By Mosa Maoeng
MASERU
“Some of our dreams are acquired through experience,” said ‘Marealeboha Chabeli while reflecting on her journey with cystic acne.
For Chabeli, her dream of founding a business that specializes with snail oil products was inspired by her battle with a skin condition which forced her to produce a skin care product to assist people with the same problem.
She started LCK Organic Skin Care after realizing that there is a high demand for effective skin care products. In 2017, Chabeli started having pimples which turned into dark spots when they healed. People would ask her what was wrong with her face, lowering her confidence. Then one day, she met someone who told her to try snail slime and indeed it worked for her.
“Before that, I would use urine including many other products which didn’t help me in any way. After being told about snail slime, I researched about snails and found that they work with emotions, releasing their slime when they are happy or sad. I even travelled as far as Cape Town to find herb extracts which I used to combine with the slime. After that a lot of people started seeking help from me and that is when I realized a business opportunity, so I started making more products,” he explained.
Chabeli indicated that their products are now spreading throughout the world from Canada to Scotland, having about 250 sales agents, she still wants to employ more Basotho through a project they are hoping to start which is snail farming. Not only that, Chabeli said they are hoping to produce more products other than snail oil and snail mask, such as soaps, face washes as well as tissue oils.
Narrating on snail farming, she said she has learned through research that they are very unique creatures that feed on very nutritious fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, cucumber, lettuce, mango, tomatoes, papaya while for water they prefer Luke warm water.
Chabeli uses snails exported from Nigeria called Big Jumbo (AA), she explained that normal snails are commonly known to yield a small amount of liquid. Now she rears snails in large numbers and has rented a room to keep them warm during winter seasons.
The 39-years old certified Business Information, Communications Technology and Mechanical Engineer said her determination has also improvised her skills in the business industry. She said she has also engaged in many businesses to invest in snail business such as recycling plastics to create pavements. Chabeli detailed that she hopes people would invest in her business so that they buy huge machines which will be able to produce as many products as possible, increasing chances of employment for Basotho.
Chabeli was born and raised at Nazareth, Ha Phaloane.
