18 Aug 2024

Serowe-born Kefilwe Mhiti is one young person who appreciates the Youth Development Fund (YDF) for contributing towards not only unearthing her talent, but also creating the much-needed employment opportunities for fellow youth.

A resident of Jwaneng’s Unit 6, she reminisces about her upbringing in the same neighbourhood where she now operates Kefvas Hair Salon from her mother’s residence.

Like any average child going through formal education, it never occurred to her that one day she would be operating her own business as compared to the usual nine to five job, which is common among her peers.

However, as fate would have it, the 29-year-old found herself jobless after completing her AAT certificate from Botswana Accountancy College (BAC) in 2016.

Her passion and talent for hair plaiting was ignited thereafter, which she used to augment the salary she got from doing temporary jobs with the contractors engaged by Jwaneng Mine.

“I am just a self-taught hair braider. I used to do house calls to braid people’s hair, and over time my clientele base grew and my craft improved,” explains Ms Mhiti in an interview.

The financial management skills she acquired from her tertiary studies helped her open a savings account, which she was dedicated and disciplined enough to use wisely.

Her desire to establish a fully-fledged business motivated her to never lose focus, until she applied for the Youth Development Fund (YDF) in 2020.

“I applied for the YDF in 2020 and got approved for P99 000, and I augmented it with my savings to get started. I bought a basic container and customised it into the salon you see today,” says Ms Mhiti.

The modern, elegant-looking structure that sits at the front of the yard was officially opened in March, after a tedious process of licensing from the council. She is however grateful that she is not subjected to exorbitant rentals that have diminished the dreams of many around Jwaneng. A staunch Christian, Ms Mhiti is also fulfilled that she has managed to create employment for four fellow youth, who operate through the rent-a-chair system.

Even though she says her business is work in progress, she can already see a brighter future emanating from her hard work, and intends to start repaying the loan this year.

Her long-term plans include opening branches in different parts of the country, as well as establishing a beauty academy where she can share skills with like-minded youth.

“I am currently on a self-empowerment journey and I have since been trained and certified on doing nails and make-up. I also plan to broaden my skills on various hairstyles to keep up with emerging trends in the market,” she says.

Nonetheless, Ms Mhiti acknowledges that operating a business at such a tender age is not smooth sailing, as she also has to wear many hats to keep it going.

She attributes her financial discipline to her upbringing, as well as the business management and record keeping skills she learnt from BAC.

She also realises that operating a hair business from a residential area comes with health implications, hence she maintains a clean environment at all times.

“Environmental health issues are a concern in hair business, but I am doing the best that I can to keep the salon and its surroundings clean. I also had to make an additional drain because the salon uses a lot of water, hence we had to separate it from the house,” explains Ms Mhiti.

Nonetheless, she appreciates government’s deliberate decision to allow citizens to establish small businesses from residential areas, albeit within local authority bye-laws and licensing procedures.

Ms Mhiti appreciates that she is able to maintain herself, contribute to the family finances as the first born of four siblings, as well as create the much-needed employment opportunities to other young people. Ends