“When people are empowered, they can change their circumstances from poverty to success, just like I did,” says Josiah. Josiah turned his life around from a struggling part-time gardener to an environmental entrepreneur. If you need a reminder that you are never “too old” to change your circumstances, this is Josiah's story.
Midrand, South Africa (March 10, 2024) — Josiah Morake, from Ivory Park, Midrand, was a struggling part-time gardener until one day he realized he would not only be his own boss, but also become an environmental entrepreneur and work to improve the environment. I never dreamed of it.
“I didn't have a steady income and worked for different people, so that was putting a strain on me. Money was tight. I had to wake up early in the morning in a dangerous town. I had to face the possibility of being robbed every day. I had three children and a wife to feed them. I was stressed and had to face the possibility of being robbed every day. “I was having a hard time dealing with the difficult situation I was in,” Josiah recalls.
At some point, he realized this wasn't sustainable. There he tried to sell everything he could, just as he had in his youth. Unfortunately, he had little experience in managing money, so things didn't go well at first. But Josiah is determined not to give up on what he believes is his way out of his current situation and decides to start from the basics by learning the skills necessary to change his life.
“At 49 years old, I was excited to start learning the skills needed to run a successful business and repair appliances. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I had to step out of my comfort zone and I found it challenging to have to learn something new.”
When Josiah heard about Take Care of Business, a nonprofit organization that provides people with shared resources and skills to run a business, he enthusiastically signed up for its remediation program.
This means starting to learn how to run your own repair business and becoming an eco-entrepreneur who specializes in breathing life back into frequently discarded products.
Two years later, Josiah achieved his dream.
“I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be able to repair appliances. But today I can – and I have a good business,” he says proudly.
Make effective use of waste
A win-win in terms of impact, Josiah's business model keeps much non-recyclable waste out of landfills and makes it more accessible to people who can't afford commercial products.
“We are proud to be part of TCB's waste-to-waste program. Not everything belongs in the dumpster. There are many items that can be repaired without throwing them away. I unlock them, repair them, and sell them to my customers at a cheaper price. People in my community are happy because they can get these products at a cheaper price,” says the eco-entrepreneur. say.
More than business skills
“Through the life skills and guidance I learned, I was able to work on my personal well-being…Now I am a better person and able to deal with difficult situations that I used to struggle with. ” adds Josiah. .
Josiah credits the Repair Program for its holistic approach to skills that focuses on empowerment through improving one's own journey. For him, this was one of the biggest changes that forced him out of his previous life.
But his dreams didn't stop.
“My dream is to own multiple businesses. I also want to run a restaurant and later own a franchise,” he says. “My advice to people looking to start a business is to learn to finish what you start, never quit no matter what the circumstances are, and be passionate about what you do. That’s the thing.”
Adding some thoughts on the overall skill sharing and show of hands approach, the eco-entrepreneurs left us with these powerful reflections:
“When people are empowered, they can change their circumstances from poverty to success, as I did.”
