Sundaymail Editor
Enacy Mapakame
Business Reporter
Her dream is to transform as many lives as possible and create employment for people in Zimbabwe and the rest of the Sub-Saharan Africa.
United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean Carole Nyakudya’s portfolio, cuts across healthcare services, real estate, media and communication as well as recruitment agency.
From Birmingham in the UK, Nyakudya’s business now has a presence in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Uganda and Ghana with prospects of expanding into Botswana.
She started Lorac Healthcare – a specialist mental health and learning disabilities supported living service in 2013 in the UK and has expanded into other sectors.
“We offer a service that looks after young people who have been in care, we connect with them at 16 and help them with their independent living.
“In essence, we prepare them for adulthood so that they can be functional adults that impact their respective communities positively. We support adults who have mental health needs and learning disability needs from age 18 to 65 years,” she said by email.
For her, it is not just a job, but a calling.
“I believe strongly that I was born to impact God’s people — and empower them to become better versions of themselves.
“You will notice our vision is to impact the community positively in as far as meeting mental health needs and enabling them to regain confidence and re-establish them in the community and gain independent life skills,” she said.
After losing her mother while still young, Mrs Nyakudya was pushed to move to the UK where the journey to establish the Lorac brand began.
Since inception, the brand has transformed into a group of five companies, each servicing specific needs of target communities.
Headquartered in Birmingham in the UK, the founding Lorac Foundation is in addition to Lorac Healthcare and sister units including Lorac Holdings, which was set up in 2017 and is into property business in Johannesburg, South Africa, Lorac Media and Lorac International.
Recently, the group was awarded a licence to recruit personnel from around the globe to work in the UK.
“For us, it is quite exciting that we are potentially able to create jobs for as many people at a time when Covid-19 has left many without sources of income.
“We are all aware that the majority of the population in Zimbabwe is in informal employment and with the lockdowns, they have been affected. Therefore, the opportunity to move abroad and earn a living will benefit their families back home.
“Our licence allows us to employ as many people as we want as the organisation expands.
”Being an African, I understand the challenges that our continent faces, therefore, we seek to make the process from our end as a sponsor, as simple as could be,” she said.
The recently acquired licence allows the firm to assist qualifying prospective applicants to secure travel and immigration requirements to work in the UK.
Mrs Nyakudya, however, emphasises the importance of hard work, determination and education as stepping stones in whatever business one pursues. Balancing family life and business becomes crucial.
A mother of three boys, she is a holder of a Diploma in Mental Health Nursing attained at Birmingham University, B.Sc in Health Studies at Wolverhampton University and a M.Sc. in Public Health and Health Development attained at Birmingham City University. She underwent business and entrepreneurship training at Birmingham City University after being seconded for the European Union’s Bseen programme.
Her eyes are set on further diversifying her portfolio and spreading wings across the region.
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