Lupane women’s craftwork proceeds continue to soar . . . as demand increases abroad

23 Oct, 2016 - 00:10 0 Views
Lupane women’s craftwork proceeds continue to soar . . . as demand increases abroad Mrs Hildegard Mufukare

The Sunday News

Mrs Hildegard Mufukare

Mrs Hildegard Mufukare

Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Business Reporter
THE revenue generated by Lupane Women Development Trust (LWDT) formerly Lupane Women’s Centre (LWC) through selling craftwork continues to soar, buoyed by an increase in demand of its artefacts abroad.

LWDT’s manager Mrs Hildegard Mufukare said the demand for the organisation’s distinct basketry wares of Nambya, Ndebele and Tonga origin continues to rise on the international market. The organisation’s craft sales have risen from $7 738,00 in 2010 to $31 089,75 recorded in 2015.

“The revenue we are generating from our craftware continues to rise largely due to our exports. I was recently in America and I saw our basketry products in some of the states. Our products are also in demand in Europe because people there appreciate handmade craft as it gives true value to the product.

“In Europe there have a system of fair trade. The buyers there don’t only look at how an artefact has been produced but want the story behind its manufacturing and the impact it will have on the person who produced it if it is bought. Our basketry products seem to be competing with those from Rwanda for the international market,” said Mrs Mufukare.

LWDT has a membership of more than 4 500, out of these about 400 are weavers while the rest are into other projects such as crop farming, livestock production, gardening and poultry.

“If our members had ample of time we would be producing more craftware and raking more than $100 000 in a year but their efforts to increase production is being hampered by the fact that they have to conduct other chores at their homes,” said Mrs Mufukare.

In an effort to preserve the history of the institution, LWDT launched a book detailing its beginning and its activities two weeks ago.

“The book was written to preserve the history of the centre and its activities and to ensure a point of reference, with the progress being measured. We also wrote the book to capture how traditional skills of basketry have been used to improve livelihoods and truly members’ livelihoods have been transformed by weaving,” said Mrs Mufukare.

The LWDT manager was part of African women entrepreneurs that visited the United States of America on a month long tour under the African Women Entrepreneurship Programme and is funded by the US government.

“The programme is aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs through grouping them together to share ideas and exposing them to different experiences than the ones they are used to and to enable them to realise the markets for their products and services.

“The programme also enables the women to realise that even in Africa there is a market as well as one internationally. I benefited business ideas in that I managed to note that through working with many women we need to promote innovativeness and generate ideas,” said Mrs Mufukare.

LWDT is a community organisation initiated by women for women and wholly owned by women in the Lupane District. The institution was established in 1997 by an association of 14 weavers. In 2005 it was registered as a trust.

“We changed our name from being known as Lupane Women’s Centre to Lupane Women’s Development Trust early this year in line with ensuring that the organisation speaks more about empowering than grouping them together,” said Mrs Mufukare.

@DNsingo

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