Ramapuputla living her dream
Scholarly mom runs publishing company
Matau Ramapuputla is a busy woman. She’s an author, publisher, part-time lecturer and is currently studying towards her PhD.
The 36-year-old mother of one also recently scooped the SME Recognition Award at the ICT Women in Technology Awards.
“It’s humbling. It’s one of those things that keep you going,” she said.
Her passion for books and IT started at a young age.
She fell in love with computers while watching the show Doogie Howser, MD on TV.
Ramapuputla said the best part of the show was when Doogie wrote about his adventures of the day on his computer.
“That’s when I first knew I wanted to do something with those little boxes and I didn’t even understand what they were,” she said.
With books it was Cinderella that captured her heart. Reading and writing are things she’s always loved to do. She turned to reading when her now 10-year-old daughter Bathobela was diagnosed with autism and later ADHD.
Bathobela loved to read with her and is the one who inspired Ramapuputla to write her book Bathobela Can.
“I wanted to tell our story. The story is about a mother telling her daughter she can do anything because she used to say ‘I can’t mommy’ all the time,” Ramapuputla said.
After producing the book, she established her publishing company, Moepi Publishing.
Ramapuputla has fused her knowledge of IT with her love of writing and converted her books into eBooks herself.
She trained her staff in these IT skills as well.
She provides an essential service to her business, which she said would otherwise have had to outsource.
“So now it has really been about me, personally growing and participating in the economy which is something I was never part of in my past.”
Moepi Publishing is two years old and will be three in February. She said Bathobela Can has “grown in to a brand” as the book has been translated into all 11 official languages.
There 22 products that belong under the brand, among them colouring books.
Bathobela Can books are available online via the Bathobela Can website and as well as at Shoprite stores.
‘ ‘ Story is about a mom telling her girl she can do anything