Chronicle Editor
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
WOMEN-LED enterprises in the textile industry are utilising the recently established Maker Space Innovation in Bulawayo to innovate and improve the quality of their products to match world-class standards.
The Government, through collaborative efforts with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and United Nations (UN) Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women Zimbabwe, established the Maker Space Innovation to catalyse the development and performance of women-owned enterprises within a specific industry or value chain.
UN Women Zimbabwe provided 12 state-of-the-art high-end machinery while ILO supported refurbishing the Bulawayo SME Centre.
The Maker Space Innovation is not just a hub but a tailored support system for female textile business owners in Bulawayo, designed to empower them to transform their economic fortunes and close the gender inequality gap in Zimbabwe.
In an interview, Mrs Violet Mhute, managing director of Farringdon Investments T/A Soko Leathercraft, a leather products manufacturer, said the centre supports and amplifies the capacity of women-led textile businesses in Bulawayo.
“The new Maker Space Innovation Hub is a significant milestone in economically empowering women. We are utilising the facility to innovate and improve the quality of our products with cutting-edge machinery. This will go a long way to foster creativity, collaboration and skill development among us as women in the textile industry,” she said.
She said the development was a demonstration of the commitment to ensure that no woman and no place is left behind nationwide.
Mrs Mhute said the establishment of the Maker Space Innovation Hub dovetails with the Government’s key policy framework, which includes Vision 2030, National Development Strategy 1(NDS1), women’s economic framework and the national gender policy, among others.
“I urge all women in the textile industry to make use of the state-of-the-art industrial machines that include embroidery, button fixing and over locking equipment to produce high-quality products and engage in high-value chain production, increasing their competitiveness in the market,” she said.
Fashion designer, Mrs Annabel Nyathi who runs a bridal wear SME said the hub will be a platform for them as women to come together, collaborate and share ideas on how to improve their products.
“There is power in numbers and coming together as women in the textile industry to assist each other will ensure that we produce good quality products for the market. There is a lot we can learn from each other and tapping into the expertise of one another, l see no reason why we cannot produce products that can compete on the international market,” she said.
She said the Maker Space Innovation Hub could not have come at a better time as SMEs in the clothing sector were running out of business due to cheap low quality clothes that were flooding the market as well as second-hand clothing.
Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs vice-chairperson, Ms Sithabile Bhebhe said the hub will also offer women in the textile industry training and mentorship programmes as well as business support services to help them build sustainable and successful businesses.
She said the development was crucial in addressing the historical gender disparities in the industry and creating a more inclusive and equitable environment for all.
“We look forward to women utilising the resources and support availed to them to succeed. As time goes on, we are hoping to start witnessing positive impact on the local economy, more businesses utilising the hub to create more jobs and stimulate creativity and innovation among women in the textile industry,” said Ms Bhebhe.
Online Reporter