What started as a dream slowly became one of the most successful Soweto businesses in the tourism industry, even though there was never any formal business plan for their development, Maria, now owner of Lebo's Backpackers in Soweto, told the club this week.
Maria was married to Lebo Malepa, founder of the thriving Lebo's Backpackers, who passed away nearly two years ago. They have two sons.
Maria told the club that she, like her late husband, sees the business as a catalyst for community development, utilising tourism as a vehicle for changing perceptions about the sprawling city within a city.
"Lebo never set down a business model on paper, yet the business has grown organically since it was founded in 2005. I moved here from Sweden in 2007,"
She recalled how Lebo had started by selling arts and crafts at tourist spots in Soweto. He then used his grandparents' home, where he grew up to set up the backpackers aimed at younger budget conscious travellers.
"Now we cater for everybody," she said.
Lebo's now offers Soweto cycle tours, tuk-tuk tours and walking tours to visitors. Overnight stays include more traditional bed & breakfast offerings for couples and others, as well as a new camping site with wooden chalets up on a hill close by.
There is also a restaurant serving basic, traditional food where a variety of events is hosted, amongst others monthly storytelling sessions, typically by locals who have lived through Soweto's colourful history and markets.
"We call what we're doing responsible tourism. Your stay guarantees that you give back to the community. We want to become a hub for other small businesses to flourish."
Already Maria and her team farm their laundry out to locals and use the spas shops in the area for basics.
"Once people have visited, they become brand ambassadors for us," Maria said.
Emilio Kiyeya, who was on the verge of becoming a New Dawn member in the pre-Covid years, was a welcome visitor to the club. He told how business prospects and jobs had taken him to the mines in the Congo and also to Uganda, Spain and Canada. He's been back in the country for two weeks now.
There were also reports back on the Golf Day (25 August 2023) which still needs a lot of effort and contributions from club members. Each member should try to sell at least one raffle sheet and bring along a few bottles of booze for the traditional Barrow of Booze.
You can also contribute by inviting your golfing friends to come and join us, by organising prizes (in sets of four) for the golfers and by getting hole sponsors.
A Thought for the Week: If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. - Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900 - 1944)
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