A property manager in Tlokweng, Katlego Lesego, has decided to expand his business- his unlikely new venture taking flight on the wings of about 120 white doves.
Founded against the backdrop of his long held love for birds, Lesego’s dove-release business aptly named ‘The Birds Nest’ has been in existence for the past eight years, but it was only recently that the passion mothballed into a fully fleshed business enterprise.
The business that he funded from his small savings from back when he was a tertiary student, with only five birds, has just started realising a return on investment and promises by all accounts to be Lesego’s next meal ticket.
Lesego breeds snow-white doves which are hired by clients for special functions such as weddings and funerals where they are dramatically released and gracefully fly away and back to their home loft. “White doves have a symbolic meaning of love, hope, peace, and new beginnings,” he says, proclaiming the spiritual nature of the birds.
Driven by passion, Lesego started off by offering his service at weddings and it was around the COVID-19 pandemic that he changed gears and diverted more towards funerals and tombstone unveiling ceremonies. “That is where I am currently getting business from. All in all, during these eight years I have done around 140 events,” he says, his eyes radiating with pride.
Shedding light on the significance of doves in the case of funerals, he told Voice Money that people sometimes lose their loved ones without even being there when they take their last breath and never get a chance to bid them a ‘proper’ farewell. “As you release the doves, we are basically giving you a chance to physically let go the spirit of your loved one and say goodbye, we are helping you find closure and start the healing process,” he states.
Lesego who hails from Molepolole says he extended his knowledge concerning his business, from the research in which he discovered that the role of doves dates from way back. “Doves have got special navigation skills, they were used for sending messages, and over time they were referred to as athletes of the sky,” he adds.
Apart from receiving the fascinated facial expressions every time his doves put up a show, not forgetting that the service itself is classy, elegant, and importantly meaningful, he catches his fair chance of challenges that align with running a business, noting that people are not familiar with his business as it is relatively new therefore some are usually quick to judge and belittle it.
However, the devoted bird whisperer highlighted that he always grabs this opportunity to capitalize on social media to impart knowledge to people about the birds and his service.
“Breaking the ice and coming up with something completely new means that you have to spend your resources in teaching people about your business. If they don’t know, you won’t get business,” he says.
The other challenges he faces are bird related. For instance, diseases that may lead to death. Some birds may get attacked while flying back home and some birds may not breed well hence proper vaccination plans are vital as well as regular vaccines and proper feeding.
In conclusion, he says that this type of business needs patience and passion for keeping and taking care of doves. Correspondingly, he points out that business has its ups and downs, therefore it is fundamental to remain resilient.
