Botswana Quality Baskets

 Thitaku Kushonya, Botswana's Master Basket Weaver, invites you to come and see her shop the next time you are visiting Maun. Have a look at some of the best quality baskets made in Botswana.
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Grass Root Designs

Palms from the soil,
Weavers thoughtful toil.
Beginning with the end in mind,
Each creation one of a kind.
Made by the artist’s skillful hands,
For you to take back to your lands.
A basket to love and admire,
A collection you start to acquire.
It will make a place of beauty in your home,
Thou far from home, with you, it will roam.

 Thitaku Kushonya started basket weaving when she was only 5 years old. It was 3 years before her first basket was sold – for the price of P1.50. With over 35 years of weaving experience, she has sold many baskets since her breakthrough sale.

Mma Kushonya was born in Estha 7 on May 10, 1970. She went to Etsha 6 for primary school and Okavango CJSS, Gumare, for  Form 2. Her family has 6 children – 2 elder sisters who have 5 and 4 children respectively, an elder brother with 2 children, and her twin and younger brother who each have 1 child. Mma Kushonya herself has one child who is almost 12 years old.

Mma Kush has been working since 1988 – first with Drought Relief and then with the Botswana Christian Council. She worked as Assistant Manager, Etsha Craft Retail Shop. Since joining Conservation International, Botswana, her activities have been totally dedicated to basket weaving development  in the Okavango River and Delta areas. Her training sessions are 2 to 3 weeks in length and bring weavers together to improve their weaving style and develop new designs. The ‘weaving bee’ sessions are also complemented with business advice and discussions on topics like saving part of your income or learning from each other. From her perspective, “the challenge is identifying each weaver’s unique style and helping them find better ways to improve their stitch. The weavers also exchange ideas and learn different designs from each other.”

With Conservation InternationalI, Mma Kushonya has received on-going training that includes a 6 month Certificate in Community Based Natural Resource Management from the Maun Business Training Centre – the course was funded by USAID. Other training involved 2 weeks in Namibia studying the management of palm plantations, training in Gaborone for community development and participating from 1997-99 in the Gabarone International Trade Fair – Basket Show.

Mma Kushonya believes the baskets are a special way of showing the world – ‘what is Africa.’ It is a product that will last for many years – given to a young child, it will last a lifetime. She also sees baskets helping the Botswana economy. From her own experience see knows “a weaver can get life from a basket.”

Her most recent development has been the starting of her own business – “Botswana Quality Baskets.” Situated 6 kms out of Maun, towards the Matlapaneng Bridge, the shop features her outstanding baskets and the work of other full time weavers. Look for the road signs when you come .