26 Jul 2018

While others take to gardening as  a hobby, others turn it into a business. Among these is 54-year-old Ms Agnes Moabi popularly known as “Mastebo” in Lobatse.

In an interview, Ms Moabi said she decided to make a living out of gardening to help her husband take care of the family. 

“Gardening has been my hobby for many years. But it has been two years now doing it as a business,” she said.

She further explained that when her potential funder turned down here request for funding under poverty eradication on the basis that she was married and her husband employed, she decided not to let that discourage her.

“It is difficult as my husband took a loan to finish our house in Mahalapye, where we originate from, which means most of my husband’s salary is still paying for that loan, while I have to look after the family,” she said.

Funding would have helped her grow her business as she could buy more stock to sell.

Despite all the challenges, Ms Moabi says her business is flourishing because of her neighbours, and mostly passersby as her house is situated by the road side near Tsopeng Clinic.

Ms Moabi said her biggest challenge is water; as there are times she has to go to the Peleng River to fetch water for her plants, adding that the other challenge is the packaging of her plants, which she says is also expensive.

She further revealed that her business was badly affected by last year’s drought, which forced her to start from scratch as she is mostly driven by passion more than anything else.

Ms Moabi said her dream is to have a wedding garden and a nursery in five years, which also requires bigger land.

She also rents our her plants for decorating at weddings, parties and funerals for a minimum charge of P300 .

She revealed that she also wanted to have a poultry business in her home to generate more income and buy more plants, but was refused permission  as chickens cannot be reared in an urban homestead.

She said government should encourage its employees to look carefully at women in business as they are the backbone of every family.

BOPA met with another plant enthusiast, 66-year-old Ms Keatlaretse Masalila, a former head of department at Ipelegeng Community Junior Secondary School.

Ms Masalila, who resides at Botoka, also explained that gardening is a hobby, which she first discovered in the 1970s and later in life got to turn it into a business.

She says she has mentored a lot of people as her yard has always been surrounded by a beautiful garden and that it was when she retired that she thought of turning it into a business as people would come to her house asking to buy plants.

Ms Masalila said she is funding herself as she has always been afraid to approach the council for funding as she thought they would refuse as she still has her pension.

She said her business has been able to employ two people; a landscaper and another employee who sweeps and waters the plants.

She further revealed that she has inspired her children to love gardening and turn it into a hobby.

Ms Masalila explained that she buys most of her plants in Gaborone as it is difficult to find everything that she needs in Lobatse.

She said had it not been for her health as she is diabetic, and lack of funds, she would want to see her business in a bigger plot and having a tea garden.

She further said she gets support from teachers and other government employees, neighbours and some from as far as Kgalagadi. 

Ms Masalila said her water fountain and beautiful garden have attracted some couples to do their wedding photo shoots on her lawn, revealing that she charges a minimum fee of P300 for such. 

Just like Ms Moabi, she faces the same water challenges, noting that taking care of plants is high maintenance, as one has to find good soil and buy plants, which are expensive. ENDS