14 Oct 2018

Ms Paphani Nzongeni has gone against the notion that carpentry and wood work businesses are for men.

In an interview during  a two-day trade fair for small traders in Francistown, 54-year-old Chadibe-born said her wood work included traditional and modern chairs, tables, wooden spoons and cups as well as traditional decorates.

She said she developed the love for carpentry during her teenage days.

“When I was still a little girl, I was involved in wood work while my peers were learning girls work such as sewing. People, including my parents, were always teasing me, even calling me unpleasant names,” she revealed.

Ms Nzongeni said from her twenties, she was involved in wood work, making small items such as wooden cups and selling some while using others to decorate in her mother’s house.

She added that she did to make many items because she was struggling financially and had no machines.

The married mother of nine said she got lucky in 2014, when government bought her machines and tools through the Poverty Eradication Programme.

She said she was also sent for a short course where they were taught how to decorate wooden items and to manage a business.

After the course and receiving tools and machines, Ms Nzongeni said she started operating from her home in Francistown.

She said she was a well-known carpenter in and around Francistown and was making enough money to take care of her family.

She said she used paint and varnish to decorate her items, adding that sometimes she drew patterns on them to make them look more attractive.

She also said carpentry and wood work needed hard work, passion and determination.

She said she took party in art and craft competitions and trade shows to market her items.

“In the current trade show my items got positions 1 to 3, and I am very happy because this shows they are of good quality and it will motivate me more,” she added.

She said she also marketed her items by displaying them along the main road for the potential customers to see.

Ms Nzongeni has a certificate of excellence that she obtained from Francistown City Council for best Francistown small business trader.

Meanwhile, Ms Nzongeni said she had experienced ups and downs in her business.

She said she also did not have a vehicle to transport her items, something that prevented her from selling outside Francistown.

She said her dream was to have a bigger space to do her work and sell her items, and also to register her business as a company.

She encouraged other women to engage in carpentry and wood work and to stop the mentality of it being only for men, adding that carpentry is not a difficult. ENDS