A young man from Mohlaletse village in Sekhukhune became a community hero when he fixed 135 broken desks at Fetakgomo High School in a short space of time so that the children would have decent work surfaces to work on. Election Lethiba helped the school, despite there not being sufficient funds to adequately pay for his services.
According to Lethiba “The school did not have enough money; I took what they could offer and got the job done. Being able to help the school was a big deal for me”. He added, that the support he receives from his community motivates him to be the best that he can be.
Lethiba suffered a number of setbacks over the years but seems to have found his way, thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit. After dropping out of high school, he registered to study an electrical course but again dropped out because of financial challenges. “I went back home and opened a barbershop,” he explained.
One day, while waiting for customers to walk in, he was playing with a piece of wire which took the shape of a chair. Lethiba had always been good with his hands and he was inspired to see where his talents as a craftsman could take him. He saved money while he was a barber and used it to buy carpentry equipment.
He gradually learnt how to manufacture garden chairs, couches, wedding chairs and tables and soon his reputation as a furniture-maker spread. Lethiba works from his parents’ home and hires out furniture for events and sells pieces to the public. Although he runs a lucrative business, his next goal is to establish his own workshop and buy decent equipment
