The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
WOMEN from Ngamo village in Tsholotsho, Matabeleland North are pinning their hopes on basketry, art and craft as a source of livelihood to be able to produce quality products that they can export.
The country’s trade development and promotion agency, ZimTrade, is working with women in Matabeleland North who are into art and craft in identifying new markets as well as creating direct access to buyers in international markets such as Asia, Europe, and Middle-East.
The Matabeleland North cluster covers five districts namely Lupane, Binga, Tsholotsho, Nkayi and Hwange/Victoria Falls.
Ms Betty Ncube, a widow, said venturing into crafts with other women in Ngamo village was a means of finding a source of income.
“I joined other women in the village and we developed a group so that we can be able to have a source of livelihood. We began to teach each other as women how to make different crafts using different natural resources such as grass from the bush, reeds and recycling plastic bags so that we keep the environment clean,” said Ms Ncube.
She said their hope was to get more orders for their products so that the money that they get will be sustainable.
Another villager, Ms Gladys Mkandla from the Strong Zebras group said she started arts and crafts from a very young age and when they developed groups she started to teach other women so that they take it as business.
Ms Mkandla said the challenge they were faced with was middlemen who we’re undervaluing their products.
“You find that some middlemen take advantage of the wonderful and unique products being made by the women. For a basket that could sell for US$50 and above, a middleman can just give the woman a bar of soap because she will be so desperate and has no option than just to take it.”
Weighing in, Mrs Nomaqhawe Moyo who works with the women said the goal was to ensure that they are not robbed in terms of pricing for their products.
“Most of these women were just making basketry that they were using in their homes or getting less from those who were taking advantage of them. Some buyers they get the products from the women in exchange they give them minimal things such as a bar of soap or packet of sugar, while they will go sell the crafts for over US$100 and above,” said Mrs Moyo.
She said the idea behind mobilising the women in different groups that include Cebo Elihle, Sukamani, Shooting Stars, Strong Zebras and Khula Lathi was a way of uplifting them in the work that they do and make them have a source of income so that they are not always dependent on others.
ZimTrade southern region manager Mrs Jacqueline Nyathi during a visit to Tsholotsho on Thursday, she said as part of their initiative to promote exports from different provinces they are working with women who are into basketry from the Matabeleland North province.
“We have a cluster that we established this year with five groups being represented including Nkayi, Lupane, Binga, Tsholotsho and the Hwange/ Victoria Falls. Our visit was to meet with members of the cluster to show our commitment to developing the cluster and get an update on what they have been doing as members of that cluster,” said Mrs Nyathi.
She said some of the women have had the opportunity to attend international trade fairs in countries such as the United Kingdom and Dubai.
Mrs Nyathi said they also got the opportunity to give the women feedback from the potential buyers on issues to do with quality, delivery timelines, designs and functionality of their products.
