NDS1 in action: Bulawayo woman’s success story highlights growth in leather industry

The love for art has seen a 22-year-old Bulawayo woman, Nomazulu Mguni, venturing into shoe designing. Her talent has attracted the attention of players in the leather industry who see her as a valuable asset. They believe her innovative designs can help improve the quality of local products and make them more competitive at both domestic and export markets.

Mguni, a resident of Njube suburb, received training in shoe design through the Solidaridad SADC and EU programme. The initiative empowers women and people with disabilities by providing them with the skills needed to contribute to the growth of the leather value chain.

The Zimbabwe Leather Development Council has set an ambitious goal — to increase leather product exports from 10 percent to 40 percent by 2030. Achieving this target requires adopting innovative approaches to production and quality improvement for diverse markets. The leather value chain is one of the 10 priority sectors identified in National Development Strategy (NDS1), a government initiative to revitalise the industries.

Reviving these value chains is a cornerstone of NDS1 (2021-2025), a five-year plan guiding Zimbabwe’s economic development and propelling the nation towards its national vision.

Mguni said after the training she was motivated to venture into shoe designing.

Witnessing the quality of her own creations and the positive feedback from her clients has inspired her to continue improving he designs. Now she wants to assist other women who probably are being discouraged by life’s challenges.

“Solidaridad Sadc and the EU supported us to learn about shoe designing virtually. The lessons were held at Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce in Bulawayo. From a young age I always loved art but I wasn’t that good at drawing. This is probably why I opted to use technology to design hence I attended graphic design lessons before joining the leather sector,” she said.

“So when the opportunity came for us to learn about designing shoes, ngayibamba ngezadla zonke (I grabbed it with both hands). I’m amazed seeing what I design kuthokozelelwa ngabantu bezigqoka lezi zicathulo esiyabe sesiziyenzile (It excites me to see people wearing shoes which we designed).”

Mguni said she was proud to be among the selected group of women excelling in a traditionally male-dominated field and wants to be a beacon of empowerment for young girls.

She firmly believes that with commitment and the right skills, women are equally capable of succeeding in any industry.

“There are no boundaries or limits, as long as you put your mind and effort to something, it will come to fruition,” she said.

Bulawayo Leather Cluster secretary Fungai Zvinondiramba applauded Mguni saying she hopes her work is going to motivate other women to also participate in the leather value chain.

“Nomazulu has broken new ground for the sector and we hope she will inspire more youths especially women to have an appreciation of the sector,” he said. — @SikhulekelaniM1