Meet Nthabiseng Mohanela, a 28 years old Mosotho creative who embodies talent as a musician, fire dancer, an aspiring historian, an entrepreneur, an architect and a mother.
Nthabiseng, also known as Tereo Sapphire Soul Child as her alter ego established and registered a company named Madhouse Rain PTY LTD in August 2016. The multifaceted company specialises mainly with creating music and turning trash into treasure.
Tell us more about your company
Our mission at Madhouse Rain PTY LTD is to use music amongst many other art mediums to educate, entertain and to heal. Furthermore, by using basic rules and regulations of repurposing, we also aim to turn trash into treasure by recycling and reusing various materials in order to create not only aesthetically pleasing bodies of art but to create functional art pieces.
Our vision is to be a leading company that creates awareness around the issues of sustainability, conservation and human rights in general through the exploration of art in all its forms.
How has your company contributed to your country and community?
Although 2020 has been a hectic year, we managed to procure equipment and setup a sound and music recording studio in Morija which aims to inspire and enable us to collaborate with artists of different calibers and genres. Through this studio, we create podcasts, record stories, make music and other commissioned work.
We have thus far published a Sesotho educational album titled “Ithute”. This album was compiled for children from kindergarten to grade 3 and its content educates children about topics like - Days of the week, Basotho calendar and Numbers in Sesotho, just to mention a few. This album has had a great impact on young minds especially during this covid-19 period where children are not receiving any formal education due to closure of schools. We made the album available for free through various online platforms for easy distribution and access to Basotho who need it.
We are also proud to have done the voice over recording for Limkokwing University’s Covid-19 television advert that educated Basotho on safety precautions and preventative measures to be taken by Basotho, which was aired on national television throughout the entire coivd-19 lockdown.
What did you study in Limkokwing and how has that influenced what you are doing today?
I enrolled in Limkokwing University Lesotho in 2009 to study Bachelor of Arts in Interior Architecture and graduated in 2013.Two of my favorite modules during my years of study were furniture design and history of architecture. In these modules, we learned about various eras and how people around the world would decorate their spaces and build their houses.
Madhouse Rain currently has a sector which focuses on accessories, ornaments and small furniture. The pieces we design are mostly influenced by my study of furniture design and the history of architecture. It is in this sector of the company where we recycle waste material like car tyres, used wood, used fabric and other material to create indoor and outdoor furniture hence the name “Trash to Treasure”.
When did you discover your passion for your work?
I discovered my passion for art and creating in grade 4. We used to have classes for home economies where we’d be taught basic human survival skills like cooking, cleaning, sewing, crocheting, etc. I remember there was a particular day where we had to bring crochet needles and I didn’t have one. My father being an all round creative himself carved me a wooden crochet within seconds of me leaving for school in the morning. I was very intrigued by the magic he had just performed and everyone at school thought my needle was the coolest. I used it to crochet the most beautiful wooden hat and that is when it dawned on me that this might actually be a calling. I have taken time to harness and groom my skills and I am quite pleased to mention that I can put food on my table using the art I create.
Which project are you mostly excited about at your company?
The project we are currently working on under “Trash to Treasure” gets me fired up!
We are currently working on releasing affordable recyclable sanitary pads to the market. Girls, especially at a young age face challenges in their upbringing due to the natural process of menstruation. Not a lot of young girls can afford to purchase sanitary pads and this sometimes disrupts their studies as majority of them stop attending classes during their menstrual period.
I have never understood why condoms are available for free and sanitary pads are for sale at high prices and yet menstrual periods are natural but sex is a choice.
This is a great initiative for me because we are trying to create a package for four pads which represent the four seasons of the year. We are yet to finalize branding and are still screening our creative prototype and testing. We would like each pack of pads that would last a girl about four to six years. It is a very delicate process that needs to be designed with love, understanding and proper research.
This project is very close to my heart and is quiet fulfilling because the last thing I want is for any girl to miss school or feel ashamed of her body or be bullied by society because she is on her periods as a natural process of life. I believed periods should be celebrated and cherished and we therefore aim to make the pads very feminine.
What are your best memories of studying in Limkokiwng University?
My best memory was when I was appointed as one of the twenty University Student Ambassadors. It was the most exciting moment of my life because I had never been selected for such a role. Growing up, I had always been that child who always draws in books. This role made me feel seen, heard and affirmed.
Achievements
Above all else, I am proud of being a mother to a beautiful girl. I am further proud of having a company that is running and gaining traction – entrepreneurship is not for the faint hearted. My music career is also gaining traction after I have released an EP this year. I am a proud alumni and ambassador of Limkokwing University.
What would you like people to know about your company?
We are a growing community of dedicated creatives who intend on giving the best services and products.
We are currently working on “Ithute” volume 2 meant for students from grade 3 to 7. In this edutainment volume we will be singing about issues of consent, human rights and translating the constitution to something understandable for young minds.
Madhouse Rain PTY LTD:
Email: madhouse@gmail.com
Facebook: Madhouse Rain
Tell: +266 5858 7658