Limpopo fragrance maker encourages women to create opportunities for rural communities

Fragrance producer, Matimba Makaringe (32) from Nkowa-nkowa Township, outside Tzaneen, in Limpopo has encouraged other women to work hard and create employment opportunities for rural communities as South Africa observes Women’s Month.

Create opportunities

Makaringe has urged women to work hard and create employment opportunities for rural communities. She started a fragrance-making company from her home in 2017. She is happy that her venture is now providing jobs, for several women. .

Her company -Courageous Cosmetics currently has a branding, marketing and training contract with the Small Enterprise Development Agency. Makaringe is a self- taught fragrance maker who a crash course in fragrance making before she started her business.

The Corporate Communications graduate from the University of Free State says she started the business after experiencing several misfortunes.

“A hot water bottle had burst on my thighs so I sustained second degree burns. And a few months after that I suffered a miscarriage. And I was in a relationship with a partner who left me in a huge amount of debt. So the stench from the burn wounds and the blood from the miscarriage kept stuck on me. So I tried to buy brand perfumes and I just couldn’t afford them. So I met up with someone that helped me manufacture my own scent. And as I was using it, I realized that there’s a market for it.” she says.

Matimba Makaringe has created opportunities for her community by employing 4 women in her fragrance-making business

Grab every opportunity

She says it was not easy starting the business; however she encourages women to grab every little opportunity they have to better their lives.

“Nobody’s coming to save us if you’re making replanting here and turn it into a successful business. When I started this business, I was working in the garage for five years at the shop last year, and I fought tooth and nail to be here. I’m just looking at work.  We’re trying to create systems using technology instead of social media to gossip. I go on social media to find opportunities.” She adds.

Life changing

One of her employees, Mpho Mashaba, says working at Makaringe’s fragrance shop has been a life changing experience as her company has created jobs for black people.

“We can do our own thing. And as for me, since we offer manufacturing, training and buy and resell opportunities, it could also have been more personally, because I can take the opportunity to do my own thing and become an agent- like market for other businesses and help them grow.” Mashaba explains.

Makaringe adds that she wants to restore hope and confidence in women who reside in underdeveloped communities by helping them through the manufacturing of quality and affordable fragrance products.