Crafts Vendors Make A Living From Tourists
Boniface Keakabetse | Monday August 28, 2017 16:38
Sharing the origins of her business with The Monitor on Friday, Siseho explained that her business was started from just a mere P500 in 2014.
Siseho explained: “My mother operated a crafts street vendor. On eday in 2014 after finishing my Form 5, I planned to go to Choppies supermarket to look for a job. My mother instead asked me to help her sell her crafts and paid me P500, which I used to buy painted fabrics to sell. When my mother relocated to Sweden in 2014 I remained behind to operate the business until now.”
Siseho revealed that since then she has been making a living from selling crafts to passing tourists. Her products comprise mostly of table runners, pillow cases, curtains and an assortment of curios sourced locally and from neighbouring Zimbabwe.
She explained: “Our clients are mostly tourists, both local and international ones. Our biggest business comes in the months of May to November during Botswana’s tourism peak season when visiting tourists will stop at our roadside market to buy something to take home.” she said.
Maun is also frequented by local visitors from as far as Gaborone who also give them business. Siseho said as their business is seasonal, she learnt how to weave chairs and tables from palm tree leaves (mokolwane).
She explained that the sale of this furniture usually sustains her during the tourism off-season as the furniture is favoured by lodge operators to decorate their camps.
She said so far she has no intention of applying for the Youth Development Fund to boost her business as she is doing well on her own.
Meanwhile Bogosi Ketsholang, 33, who is a wood carver is also one of youth dependent on the booming craft business along the Maun road in New Town ward. Ketsholang explains that he originates from Xaxaba, an island village in the heart of the Okavango Delta.
Ketsholang said during his upbringing in Xaxaba, he had an uncle who made woodcrafts and sold them to international tourists visiting the neighbouring lodges.
Ketsholang shared: “Around 1997, my uncle would make animal crafts and sell them to the rich international tourists for as little as P25-P50,” he said. He further shared that after finishing his Form 5 in 2005 where he did art he immediately started working in the Maun crafts market.
“I have learnt a lot since I started here. I have collaborated with many other artists from as far as Malawi from who I got inspiration.”
However for Tumisi Nkape who also operates a roadside business, their industry has a potential to grow with government support.
He said there are a lot of challenges in the tourism industry due to government’s failure to grow the craft sector.
Another problem he raised is the lack of support to their business from the local tourism operators. ”We always plead with them to stop at our shops when they are passing on the road ferrying tourists from Moremi Game Reserve and various lodges.
They always speed past us without stopping. The tourists are interested in our products but we are not supported by our countrymen.”
Nkape further complained about the infiltration of the sector by foreigners who he said are running locals out of business.