***aCe***
Despite being Grade 10 dropout in 1984, Barclay Kaupa’s extensive use of the Goroka Public Library and the University of Goroka Library – through a lot of reading – helped him to start his honey and soap business.
Mr Kaupa runs Jauka Honey, a small honey and soap-making set-up at Kama in Goroka.
Last Saturday (May 7), he was named as best small business by the Small Business Development Corporation at the PNG Coffee Festival and Trade Fair and pocketed the K800 first prize.
Reading, I gather from him, is the secret to the sweet success of his honey and soap-making business.
Mr Kaupa, from Lapeigu village outside Goroka, completed his Grade 10 at Asaroka Lutheran High School in 1984 – with no offers for further education or employment.
“When I left school,” he tells me, “I felt that I was helpless and hopeless.
“I felt out of place and I used to spend all of my time in the garden growing vegetables.”
In 1986, the disillusioned young man managed to secure a job with Lamana Wholesale in Goroka, a job he held until the company wound up in 1990.
“The little money that I saved, I used to buy off a couple of beehives from a wantok,” Mr Kaupa says.
“This was a completely new area into which I was venturing.
“I went into libraries in Goroka, where I read a lot of books about beekeeping.”
He had a coffee plot at Lapeigu, and soon realised that he could have a sustained cash flow all year round, if he grew coffee and raised bees together.
Towards the end of 1996, the young beekeeper approached Benny Jauka, the owner of Gamesano Trading in Kama, for assistance to get the honey project off the ground.
“He saw that it was a good idea,” Mr Kaupa says.
“I helped in the shop until September 1997, when with Mr Jauka’s assistance, the Westpac Bank approved my loan, which I used to buy honey-processing equipment from New Zealand through the Department of Agriculture and Livestock.
“We started honey production in December 1997.”
Jauka honey was distributed mainly in Goroka and Lae, where – through Rabtrad – was distributed by Andersons Foodland stores nationwide.
In August 1998, the innovative Mr Kaupa ventured into soap production using bee wax.
It was trialed in the hauslains of Goroka by the people who mattered – mothers – and they gave it the thumbs up.
“It took us six months to carry out experiements to find out which soap was best for the hauslains,” he recalls.
Thus was born the Nokorowa Soap.
The soap has proven to be a big hit in Goroka, and is distributed throughout the Highlands.
“The bar of soap sells fast,” Mr Kaupa says.
“People realise the quality; it lasts and it saves them a lot of money.
“One bar of Nokorowa Soap is equal to three of four bars of other soap brands that you buy in shops.
“However, we need money to improve the quality of our soap.
“The vision is there, but we need help so that can go into mass production and supply the whole country.”
Towards the end of 1999, Mr Kaupa ventured into yet another product, the Nokorowa Soap Powder.
The soap is ground up into fine powder, and then packed and sold as a grassroots alternative to the familiar Omo and Cold Power.
Barclay Kaupa (left) receives his K800 first prize money from SBDC Manager - Business Development Services Steven Maken3
Mr Kaupa runs Jauka Honey, a small honey and soap-making set-up at Kama in Goroka.
Last Saturday (May 7), he was named as best small business by the Small Business Development Corporation at the PNG Coffee Festival and Trade Fair and pocketed the K800 first prize.
Reading, I gather from him, is the secret to the sweet success of his honey and soap-making business.
Mr Kaupa, from Lapeigu village outside Goroka, completed his Grade 10 at Asaroka Lutheran High School in 1984 – with no offers for further education or employment.
“When I left school,” he tells me, “I felt that I was helpless and hopeless.
“I felt out of place and I used to spend all of my time in the garden growing vegetables.”
In 1986, the disillusioned young man managed to secure a job with Lamana Wholesale in Goroka, a job he held until the company wound up in 1990.
“The little money that I saved, I used to buy off a couple of beehives from a wantok,” Mr Kaupa says.
“This was a completely new area into which I was venturing.
“I went into libraries in Goroka, where I read a lot of books about beekeeping.”
He had a coffee plot at Lapeigu, and soon realised that he could have a sustained cash flow all year round, if he grew coffee and raised bees together.
Towards the end of 1996, the young beekeeper approached Benny Jauka, the owner of Gamesano Trading in Kama, for assistance to get the honey project off the ground.
“He saw that it was a good idea,” Mr Kaupa says.
“I helped in the shop until September 1997, when with Mr Jauka’s assistance, the Westpac Bank approved my loan, which I used to buy honey-processing equipment from New Zealand through the Department of Agriculture and Livestock.
“We started honey production in December 1997.”
Jauka honey was distributed mainly in Goroka and Lae, where – through Rabtrad – was distributed by Andersons Foodland stores nationwide.
In August 1998, the innovative Mr Kaupa ventured into soap production using bee wax.
It was trialed in the hauslains of Goroka by the people who mattered – mothers – and they gave it the thumbs up.
“It took us six months to carry out experiements to find out which soap was best for the hauslains,” he recalls.
Thus was born the Nokorowa Soap.
The soap has proven to be a big hit in Goroka, and is distributed throughout the Highlands.
“The bar of soap sells fast,” Mr Kaupa says.
“People realise the quality; it lasts and it saves them a lot of money.
“One bar of Nokorowa Soap is equal to three of four bars of other soap brands that you buy in shops.
“However, we need money to improve the quality of our soap.
“The vision is there, but we need help so that can go into mass production and supply the whole country.”
Towards the end of 1999, Mr Kaupa ventured into yet another product, the Nokorowa Soap Powder.
The soap is ground up into fine powder, and then packed and sold as a grassroots alternative to the familiar Omo and Cold Power.
Barclay Kaupa (left) receives his K800 first prize money from SBDC Manager - Business Development Services Steven Maken3