Karabo Handcrafts chief executive officer, ‘Mampenene Konyana, has finally found a solution for nursing mothers who can’t afford to buy disposable diapers.
Karabo Handcrafts which simply meaning an ‘answer to the world’, manufactures babies’ waterproofs, reusable nappies, maternity pads and other crotcheted products such as shoes both for babies and adults.
Her reusable diapers are a good option for those who want to protect their infant’s sensitive skin while being mindful of the environment. They also work by providing a re-usable, washable cloth barrier between the baby’s skin and their waste.
Back then, it was a big piece of cloth, folded and pinned to stay on the baby. But now things are different.
In an interview with theReporter, Konyana of Lithabaneng Maseru said to make waterproofs, she uses recycled plastics coated with polycotton fabric which is quick to dry. The diaper is three in one as it consists of cross over snaps, waterproof, absorbent cotton (fleece) which is also washable and dries quickly. The diaper is also accompanied by a nappy saver.
Twenty-five-year old Konyana is a self-taught entrepreneur. Due to financial constraints, she was forced to drop out from a local college where she was doing business studies.
Her experience in 2020 during Covid-19 pandemic became an inspiration to start a business. Konyana said after giving birth to her daughter, also named Karabo, during the pandemic which disrupted everything globally such as unemployment, her family had to face a decreased financial security which forced her to use washable cloth diaper for her baby who also had a skin problem.
“Karabo was born with eczema, a condition which causes skin to become dry, itchy and bumpy. Since we both lost our jobs with my partner, I was forced to use washable cotton nappies, which I hardly found in shops.
“I have been dealing with woollen craft for fun since 2012, not aware that I could actually turn it in to business. The idea of designing waterproof using plastic came and I kept on practising that throughout the night and finally came out with the final product I wanted,” Konyana recounted.
She then decided to buy more of the plastic from a fabric shop in the country, not knowing about recycling. Her enthusiasm grew even more when she saw the products on social media more improved by now being coated with a fabric.
“While choosing the fabric, I had to consider one that could easily get dry, and also one which will become an answer to babies with eczema including mine. I had to go for a polycotton cloth which is also safe for babies’ skins. What I have noticed is that our business competitors use a thick fabric which does not easily get dry, especially in winter.
“However, I then noticed that the plastic from the shop was rough and had some side effects like skin irritation. As a result, recycling dumped plastics became an answer considering the fact that our environment is not clean,” Konyana observed.
In 2021, she came up with the business name ‘Karabo’ Handcrafts which is now registered. Karabo simply means ‘an answer to the world’, not necessarily about her daughter, hence their slogan says ‘we are your solution’.
“We started making reusable diapers this year. In crocheting we craft berets, jerseys, shoes with different colours. We also teach people who are willing to learn crafts, hence we reach out to schools through volunteering lessons about crocheting.
“Apart from that, we have reached out to women in different communities. Unfortunately, they did not show any interest and could not understand what we are doing,” she added.
The business currently employs four people.
One of their challenges, Konyana mentioned lack of a sewing machine; they depend on a borrowed one.
“One of my achievements is that we keep on receiving many orders from people in different districts across the country,” Konyana added.
Karabo Handcrafts products are available at Hatooa Mose Mosali Teya Teyaneng. They will soon be available in MILCO. People can also contact Konyana at +266 50026028 or find them on Facebook at: Karabo Handcrafts.
