Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines’ Lydia Sesinyi Commends Xhumo food manufacturing enterprise

Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines (OLDM) Senior Human Resources Manager, Lydia Sesinyi, has commended the growth of YeCa Foods, a food manufacturing enterprise based in Xhumo village in Boteti District.

The enterprise founded in 2022 and owned by a group of 15 community members, 11 women and four (4) men currently produces Lerotse Jam (Yellow melon Jam), and Atchar with the intention to expand to Peanut Butter, non-alcoholic beverages and cooking oil. Yeca also plans to process Thopi (Yellow melon porridge), Fish, Segwapa (Biltong), Delele (Traditional greens), Mophane worm, and Kabu (Corn).

Speaking at the graduation ceremony over the weekend where 15 members of the enterprise graduated from Peanut butter processing course, Sesinyi said the course was yet another step in Yeca’s entrepreneurial journey, with the enterprise having started with jam production and now diversifying into peanut butter production.

In 2022, OLDM invested P150,000.00 into Yeca Peanut butter production project for the procurement of a peanut butter making machine and training of staff members. OLDM has also availed a kiosk for free within the lease area at Orapa South Gate for Yeca to sell their products.

Sesinyi said all these initiatives are part of efforts by OLDM to leave a lasting legacy in the area of Boteti. When thanking all stakeholders for their contribution to developing the enterprise, Keletso Tebatso stated that the project would not have been able to properly expand without the funding.

According to Tebatso, their hope as an organization was to inspire other villages within the Boteti region to start their own initiatives so that they too can stimulate the local economy and create jobs.

YeCa Foods Lerotse Jam and Peanut Butter are currently available for purchase at the OLDM South Gate Kiosk in Orapa and at Xhumo YeCa Tuckshop.

(Debswana)