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Michael Tome
Business Reporter
CONSTRUCTION has for a longtime largely been an industry associated with men, but female entrepreneurs have started to break the barriers; making inroads into this previously uncharted territory for the fairer sex.
It is normally considered a dirty and laborious occupation, attributes widely shunned by a significant number of ladies, including those contemplating starting their own business enterprises.
While the sector has, characteristically, remained anathema to the majority of the womenfolk, one daring entrepreneur from the fairer sex, Choice Rusike, is slowly demystifying the myth.
Mrs Rusike ventured into the construction chemicals manufacturing business through her now thriving enterprise, Jadesave Investments, in October 2016 and nearly seven years into the game, she is not looking back.
“I entered this kind of business because I am challenged by sectors that do not have adequate numbers of women, so I looked at the construction sector,” said Mrs Rusike.
Her thriving enterprise manufactures a wide range of industrial chemicals used in the construction industry, including oxides used for painting bricks, brick walls, and roofs. It also produces roof ceiling material like bitumen putty and white disinfectant.
The range of products also includes termite poison, wood preservatives like creosote and carbenium that are used in both construction and timber industries.
An unassuming Mrs Rusike saiys she grabbed the opportunity to try her luck in the business when one of the leading industrial chemicals manufacturers closed shop in 2016.
“…the firm was taken over by foreigners and they did not want to manufacture chemicals, they just wanted the paint manufacturing component, I saw that gap, just went into the business and started manufacturing,” said Mrs Rusike.
Over the years the company has grown to become an exporter of the in-demand mentioned products to the region, particularly Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique, and this has been with assistance from ZimTrade, the country’s premier trade promotion and development agency.
Jadesave Investments has also received assistance from SES of Germany, which helped it to develop tailor-made equipment to increase its capacity to supply orders coming from the region.
Her company’s successes have not gone unnoticed after it bagged ZimTrade’s NextShe Exporter award for the 2022/23 season.
The company now supplies over 120 000 litres of wide-ranging chemicals into Zambia per month after getting exposure through one of the yearly business exhibitions.
“When we participated at an exhibition in Zambia we realised that there were seven companies that needed about 120 000 litres per month in Zambia and we, fortunately, managed to meet the target,” she said.
She urged women of various age groups to grab business opportunities being availed by the local economy especially under the Vision 2030 banner, especially in the manufacturing sector.
“This is an opportunity, the constitution enjoins women to be promoted, so this is the best time to be an African woman.”
Mr Allan Majuru, the chief executive officer of ZimTrade, said mechanisation and improved efficiency was the cornerstone of growth for any value-adding company.
He implored Zimbabwean women to be bold and take their rightful positions for the country to prosper.
“These female entrepreneurs have shown the boldness that is required of the local female population.
“Not only are these women out to make money, but they are on a mission to solve the challenges that we have in our society,” said Mr Majuru.
Jadesave Investments has widened its product range and now manufactures household detergents from toilet cleaners, drain cleaners, scouring powder, dishwashing liquid, and beauty and cosmetics like bubble bath, shampoo and washing powders.
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