For me it only took a simple BLACK t-shirt to find the right path.

A few years ago I was a frustrated as young man who just graduated and stuck in a place of where there is no hope. Not to mention how covid affect me and my future as an aspiring copywriter.  A dream I held so dear to my heart. Covid struck and just like that my newly found employment after graduation ended. I had to move back home with my siblings and overcrowded the small space we had, because I could not afford rent. Stored some of my furniture at my father’s place as I did not want to sell.

I was also back to being with the boys at the wall (Ebondeni ) turning with the sun from morning until sunset. Reminiscing about our high school days and the never ending topic of girls. Though everyone was going through it, I was so disappointed that I am back in that same place where I spent my whole life trying to get out of. The light at the end of the tunnel was no longer there. After the looting and R350 era , I had to leave the that place . Then  I remembered my own quote that I wrote years back: ‘Having aspirations is important when you are from Ekasi, otherwise you will live and die there. It is not a bad thing when you want to spend the rest of your life in one environment. However, I wouldn’t rob myself of a chance to a better life; traveling, and exploring different parts of this country and the world, intentionally! I would rather be caged by unforeseen circumstances.’  These word were engraved to my soul and I did not want to end up being a statistic Ekasi. So I packed my bags  without any idea of how life was going to treat me and I took a leap of faith. Good or bad I was prepared to go through it.

Settled in a small town not far from my kasi , of course I got help. Hard times make great men, I bought a camera with the intention of starting a photography business I believed I would thrive in that industry because I am a media graduate. The plan was to do street photography and finesse people in to buying the pictures I captured of them. No one was doing it at that time. My only disadvantage was that I was an introvert which led to the failure of that business idea. My money is not connecting the way it should, and rent is due. However, I had told myself that I am not moving back  home again. A call to home would help with rent here and there.

So I resorted to capitalising on the Instagram page I started while at the wall (Ebondeni ). Converted a content sharing page into a t-shirt business. Branded a couple of t-shirts and had a shopify  website ,sold them online. I asked the boys to become models for the brand and took a couple pictures and uploaded on the social platforms. Starting anytime is not easy, due to lack of funds I would brand the t-shirt as per order. First week of launching, the money was decent which made me feel like this entrepreneurship thing is  for me. My first customer was my best friend from high school, we been friends since grade 10. Then other people followed, and some even made request for their names to be printed  on their orders (t-shirts/hoodies). Business is business, sometimes good and sometimes is bad .I remember my happy day in business was when I saw the  first-shirt design ,from the computer screen to wearing it that feeling is unmatched. And a bad business day Is when I had to refund customer their money, because the print shop did not deliver, claiming to have lost the t-shirts. Through trial and error I learned a few things. While pushing the t-shirt business  I was job hunting. In just six months of changing the environment I landed a good job. For me it only took a simple BLACK t-shirt to find the right path. To this day I still do t-shirts design, it is an idea that helped me get out of Ekasi   and I wouldn’t want to see it perish.