Chronicle Editor
Flora Fadzai Sibanda
MS Grace Matsika heads a 30-year-old family business that started in a room that acted as both their home and factory when she was a child in New Magwegwe suburb, Bulawayo.
Today the company is exporting to a number of countries in Sadc.
The company, Good Hope Leather Products, which makes bags branded Grace is exhibiting at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, a month after showcasing its products at the Dubai Expo.
The company’s well-polished leather bags named after her by her father as a remembrance of the hardships they faced as she grew up come in different sizes and colours.
The bags caught the eyes of many people at the ongoing fair.
People stopped at the company’s stand enquiring about the prices and materials used to make the bags.
Apart from the bags, the company also makes jackets, belts and shoes although it is being done on a smaller scale.
Ms Matsika who is still working with her father said they make the bags using crocodile skin, buffalo, ostrich, elephant and cow hides sourced locally which might be tanned depending on the colour one desires.
Good Hope Leather Products employs 20 people who all make the leather products at their factory in the city centre.
Ms Matsika who is also the first daughter of the director and founder of the company Mr Elliot Matsika said since childhood, she watched her father working everyday to make sure they create a brand loved and respected by many.
She said her father used to work at a leather company and after work he would come home to do his business in the same room they lived in.
As time went on, when her father saw how much traction his products were getting he decided to quit his job and started working full time on his products.
Ms Matsika said because her father used to work from home, they would sometimes forget she was in the house and would put the products on top of her only to remember that she was on the bed when she started crying.
“That is why I said it has been quite a journey because from there my father has worked hard in making sure the company is kept afloat and we get where we are now. As it is we are currently exporting our bags in southern African countries and we recently exhibited our bags at the Dubai Expo which took place in March,” she said.
“After establishing the company my father decided to name the brand Grace bags to show how I had been with him as a child when he started and would get to experience the effects of him working at home.”
Ms Matsika said they are hopeful the trade fair will ensure that they recover from the effects of Covid-19 and remind people that they are still around and still giving people some of the best products they can offer.
She said because the trade fair gives them a chance to interact with people from different regions and countries she is sure it will be a good networking opportunity for the business.
“To show that we already have support from our people and across the globe we have managed to scoop a number of awards which to me are evidence that people love and appreciate our brand,” said the business woman.
“So far the market has been fairly good. We are not complaining but we are hoping to see it grow so that we can be among the best leather producers from the southern region. Because we are all about making sure people benefit and get what they want from us we also have some customised bags whereby one comes with their own design and we use that design to make what they want.”–@flora_sibanda
Online Reporter