The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Business Reporter
A GROUPING of rural women from Matabeleland North affiliated to Lupane Women’s Development Trust (LWDT)’s prospects of raking in foreign currency through crafts exports has been dealt a heavy blow due to the outbreak of the coronavirus (Covid-19).
LWDT manager Mrs Hildegard Mufukare said the outbreak of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdowns by most countries in the world has hit hard on the organisation’s major revenue generating stream — the basketry project in the process denying 173 of its women weavers income.
“Before the outbreak of Covid-19 we had huge orders from local, regional and international clients but unfortunately due to lockdowns we weren’t able to ship anything. The foreign market orders we got stuck with following the outbreak amounted to about US$11 000 and these were from Spain, Netherlands and South Africa. We also had local orders amounting to $110 000,” she said.
Mrs Mufukare said prospects of getting more international orders post Covid-19 were gloomy.
“Of course, we were anticipating more international orders this year as our exports have been on the rise over the past few years. For instance one of our clients in Spain is already concerned and uncertain of how the markets will fair after the lockdowns and containment of the pandemic. We are, however, looking at new strategies and models of doing business both on foreign and local markets. However, weavers are continuing with their weaving at their homes, which is of course the advantage, which comes with the trade, as it is mostly done at homes,” she 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 US$7 738,00 in 2010 to about US$40 000 a year.
LWDT exports its craft products to countries such as Australia, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Turkey, UK, Israel, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.
The organisation 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.
@DNsingo
