From the dusty streets of Marite near Hazyview, young entrepreneur Ethel Siwele is inspiring women to create opportunities for themselves through entrepreneurship instead of waiting to be employed.

Siwele is the founder of Lesedi Events & Décor, an event management company that has steadily grown into a well-established business offering services for weddings, birthday parties, funerals, corporate events and traditional ceremonies.

“I must advise fellow sisters to look at the needs in the areas where they stay, identify what people need the most and capitalise on those opportunities. Not everyone will be hired, but we need women who can start their own businesses, make a living and create employment opportunities for locals,” she said.

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Siwele started the business in 2018 after planning her own wedding. Although she did not have a professional planner at the time, she had a clear vision for the event.

During the planning process, she discovered her passion for organising events and decided to turn it into a business.

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“I have created my own livelihood while also creating jobs for other people to support themselves and their families. People do not need to live in big cities to start a business. I realised there are many events happening in our communities, and people need someone reliable to handle the co-ordination while they focus on other things,” she explained.

According to Siwele, what makes Lesedi Events & Décor unique is its strong focus on building meaningful relationships with clients.

She said the company walks every step of the journey with its clients, offering support, communication and stress management throughout the planning process.

The business also prioritises understanding each client’s vision in detail and provides sketches or demo setups where necessary to ensure expectations are met.

Clients can contact Lesedi Events & Décor through Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp to view the comapany’s previous work and book a consultation.