Bulawayo girl showcases handmade craftwork in Victoria Falls

Faith Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

MELLISA Mavhurume, a talented 19-year-old entrepreneur from Bulawayo, is making a significant impact in the resort city of Victoria Falls with her unique handmade products.

Specialising in intricately crafted wooden items, including beautifully curved plates and elegant salt shakers made from natural bone, Mavhurume has turned her passion into a thriving business.

After facing financial challenges post-high school, she drew on the craftsmanship skills inherited from her father, a master artisan, to forge a new path.

Growing up, together with her brother, they would often assist her father in his workshop, learning the intricacies of craftsmanship.

In an interview with Sunday Life, she said those formative years she spent helping her father to create beautiful pieces unknowingly laid the foundation for her future.

“As I navigated the challenging transition to adulthood, I drew upon those skills to forge a new path, one that would become my passion and livelihood,” Mavhurume said.

In February 2022, she was one of the 300 000 girls and young women who received financial literacy training through Pepfar’s Dreams initiative that seeks to offer skill development, market exposure and funding opportunities.

“This programme ignited my motivation to become a businesswoman, transforming my passive skills into actionable goals,” she added.

Through Dreams, she gained entrepreneurship training, attended seminars, and connected with successful businesswomen, this exposure boosted her confidence and equipped her with essential skills.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity which provided inspiration, skills, exposure and funding. After participating in a training that helped build my entrepreneurial skills, as well as some mentoring from women in business, I saved some money and joined my father in this business, together, we make and sell different types of wooden crafts,” Mavhurume said.

As a young woman entrepreneur in male-dominated arts and crafts, she faces unique challenges, people struggle to take her seriously, doubting her standards and capabilities due to her age and gender.

“Some try to undercut my process, saying my work cannot be up to standard because I’m “just a kid”, therefore, despite strong competition in the industry, I have managed to make a footprint, I have established presence in every market and building I entered,” she said.

“With time, these challenges will become laughable stories shared over coffee,.Perseverance and resilience drive my journey.”

With new-found income, she has launched a cake shop called Mellisa’s Delights.

Mavhurume noted that managing her craft and baking business is not easy, but the rewards make it worthwhile, the craft business requires frequent travel, typically three to four times a month, depending on sales.

“Baking is more manageable since I work on an order-by-order basis, I prefer customers to order at least three days in advance, allowing me to balance my schedule effectively,” she said.

“I offer a wide range of flavour, including lemon, poppy seeds and strawberry and can accommodate most customer requests.”

For designs, she can confidently deliver any concept one desires, excluding 3D designs, which she’s currently working on developing.

She highlighted that she struggled to balance work and personal life until recently, when she attended the Girls Rock Summit in Harare, which was a turning point, she learned that neglecting other areas of her life hurts the business.

“Running a successful business requires balance, neglecting personal aspects can lead to setbacks, now I live by “determination makes the dream work” I am working on achieving balance and look forward to sharing my progress soon,” she said.

She urged her age-mates who want to join the entrepreneurial journey to align with their values and passions and to break down big dreams into smaller, achievable steps.