From toy breaker to alarm maker: The story of Edward Mupfawa

EDWARD Mupfawa was a curious child who loved to take apart his toys and see how they worked. His parents were frustrated by his habit, which cost them money and annoyed them. They tried to give him plastic and fluffy toys, but he had no interest in them. He only wanted the electronic ones, which he would dismantle and examine.

Mupfawa was born in a poor family in Pumula suburb, Bulawayo. He did not have many toys, so he would scavenge for broken radios and TVs at the dump. He would hide them at home and try to fix them. He once managed to make a radio work, and showed it to his mother, who was surprised. She told his uncle, who was a radio and TV repair specialist.

“I was so much obsessed with the operations of gadgets that when my parents finally decided to stop getting me toys I would go to the dump where I would find dead radios and television sets. I would take them home and hide them in places I knew would never be found. I remember tinkering around with one radio that didn’t work and after I was done with it, it worked. I showed my mother who was surprised and then told my uncle who was a radio and TV repair specialist,” said Mupfawa.

His uncle took him under his wing and taught him the basics of electronics. Mupfawa would help him after school and during the holidays. He enjoyed learning, but felt something was missing. He wanted to do something more challenging and creative. He found his passion when he came across an alarm system, which he played with until he made it sound.

“I somehow felt something was missing. This is when I stumbled upon some gadget I had never seen. It was an alarm system. I toyed around with it until I managed to get a sound from it and that is when I knew what I wanted to be . . . an alarms specialist,” said Mupfawa.

He studied alarm systems and learned how to repair and install them. He started his own business, which grew over the years. He landed contracts with large companies and private homes. He also expanded his services to include electric fences, motor controlled gates and solar systems.

“I do various alarm installations that range from large companies to home set-ups. Now I run my own company and so far I work with a partner and during the school holidays offer lessons to those interested in vocational skills. I yearn to open a large company that will manufacture alarms and provide services across the country,” said Mupfawa.

He said his childhood hobby of tinkering with toys was the foundation of his career. He said he was lucky that his uncle supported him and encouraged him to pursue his interest. He said he wished more children, especially girls, had the opportunity to explore their talents and passions through play.

He said as the economy’s reliance on innovation grows, the offering of toys for girls must be mandated in schools but of course their destruction should not be commended.

“Fortunately, some families are solving this problem by reviving the time-honoured principles of tinkering, this time including girls. You never know what talent you are born with if you are held back. So I urge parents, guardians and schools to try and understand and develop what these youngsters show interest in,” said Mupfawa.

Today, he is a successful and happy man. He has built his own house and has other projects, such as Boer goat breeding.

“Our key as a nation lies in our own innovation. We cannot always rely on the outside world when we have the resources and brains. Innovation right now will save us as a country,” said Mupfawa.