By Matṧeliso Phulane
Motlatsi Molapo knows the importance of recycling materials quite well.
That is why he has decided to use this art to put bread on the table.
Molapo collect can tabs, bottle tops, safety pins, match boxes and anything he can think of to make unique earrings, neck pieces, bracelets and other jewelleries.
In an interview with theReporter this week, Molapo said he officially started his business in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said that since most people were struggling financially, he needed something to help him make a living. He then decided to take his talent seriously.
Molapo never took any lessons or attend workshops related to his art work.
“I really do not even know where the ideas come from, it is just a matter of thinking.
“To make an earring I just take whatever material is available and use it. I believe this is a gift from God,” he noted.
Molapo was born and bred in Hlotse, Leribe district.
He attended Leribe English Medium School but unfortunately, he did not get an opportunity to pursue his studies at university due to financial constraints.
From that moment, life taught him to hustle so that he could make ends meet. First, he learnt how to do dreadlocks at a local salon.
A few years later he decided to cross the border to South Africa looking for greener pastures where he slowly developed love for art.
Apart from that, being in different places and meeting new people from other cultures saw him going into beadwork.
“People would always ask me where I bought my artistic jewellery. The spirit spurred me until I started making more to sell,” he recalled.
Molapo collects waste or unused products and reuse them.
His target market is mostly elegant women with a sense of fashion. They are unique and require confidence to wear his products, he said.
Molapo believes that business grows well through family support. That is why he now works with his wife who also crafts crotchet handbags made from can tabs while he deals with earrings.
The number of earrings he makes per day depends on how complex a particular pair is.
“I make about 10 pairs every day if I’m entirely concentrating. The availability of materials also counts. However, I have not yet reached the level of selling in bulk,” he indicated.
Apart from crafting earrings, Molapo also makes dreadlocks.
He recently got a certificate in Microshading or ombre and microblading.
He further explained sourcing leather sometimes presents problems because the material is not widely available throughout the country but mainly in Maseru.
Bringing something new and unique to Basotho takes time for them to adapt especially because they believe that some forms of jewellery are meant for white people, he added.
Molapo urged locals to appreciate and acknowledge talented artists.
His aim is to see his business amongst the most notable and recognised brands in the country, known for dealing with waste on the streets.
“I want to get to a point where even street kids know the benefit of collecting waste and bringing it to us for payment. I also wish to employ other Basotho for mass production and export.”
Molapo also urged young people to step out of their comfort zone and work hard in spite of any risks they might have to deal with. He can be contacted on his WhatsApp number: +27678867013 and +2665686840 for calls. He is also available on Facebook as Afrosoul Molapo as well as on his page: Afrosoul Creation. People can also visit him on Instagram at Afrosoul Molapo or email him at: MotlatsiMolapoafrosoul@gmail.com
