My name is Doreen Lekoko. I live with my mother, siblings and their children at Boseja south ward in Mochudi in Kgatleng district. I had a stroke in 1998 which injured my spinal cord and left me with partial paralysis commonly known as paraplegia. I use a crutch for support.
I am unfit for formal employment due to my disability, which prohibits me from standing or seating for long hours. Hence I opted to go for a 2 year training at Tlamelong rehabilitation center in Tlokweng, a center that is supported by Red Cross society.
I make a living through sewing, I sew clothes using German print material which is mostly associated with the Bakgatla culture, curtains, dolls and cushions. I like sewing because it is mentally refreshing. I prefer making dresses and skirts and they are usually worn during traditional events like weddings and Kgotla meeting (community gatherings). Some of the challenges I experience are lack of material and transportation to move around.

My name is Ireen Tsheole. I have a physical disability; my spine is deformed. I live In Makgophane ward in Mochudi with my parents, siblings and my 4-year-old son. I make pottery for a living. I learnt pottery making in 2017 at the national museum, when we
were asked to volunteer in promoting the Bakgatla culture.
I decided to learn this skill because I was interested in learning more about the Sekgatla culture. Pottery making has ancestral linkages, so when we go and collect the clay soil, we first have to perform a ritual to notify the ancestors. These pots have different uses, such as cooking, storing traditional beer and water and for ancestral rituals, by traditional healers.
When making clay pots, we buy or collect the soil at sacred places such as hills, and mix it with “moshalakane” -an ingredient that strengthens the pots, firstly I mix the dry ingredients, add a little bit of water then mix just like I’m kneading dough.

My name is Lame Ntshebele. I am 30 years old. I live in Phaphane ward with my mother, my sibling and aunt. I am a tailor. I enrolled at Selebi Phikwe in 2015 to learn how to sew dresses and blankets. After completing my training, I did not practice because I didn’t have equipment and materials. I enrolled in another skills training and I am currently learning how to make candles. The challenge that I experience is the lack of machines, materials to make these products.

My name is Maemo Moroke. I live in Mochudi Boseja central. I was born lame, I could not walk and use my hands. I stay with my mother, siblings and their children. I am a tailor and currently on national service as a teacher aid.
I enrolled for training at Motswedi rehabilitation center in Rasesa in 1999 when I was 1 year old. In 2006, I started school at Kgafela primary school. I did not do well in my studies but I never lost hope in my dreams. I went back to Motswedi rehabilitation center to further my studies by learning tailoring in 2008. I have a business that is operating from home.I make aprons, dresses, skirts, curtains, mats and fitted sheets.
I started selling my products at the beginning of this year. At first I was just making dresses for myself.

My name is Mafuthe Mfetane, I was born in Mabalane in the Maribe ward. I stay alone in my yard in Sikwane. I was diagnosed with cancer in 2006, which lead to the amputation of my left leg. I’m a weaver, I weave chairs and stretchers using DuBose strapping. My
uncle taught me how to weave ‘maselo’- flat basket mats in 1957 when I was staying with him at the lands. In our culture, flat basket mats were used to remove chaff from grain: winnowing, these days the process is done in milling factories. My inspiration to start weaving chairs came after I got my disability because the technique of weaving flat basket mats needs one to have two legs.
I buy my material from construction workers, sometimes I get it for free. When making these chairs, clients bring the metal frame and I weave the base and the back to make a complete chair. The process of weaving chairs take 3 days to complete and it takes a week to weave the stretchers.

My name is Mmamolaletsa Tshikedi. I stay in Mabalane with my sister. I have a hearing disability. I took part in a training in 2019 where I learnt how to sew, it was offered by the community social workers at a neighboring village called Mmathubudukwane. At the end of the training, we were given materials to start our projects. I later on moved to home to take care of my sickly mother.
My customers always send their desired dress patterns when placing orders. These dresses can be worn at weddings and other sekgatla traditional events like community gatherings, bride price negotiations etc. I have entered competitions before and won first position, and my products were shown on Botswana television (BTV), where some of my clients would see my work.

My name is Oabile Otukile, I am a carpenter, living in Mochudi with my parents, sister and her 4 children. I have an intellectual disability, I have difficulty in reading and writing.
After completing my form 5, I enrolled in Motswedi rehabilitation center for two years from 2018- 2020 to learn carpentry and joinery. I learnt how to make different types of furniture like beds, chest of drawers and chairs. After graduating from Motswedi, I kept on applying for jobs and school to further my skills but I haven’t achieved that, for now I do part-time jobs fitting doors, ceilings and tiles around the village.
I need different types of tools to make furniture, for instance to fit a door I need a star and flat screwdrivers, circular saw,chisel, claw hammer.

My name is Oabile Otukile, I am a carpenter, living in Mochudi with my parents, sister and her 4 children. I have an intellectual disability, I have difficulty in reading and writing.
After completing my form 5, I enrolled in Motswedi rehabilitation center for two years from 2018- 2020 to learn carpentry and joinery. I learnt how to make different types of furniture like beds, chest of drawers and chairs. After graduating from Motswedi, I kept on applying for jobs and school to further my skills but I haven’t achieved that, for now I do part-time jobs fitting doors, ceilings and tiles around the village.
I need different types of tools to make furniture, for instance to fit a door I need a star and flat screwdrivers, circular saw,chisel, claw hammer. I usually buy the material I need from different building material shops and I go to Motswedi to use their facilities. I dont pay to use the facilities, however I leave behind any material that gets left after making the furniture.
Some of the challenges I face is competition from shops, customers would commission me to make a piece of furniture, then they would not collect and go buy from the shops because they are more affordable. The other challenge is that I do not have enough tools to make furniture.