09 Sep 2015

Government’s poverty eradication programme is bearing fruits.  The 30-year-old Ipeleng Saseng of Khonkhwa in Southern District, hailed the programme, which she said had a significant improvement in her life since she started two years ago. 

Ms Saseng explained in an interview that she always wanted to run a catering business but was hopeless because she did not have start-up capital.

“The programme is a life-saver for me. I can proudly say that I am living my dream,” she said. The bakery owner said her business was doing well as she recently won a tender to supply the village primary school with bread.

She also explained that apart from the school tender, she had received overwhelming support from surrounding villages that included Sekoma and Keng.

“I sell my products house to house in Keng and Sekoma that also helps supplement the money I get from the school tender, it also helps boost my customer base,” she added.

Speaking on how her bakery helped improve her life, she said that with the profits she had made, she was able to build herself a one bedroomed house and also take care of her three school going children.

“Life has definitely improved for me and my children. I am able to buy them full school uniform, something that was a challenge for me before I enrolled for the programme,” she said.

Ms Saseng said that like other operational businesses she faced challenges. She said most customers were interested in buying fat cakes as compared to other products. 

This, she noted, hindered the growth of her business because sometimes she is forced to return home with products that were not bought.

She also mentioned that her business relies on water and electricity for baking, cleaning of equipment and safe keeping and therefore with the current short supply of both, she is sometimes unable to do anything thus loss on business.

The baker said that she was optimistic that with the effort that the government is making to normalise the situation, her business will also pick up soon. She said that the challenges that she faces as a business woman will not in any way deter her from making her business a success story.

She encouraged other youths to enrol in the programmes availed for them and explained that running a business makes an individual grow in many levels and above all it empowers one to be independent.

She also advised other beneficiaries to work hard in turning their businesses into profitable entities and not allow the challenges they face to determine their future.

“The same commitment and enthusiasm we showed when we enrolled in the programme should also be carried to our businesses and definitely we will succeed,” she said.

Ms Saseng said that she dreams that one day her small business would have branches in major places such as Jwaneng, Kanye and Lobatse. She said that would mean expansion of her customer base and easier access to a lot of facilities.

She however said that her home village will always remain special to her because it was the foundation of her dream. ENDS