Mpho Chaka of Qacha’s Nek is an innovator who used his experience with ear problems as an opportunity to find a cure.
Chaka says both his products, Marotholi Eardrops and the recently launched Nalane Earplugs work effectively on any problem relating to ears.
Marotholi Eardrops is a liquid medication that you put inside your ear canal. Eardrops can help treat ear pain, itching caused by dryness, blocked ear or discharge from the ear. Those are the same experiences he also encountered.
Apart from that, Nalane Earplugs helps in noise reduction when reading or working if one needs to focus.
Earplugs are also a solution when one is using public transport, wants to get some sleep, working with noisy machines, motor bike, gun shooting and going to events or working at a club/bar.
They also assist in blocking strong wind from entering the ear canal and protecting ears.
Chaka told theReporter in an interview that his business, JuCa Manufacturing, was established in 2022 and it mainly focuses on health issues, exclusively ear care.
However, Marotholi Eardrops was only manufactured but not tested and that proved to be a major challenge to people who wished to use the medication.
At that time, Chaka had financial constraints which forced him to halt the business to mobilise enough money for its survival.
“It took me a whole year because I only started my first product (Marotholi Eardrops) towards the end of last year, which I managed to take for testing at the National University of Lesotho,” he pointed out.
Despite studying marketing management at tertiary, Chaka has always been enthusiastic about the health sector.
Growing up struggling with ear problems and having a grandmother who was a social worker also contributed to his inspiration in manufacturing ear products.
Chaka’s grandmother had a lot of knowledge which he adopted while treating his ear problems.
“I realised that ears do not need to be exposed to cold weather conditions, loud noise as well as improper cleaning as that may result in complete hearing loss.
“My grandmother used a certain herb which I found very effective for my ear problems. However, when I reached high school, I decided to consult a doctor to see if there was any damage caused to my ears.
“The doctor revealed that there was no damage, gave me some drops and did some cleaning which however did not make any difference. I then decided to go back to using my grandmother’s recipe which she had used for over 20 years,” he recounted.
Having realised the traditional medicine’s effectiveness on his problem, Chaka decided to take it to the market in order to assist other people with the same problems. He conducted more research on how to improve the medication.
Chaka explained that his Marotholi Eardrops basically contains herbs, although there is a base in it as well as some oiliness that are needed to moisturise the ear. Apart from that, it contains natural preservatives.
Both products are currently available at MILCO Sefika Complex Maseru and Qacha’s Nek. For more information, people can contact him on +266 62596403 or visit Facebook Page: JuCa Manufacturing
