adminBianca Mlilo, Business Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN women are an innovative lot.
Kuyedza Women’s Club, one of the exhibitors at the 57th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, have defied the odds having set up a manufacturing firm that makes hats and bags from used beverage cans.
The young club has also diversified to manufacturing clothing and detergents.
The group is showcasing feather shoes, twine shoes and some beadwork, which include tablemats and bread baskets.
Group spokesperson and marketing officer, Miriam Chengeta, said they set up the club as a way of augmenting their husbands’ salaries.
“This is a national club with members drawn from across all provinces, with the aim of empowering women. For our detergents, we trade as Marblegold Enterprises, which was established in 2015,” she said.
“We manufacture dishwashing liquid, scouring powder, disinfectants and floor polish amongst other things. We’ve about 6,000 members and started exhibiting in 2013. Since then we’ve increased our stand size from 6 x 3 metres to 18 x 3m.”
Chengeta said the Marblegold factory in Msasa, Harare was recently visited by the Minister of Industry and Commerce Mike Bimha who commended the women for adopting self empowerment as the basis for sustainable development.
She said Minister Bimha pledged to fully support the club and would ensure that the club’s vision does not fail.
Kuyedza Women’s Club is a national organisation of the wives of police officers, which was formed in 1958 and has become one of the major movers in the manufacturing industry.
Online Reporter