Entrepreneur has solutions to societal issues
Puleng Motupa is a social entrepreneur from Nobody Village in Limpopo with a business that manufactures innovative products that are helping impoverished communities. His company, Motupa PJ Enterprises manufactures a heat locker box that saves electricity as well as reusable sanitary pads.
The products he manufactures are sold across the continent and one of his bestselling products is the heat locker box which is sold by a large supermarket retailer with stores in other countries. This business is now exporting products made in Nobody Village to other countries.
His business is inspired by a desire to find solutions to challenges faced by people residing in mostly rural areas. Motupa observed that his community was struggling to afford electricity and that young girls had to walk long distances to fetch wood used for cooking.
Motupa came up with an idea to manufacture the heat locker box to help his community. “It a non-electric slow cooker that can be used to cook for up to 12 hours,” he said.
This product also reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that is regularly inhaled by people who burn wood to make a fire to cook. Community members save money on paraffin costs, and they also do not have to cook everything on the stove.
Many young girls in village cannot afford to buy menstruation products and are often absent from school during their menstrual cycle. To address this societal issue, Motupa decided to manufacture sanitary products.
“Our sanitary pads are affordable and washable, with a four-year life span,” said Motupa. The motivation for making this product was to ensure that girls don’t miss out on school because they are menstruating.
Motupa is creating jobs and improving the local economy by operating his business from Nobody Village. “I want to stay connected to my community and create products to improve our living standards, “he said. Motupa runs his business from the village he was born and bred in, and he plans to bring economic development to the area.
Load shedding and ongoing electricity power cuts have made access to electricity a major concern for most South Africans. There is a need for more solution orientated businesses that have innovative solutions to societal issues.
As the world commemorates Mandela Month, it is a reminder that entrepreneurs and businesses can make the world a better place through solution orientated business models. Motupa PJ Enterprises is proof that it is possible to make a profit while uplifting disadvantaged communities.