The Sunday News
Rumbidzai Mbewe, Sunday Life Correspondent
OFTEN at times when we have old magazines at home all we think about is trashing them or even burning them. To some women based in Njube, Bulawayo all magazines are their source of income and their hands turn the old magazine into an amazing piece of art.
Moving mothers is a group consisting of 15 mothers who are widowed and are making a living by making jewellery and gift accessories from old recycled magazines. The women had the privilege to exhibit their products at the just ended Sanganai/Hlanganani tourism expo held in the city.
In an interview with Sunday Life, one of the women identified as Esnath Dube (nee Moyo) said they started the project with the aim of bettering themselves since they were now breadwinners at their homes. She said the money they get from the sales makes a lot of difference in their lives as they can send their children to school.
“Most of the women who are part of Moving Mothers are widows and so this is our way of fending for our children. Some of us stay with orphaned children and they need to be sent to school and I am very happy to say that we are making good progress as these children are not missing a day at school,” she said.
She said one of their friends who had attended a workshop in Kenya came back and taught them the life changing skills. Dube said many women do not realise that they have talents that they can use to earn a living.
“We are very grateful to our fellow friend who opened our eyes and minds. Now we are experts in making nice jewellery, bracelets, handbags and clutch bags with our own hands. We have also taken it upon ourselves to teach other women who are interested in making such things,” she said.
Like any other business, there are challenges that they are going through and are hoping they will pass with time. Dube said they were facing challenges finding a suitable market for their business.
“We are having marketing problems but we are working with people who are willing to make our products available in the market not only in Bulawayo but around the country. We now have a stand at the City Hall and we hope people will come and buy our products,” she said.
Dube said the group was happy with the response they got from both local and international buyers who had come for the Sanganai/ Hlanganani tourism expo. She said many international buyers were interested in their products and even offered to link them up with other people who might be interested in their products internationally.
@ rumbie_mbewe
