What started as a pastime desire to sell crafts at local markets, deeply rooted in the South African culture, has since blossomed to become an international business entity for two local women.It took the Mokone sisters, Morongwe"Mo" and Michelle , three years only to turn around their home decor business into an international business venture by leveraging on the African Growth and Opportunity Act .
"Our business is deeply linked to our upbringing in South Africa, we draw inspiration from the African culture, nature, and our commitment to the local community," Michelle toldMichelle, who is Mo's Crib director of operations and supply chain added:"We transitioned our craft into entrepreneurship when we noticed the increased demand of our products at local markets. It was the passion for art and the desire to make a positive impact that propelled us to where we are today.
Highlighting that through local businesses like Mo's Cribs, age-old African crafts are given new life, and in doing so, preserve their heritage, Michelle, however, is urging businesswomen to carefully identify products that resonate with the international market. "We reached a broad agreement on the need to extend AGOA for another 10 years," Mr. Patel told a business forum in Johannesburg recently, adding that they were able to engage with policymakers from more than 30 sub-Saharan African countries and the US to enable African countries to continue exporting goods to the American market duty-free.