Christi
Naude
The Natal Witness
4 July 2003
Rhino dung has changed the world of
two bright young Pietermaritzburg schoolchildren who have claimed
a first place in this year's High
Road Peoples Bank School Entrepreneurs Competition.
Malusi Simon
Ngubane and Vusi Mthembu, Grade 10 pupils of Silver Heights and
Sobantu High School, have come up with the winning
idea of transforming rhino dung and used computer paper into beautifully
crafted hand-made paper, cards and envelopes.
Tourists and visitors
will be able to buy the gift packages at flea markets and museums,
art galleries and coffee shops.
The two friends, who belong to the
Sabalala Nolwazi Environmental Youth Club at the Natal Museum,
say that weekends are spent at
the museum where the paper is torn into small pieces, mixed with
water
and the sterilised dung of one of the big five before being flattened
into A4 and A3 sheets.
"
We make about 80 sheets per day and it takes at least six hours
for a sheet to dry," said Malusi.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife supplies
the rhino dung, while the paper is provided by the museum.
Future
plans include a prize-winning artist friend painting traditional
designs on the cards and cashing in on the demand for up-market
invitations for weddings and corporate functions.
What to do with
their R1 000 prize money? "We will plough it
back into the business. Next year we want to win the prize for
operating businesses," said Vusi.
If they do, they will emulate
16-year-old fresh fruit juice provider Thobile Ntombela who took
the R750 second prize in the operating
business category.
Since starting her business last year
in a caravan in her back yard, Thobile offers five different flavours
and makes
a profit
of R425
a week.
The bubbly teenager believes in her
product, which she says is nothing but fruit - "no sugar or
water".
The Sabalala Nolwazi Environmental
Youth Club is a group of 400 pupils in Grades 5-12 from 17 schools
in the Pietermaritzburg
area,
which
meets regularly at the Natal
Museum.
Publish Date: 4 July 2003
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