He is a gentle, ever-smiling Chemistry Technician by the day and a serious, fierce Carpenter by the night. Mr Lintle Mafa, a Technician at the National University of Lesotho (NUL) Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology transforms wood into wonders in his hobby-like business!
His fine carpentry skills have already contributed to NUL’s development of several lines of products. For instance, he helped in the designing and manufacturing of a wooden casing for the renowned NUL’s robotic chicken incubator that once gave birth to Lesotho’s most famous chick, the late Pius the XII (Roma Valley’s fallen hero).
NUL’s amazing sand art is encapsulated in his wooden framework. His wooden molds helped the Department of Chemistry in their development of artificial stones and numerous other products.
“It is true that I studied basic handicrafts at secondary school,” Mafa said. “But I had to instill skills for this trade decades later, by myself.”
Like most chaps among us, Mr Mafa studied what was then called Basic Handicrafts in High School. It was often a combination of metalwork and woodwork. At that time, he studied it because it was there to study.
His real passion for carpentry started when he landed a technician’s job at the NUL. “Therein I met a friend and a carpentry enthusiast whose infectious attitude instilled the love of carpentry in me,” he confided. Let’s just call the individual, “his friend”. That was in 2007.
But his friend was more than just interested in instilling the passion for carpentry; he was willing to push him over the cliff to do it if necessary.
For instance, one day the friend landed a lucrative deal to make furniture. But he had no time to do that—at least that’s what he said. So he asked Mr Mafa to handle it—despite his very limited skills.
Reluctantly, Mr Mafa took the challenge! Yet he had plans to go around it. This is how: he would buy a few tools, find a skilled carpenter, and pass the job to him! Then they would share profits.
Problem solved—so he thought. Not so fast!
The skilled carpenter he hoped would assist was a no-show! And he was stuck with the job. Mind you, he made a promise and he was expected to deliver on it! What was he to do?
“I took one person to help me for labor,” he related. “Then I mustered all my courage and got down to work!” Little did he know that the moment would be a proverbial “defining moment!”
But as he worked on the job, he would periodically phone his friend for consultations and the friend was ever too happy to assist!
In the end, the job was sterling! Mr Mafa had surprised himself and everyone around him. He could deliver on carpentry!
Slowly carpentry turned into a hobby and a business at same time. But, wait; don’t forget his friend so soon. He was still there. After Mafa’s first performance, the enthusiastic friend was now lauding Mafa’s skills to anyone who would listen, “listen, this is ntate Mafa’s work, and it is very good!”
Then orders for more products kept coming and “my hand grew stronger and firm,” he said. “Now I am comfortable working with a plenty of wood-based products of many kinds.”
That is not all to Mr Mafa’s passion for carpentry. He is actually creating jobs! As we talk, he has hired four people who work on his business. He said since he was employed full time, he had to train others to help him in his absence.
However, there is one thing Mafa has not forgotten; the importance of educating himself to hone his skills further. He is probably a disciple of Derek Bok who once said, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.”
So in 2010, about 3 years since he started, he enrolled for interior design courses. “I learned so much there, especially about the principles of design and design history. I now know which colors to mix with which and how I can borrow even from ancient designs.”
That was not enough. In his words, “I was always puzzled by why some of my products looked so good,” and others didn’t. “I used to ask, is there something I did to make them look like this?” He had no answers.
That is, until he enrolled for another course in 2016—Quality Management. There he was schooled on the importance and nitty-gritty of making and maintaining quality products.
“I learned that quality products were just as important as quality service. They are inseparable twins. Leave one out, and you got it all wrong.”