10 Jun 2018

When he enrolled for a National Craft Certificate (NCC) in boiler making at Palapye Technical College in 2009, Mr Obakeng Moatlhodi, 39, was convinced he would easily land a job in line with his qualifications.
The four years he spent training seemed to be moving at a snail’s pace for he had a dream to graduate and join the work force. When the graduation came through, he was over the moon and sang praises over and over with the idea that he has surpassed challenges of unemployment since he was now a qualified boiler maker.
Little did he know that months would pass by without any job opportunity coming his way. He was so disappointed and spent sleepless nights as things turned out differently from what he expected. Mr Moatlhodi has been thrown from pillar to post and even recalled all the days he would spend at labour offices with expectations to be called for a long lasting job.
Narrating his story, Mr Moatlhodi said the longest employment opportunity he got in different companies would only last for six months or less, saying when it elapsed he would go back to square one again.
“I have seen it all in search of a job and it was hard despite all the qualifications I had. All I got would be a temporary post that would elapse before I could do anything concrete,” he said.
Mr Moatlhodi said one morning, when he woke up, he just told himself that he has had enough with the short-term employment opportunities. He reminded himself that he had brains and hands and that nothing could stop him from trying other means of survival.Among business opportunities that he could think of was rubber cutting and joining. After he realised that tyres were all over and had no use, he decided to try his luck and he never looked back. He started making a positive mark in rubber cutting and joining in Tati Siding.
He said during his short-term jobs, he opened a savings account and used all the savings to start his business project.
“I had had enough with the struggle of being unemployed and as such I risked with my savings to set up this project,” he said.
Mr Moatlhodi said his business was gaining the desired momentum and those who despised his idea now befriend him for they have also noticed an opportunity that needed to be tapped into.
The youthful entrepreneur said he settled for rubber cutting and joining as it was relatively cheap since he used old used car tyres and also wanted to save the environment by recycling them. He purchased a conveyor belt and ropes used to add an appealing end to some products, particularly for coffee tables and oil paints to enhance the colour turn out.
Mr Moatlhodi designs flower pots, arm chairs, couches and several other accessories such as swings for pre-school kids play ground. He designs cushions, paints tables, uses glue to stick around colourful ropes around the  tyre and this usually brings out a perfect end-product that attracts more customers to his business.
Every day, he assembles his end products by the roadside and people who pass by appreciate his products and others would place orders while some give him advice on business related matters.ENDS