21 Nov 2013

For Mr Gobona Motsamai, perseverance and hard work are key ingredients to making a successful business. The young man says he started his business from scratch, with nothing but a vision to become an enterprising businessman.

In 2010, Mr Motsamai used his meager savings to purchase equipment for a horticulture project. He started off on a very small scale, as he initially ploughed vegetables on a half a hectare plot.

The business immediately showed potential, and in June 2012, Motsamai applied for funding to expand his business. Government gave him a lifeline in October 2012 with a P100, 000 grant from the Youth Development Fund. He immediately rented out more land and increased his production from half a hectare to three hectares.

“This growth was fuelled by government’s assistance and a desire, on my part, to do well and excel in business. I was very determined to make sure that my vision for a successful business becomes a reality,” he said.

But, as is the case with all businesses, it has not been smooth sailing for Motsamai. He encountered a lot of problems along the way. He was terrorized by animals which ate his produce and left him with nothing to sell. He also lacked in-depth knowledge of the horticulture industry and often found himself faced with insurmountable problems.

But Motsamai managed to survive because he was always willing to learn. He learnt a lot through interaction with other established entrepreneurs. He also undertook a short course at Sebele and sought closer working relations with agricultural officers. Motsamai also revealed that he learnt a lot from reading horticultural and business publications, which gave him tips on how to overcome challenges that he faced along the way.

“Reading is very important. I was able to learn a lot and even get inspiration when times were hard,” he said. Motsamai has since paid back the P100, 000 loan he owed government and he has plans to further expand his business and diversify production.

He said he has been growing tomatoes and cabbages in large quantities and plans to sell them at lower prices so that he can penetrate the market. Through hard work and perseverance, Motsamai was able to defy the odds and establish a thriving horticultural business that has a rich client portfolio.

“I now supply big retailers like fruit and veg, shoppers and food lovers market. I also supply street vendors and the public at large,” said Motsamai. He further advised other youths to make sure that they venture into projects that they are passionate about and dedicated to. He said dreams only come true when action is taken to make them a reality, and reminded the youth of Botswana that for them the sky is the limit. ENDS