Louis says repairing shoes ensures provision for his family
Louis Moila's business offers services such as stitching, stretching, boot narrowing or widening and so much more.
LIMPOPO- Repairing shoes has against all odds turned out to be a fruitful and enjoyable means of survival for Louis Moila.
The 48-year-old from Louis Trichardt is the owner of Fast and Reliable Shoe Repair, situated in Burger Street and specialise in the repair of all types of shoes for men and women.
The father of four says he doesn’t know of many people who would take up the job.
“To me, this is what I do to feed my family. Repairing shoes has changed my life for the good, I never complain about a shortage of money like I did before, as I have a loyal customer base. When you have a family to support, you expect to find a job waiting for you, but this has never been the case since I started repairing shoes. Prior to this, I used to stay at home wondering what my future would look like.”
Moila says he now even regret the time he wasted trying to find a job. “I started getting my own clients and they appreciated my service. Repairing shoes became my daily job as there aren’t many places that specialise in quality shoe repairs. People from as far off as Soekmekaar send their shoes down here for repairs.”
His business offers services such as stitching, stretching, boot narrowing or widening, zip replacement and the refurbishment of soles and heels.
Initially, his income was invested in buying materials and just surviving from day to day. “I didn’t have a lot of materials and equipment, but I was hungry for success. I saved money to buy better machines and raw materials and I am glad that today, I can say that I have achieved a lot. I am able to support my family and contribute towards economic development,” he says.
He encourages those who are unemployed to stand up and do something for themselves: “The only way to improve our lives is to work hard”.
