22 Aug 2019

Beadwork experts in Kgalagadi North constituency, Ms Beauty Mareetsane and Ms Kaki Matlakala have defied a myth that women do not help each other after they made an instant breakthrough with the help of another woman.

The duo, was in June, treated to a tourism expo in Namibia, by female business magnate, Ms Talita Monnakgotla, where they said, they had a “remarkable experience”.

They said as an entrepreneur, it is important for one to go to the “right places” to get exposure, rather than staying cocooned in one’s environment where they would never stop seeing themselves as subjects to the misfortunes that may have plagued their families.

BOPA took a trip to Maake and Ngwatle settlements to get first-hand information from the two beneficiaries, regarding their life journeys in beadwork.

Forty-two year-old, Maake native, Ms Mareetsane said after completing her two-year Junior Certificate at Lehutshelo Junior Secondary School in 1993, she never secured a white-collar job.

She said in 1994, she went for two-year training in dressmaking and knitting at Selebi Phikwe, through the Remote Area Development Programme (RADP).

Upon completion, she said she returned home with certificates but could not secure a better job and as “namola leuba” was the only source of employment, she had no choice but to join to put food on the table.

While she was passing time at the namola leuba, she watched her mother ‘kill’ time making beads and bracelets and it never crossed her mind that, such a pass time would be her ticket out of unemployment and poverty.

She said she always felt her mother, who worked with beads, was wasting time and energy on something she personally had no interest.

She said she relocated to Kacgae in the Ghanzi District, with the intention to look for greener pastures, but as if by a divine sign, she met a group of women who dealt with beadwork, something that she thought she had run away from.

With the passage of time, Ms Mareetsane said the thought of partaking in beadwork in a different area, did not tickle her fancy, hence she decided to go back and answer the beadwork “calling” at her mother’s house.

She said upon her return from Kacgae, she worked tirelessly on her beadwork but it did not yield good returns as most members of her community were into beadwork, but just for entertainment.

She said it was by God’s mercy, that she met a Good Samaritan in the name of Mr Motumise, who dealt with leatherwork, who purchased some of her beads to decorate his leather attires and even encouraged her to enter the President’s Day competition because he believed that she had captivating talent.

She said her encounter with Mr Motumise was indeed the beginning of better things as she tried her luck in the 2008 President’s Day competitions, but did not make it through.

However, she said that did not dampen her spirits, as she tried her luck for the second time and scooped position one and bagged P10 000, the money that she said brought change to her life.

Ms Mareetsane said now she never misses a chance to partake in the regional and even national competitions and she said she never goes back empty handed.

She said through the proceeds from the various competitions, she bought herself small stock (goats) and has now sold some to buy building materials to put a roof over her mother and her siblings’ heads and now she has started another house at her own place.

She said through various competitions that she participated in, and the sales that she made from government departments, her life has changed for the better.

On other issues, she said the Namibian tourism expo helped her vision, as she managed to sell most of her stuff, which stands out and distinguishes them from many who took part in the beadwork category.

She mentioned that, some of the challenges are lack of market for their products, lack of egg shells in their locality and they order them from Dibete farm.

She pleaded with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, to set up an ostrich farm in their locality so that they could access the egg shells easily rather than travelling long distances.

She encouraged those residing in economically disadvantaged areas not to rely on government for everything, but to put on their thinking caps to see how best they could use their natural talents to put food on their tables as well as to promote their villages.

Another beadwork enthusiast, Ms Matlakala (48) also said she learnt the ropes in beadwork from her parents.

She however, shared the same sentiments with Ms Mareetsane that there are no markets locally, and that they lack support from their communities but she said they made a breakthrough after showcasing their works at the tourism expo in Namibia.

She said their visit to Namibia has opened doors for them as she has orders from two schools in Gobabis (Namibia), something that she said she is “hopeful”, would open doors for them and ultimately help them spread their wings across borders.

Ms Matlakala said though they stay about 50km apart, she and Ms Mareetsane are considering a partnership as they design similar products, adding that, that would definitely help them to produce more and be able to meet customers’ demand and even increase their customer base.

She also appealed to members of her community to utilise government assistance schemes to live dignified lives and encouraged those in business to be patient stressing that “patience pays” and one should not just to rush for profits.

Ms Matlakala said one must understand that business has its ups and downs and that during tough times, they should not throw in the towel, but learn from those shortcomings.

On other issues, she said network coverage has been a pain in their area, but since they are now connected, they would be able to promote their businesses through social networks. ENDS