Online ReporterMashudu Mambo
AT the venerable age of 64, Mrs Christine Huni of Bulawayo stands as a formidable presence within Zimbabwe’s clothing sector — a living demonstration of the remarkable strides made by women since the nation’s attained self-rule in 1980.
As Zimbabwe approaches its 45th Independence anniversary, her personal journey vividly illustrates the transformative power of freedom and empowerment for women in the world of business.
Mrs Huni is the proud owner of Justine Clothing, a manufacturing enterprise she founded in 1988, which has flourished over the subsequent 37 years into a prosperous export operation.
This year’s Independence theme, “Zim@45: Devolve and Develop Together Towards Vision 2030,” underscores the Government’s commitment to inclusive development, with women like Mrs Huni playing a pivotal role in that vision.
“I’ve always loved sewing. As a young girl, I designed my own garments. I studied fashion design at Bulawayo Polytechnic and later worked at Vero Garments, which used to export clothes to America,” she said.
After departing the company, Mrs Huni launched Justine Clothing in 1988. Starting with simple garments like boxer shorts, pencil skirts, and blouses, her business quickly expanded to supply major retailers such as Edgars and Jet. Though some of these companies have since closed, her factory is still operational.
“We are known for quality. Some of our clients have quality assurance departments that inspect the garments and visit our factory to monitor progress. We produce corporate wear, children’s clothing, safari gear, sportswear and protective clothing,” Mrs Huni said.
To ensure international standards, Justine Clothing sources raw materials from countries including Indonesia, Korea and China. Mrs Huni frequently travels abroad to maintain competitiveness and align her products with global fashion trends.
“In every country we source from, we create clothing samples to match international standards. Our aim is to keep our clients satisfied and ahead of fashion trends,” she said.
Beyond business growth, Mrs Huni has provided employment for 60 individuals at her factory and is now exporting to regional markets such as Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana, South Africa and Rwanda — with support from ZimTrade and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development.
“It’s not just about profit. I’m proud that we’ve built a strong team. Despite economic challenges, we’re still going, still innovating, and still delivering quality,” she said.
She acknowledged that the journey has not always been smooth, citing fluctuating sales and economic pressures as ongoing challenges. However, her dedication to quality and to her employees has kept the business thriving.
“Surviving in the clothing industry for over three decades is no small feat. Many businesses have closed. We keep pressing on, looking for new clients to keep the dream alive.
“My encouragement to women who would like to venture into business is to start because there are several initiatives and organisations in place that can help you achieve your dreams and sell your products,” she said.
The Government has recognised that empowering women is essential to national development. Through legal frameworks, policies and initiatives aimed at narrowing the gender gap, Zimbabwe has prioritised women’s participation in business. Programmes aligned with Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) are working to enhance access to capital and entrepreneurship opportunities for women.
In recent years, Zimbabwe has intensified its focus on women’s economic empowerment, recognising its crucial role in achieving broader development goals.
To this end, the Government has launched initiatives to promote gender equality and encourage women’s economic participation. These measures aim to provide women entrepreneurs with the capital and support needed to establish and grow successful ventures.
According to UN Women’s 2025 statistics, companies formed in the past five years indicate a promising shift, with women now holding one out of every three CEO positions. In older companies, the ratio remains less balanced, but the upward trend reflects increasing awareness and advocacy for gender equality in leadership.
“The female CEO to male CEO ratio is approximately 1:2 in these companies. On the other hand, the best ratio attained in companies that were formed more than six years ago is 1:4, while the worst ratio is 1:6,” the report highlights.
The progress over the past five years is partially attributed to growing efforts to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the private sector. These initiatives are driving positive change even at the stage of company registration.
Although women represent only a small percentage of factory owners, they make up approximately 80 percent of the workforce in the clothing industry, according to Labour Behind the Label (2023). Many serve as machine operators and designers, playing an indispensable role in production.
