturing into the multi-media business, he decided to become his own boss. ‘‘Before then, I used to hire cameras from some individuals to use them to shoot videos and photos for some occasions I had tendered for. I then submitted the proposal as well as price quotations for the resources I needed,” he said.

His business proposal was approved in 2011 and the same year he got assistance from the ministry to buy equipment. Mr Baeletsi revealed that the gender affairs office assisted him with a laptop which he needed for his business.

He said he experienced a challenge when his camera was stolen and laptop damaged. He said he recovered through passion and determination. ‘‘I then took part in the Presidential Arts competitions in 2012 under photography and I managed to get position one where I got away with P3 500, which I used to buy the equipment I needed,’’ he said. Mr Baeletsi said the business was sustaining him and had also provided employment for two of his siblings, a friend and another youth.

His wish, he said, was to own a mega multi-media business employing more people thereby contributing to the objective of job creation in the country. Mr Baeletsi said he utilised social media such as Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter as means of marketing his business.

‘‘The use of social media platforms for advertising helps my business to prosper as a lot of people have access to the Internet and as such I am easily found there,’’ he said. He said social media gave him exposure which got him clients as far as Maun, Shoshong and other places across the country.

Mr Baeletsi said challenges he faced included clients who failed to pay, pointing out that some completed wedding products were pilling up in his office because the owners were unable to pay.
He described this as a drawback for his business because it made it difficult for him to purchase the necessary accessories for the business.

In addition, Mr Baeletsi lamented that there were still some people who undermined people living with disabilities.

This, he said, had negatively affected some people living with disabilities. He urged them not to be discouraged by negative comments but rather to strive hard to prove such people wrong.

‘‘I ignored that type of negativity and I proved them wrong by getting focused on what I intended to do,” he said. ENDS