22 Apr 2014

Forty-one-year-old, Ms Khutsafalo Ntau uses waste plastic and paper to put bread on her table undermining the general view that waste material adds no value to human life safe to cause detrimental damage to life.

Although Ms Ntau’s passion for business took long to take off because she did not have enough capital, she said in an interview that today, waste material, especially paper and plastics, are the driving forces behind her dream of becoming wealthy.

She said her lack of funds to start a business did not discourage her but pushed her to think hard and come up with a business idea that would not eat from her pocket.

And add to that, having a hand in the conservation of natural resources was among her wildest dreams, she said, adding that after too much thinking, a strange thing happened.

“It has always been my dream to have an income generating business but when I first thought of owning a business, my pockets were empty,” she said, adding that she looked for solutions until she approached people for financial assistance.

After failing to raise a start-up capital, she said she finally settled for a project that would not require any start-up capital; hence waste material. “One day as I was taking a walk, a strange thing happened. The solution to my problem was there gazing at me as I noticed that the place was full of waste materials especially plastic and paper,” she said.

A thought crossed her mind that she could turn the waste materials into useful products and earn an income through the process. Ms Ntau said that after the great discovery, she did not waste any more time as she began collecting paper and plastic waste to start her project of making decorating materials.

Khuis-born, Ms Ntau said that her business started last year in March and it is doing tremendously well.  She makes decorating materials such as cakes, flowers, mats, bags, bangles, necklaces, children’s toys and many other products using plastic and paper.

She also said that she uses pieces of tattered cloth to make products such as mats and toys, as well as patch work. Ms Ntau said that operating with waste material is cheap as she did not need any capital to start her business.

“Like I said, I did not need a cent to start my business. I just had to be creative enough to come up with a feasible business idea and act upon it.  I also do not need any money to carry out the daily running of my business because I work by hand, I do not need any machines to keep my business running.  Also I operate from home so I do not pay rent,” she said.

She also said that her business is viable as it is environmentally friendly, adding that it contributes significantly to waste management and promotes recycling.

“Recycling is one of the best and simplest ways that have a positive impact on the environment in which we live.  Recycling is important because it is the best way that we can conserve our natural resources.

Recycling also helps the environment to be clean and free from germs.  My business is centered in recycling so it impacts positively on the environment,” she boasted.

Ms Ntau said that her business has helped her very much in building her life especially in the area of finances. She said that through the money she gets from selling her products she can pay water bills, electricity bills, buy food and clothing as well as paying for her children’s school fees.

She said that all her products are worth between P25 and P80 depending on the product and its size except for children’s toys which have a fixed price of P10.

Ms Ntau said that in a lucky month, she can make up to P3 300, depending on the number of sales made in that month. She said that her market comprises both the young and the old.

She said that she sells to individual customers from as far as Tsabong, Kolonkwaneng, Bogogobo, Middlepits, Khuis, Gakhibane, Khawa and Bokspits.

She said that her products can be found at Tsabong Cultural Centre, her home in Middlepits and from Non-formal school in Middlepits. Ms Ntau knows very well that sharing is caring and that knowledge is power, and as such she does not keep her blessing and discovery to herself.

She does not use it for her only benefit, she teaches non-formal students in Middlepits to make products from waste material. She also imparts her knowledge to interested youth in and around Middlepits.

Ms Ntau adviced Batswana to join the recycling industry, saying that there are a number of areas of recycling that people can get involved in, saying that for example, one can set up a business that collects recyclable waste from houses and then take it to a company that will pay him for the waste he has collected.

She said that another business opportunity in recycling is the manufacture of goods from recycled material. “Just like me, people can set up recycling businesses to earn an income.

They can use waste materials such as tins, paper, plastic and others to produce useful products for sale.  The recycling industry, if fully exploited can change lives for the better and also change our county’s economy,” she said.

Ms Ntau plans to own a big recycling firm in the near future. She said that she also plans to be actively involved in natural resource conservation campaigns to sensitise people about the importance of conservation of natural resources. ENDS