'How To Us' Stands Firm Despite The Odds
Cavin Kanoko | Monday September 23, 2019 11:44
The Molepolole-headquartered company was founded in 2005 by a group of 19 women.
How to Us Investment is a textile company that specialises in making clothing, bags and other textiles. The firm was in the headlines this week when PPC Botswana took the local media on a tour of its premises, where the women are using old cement bags to manufacture fashion handbags.
Even though the number of people in the company has declined over the years, with only five left, How to Us is showing no signs of slowing down.
One of the founding members, Baakanyang Leshona told Business Monitor that the company was founded with the intention of helping create employment for the women, to allow them to complement each other with their skills and also to create a better chance for them to receive help to grow their business.
“We were funded by the FAP, which was a funding entity at the time we started.
“We then moved from being a shelf company and bought our own machines and fabrics.”
Even as some members fell off, How to Us continued through the various business cycles. As times grew tougher, some members gave up on the business, but a core held on and is seeing the rewards with the recognition of established corporates such as PPC Botswana.
How to Us has also participated in the Global Expo and other expos, and competitions by the Gender Affairs Department, as a way of gaining exposure.
“We also offer our services to different organisations such as Scottish Livingstone Hospital, Institute for Health Sciences, the Orphaned and Vulnerable Children office and even to individuals in the community,” Leshona said. She told Business Monitor that the company has plans to expand and be able to cater for a larger customer base.
“Perseverance is the one value that other partners and me have exercised even through hard times. We will hold on until we reach our set goals.”
How to Us intends to recruit youth in the near future in order to reduce the unemployment rate in the community.