A key distinctive competence we pride ourselves in is the fact that all our products are handmade. From estimation, design to product finalization, we are using our very own bare hands. It is not as easy as it might appear. We therefore draw immense strength from the intrinsic belief and perceived protection we derive from the symbol of the Lion, an animal universally known as the king of the jungle. It was befitting therefore, to name the company Mutupo (Totem) Ishumba (Lion) PLC trading as Totem Shumba Estate.
Zimbabwe is not yet out of the woods politically and that is the single largest factor impacting on the economy, in particular, for businesses like ours operating in the private sector. We have 11 families, a total of over 63 people dependent on the survival and success of Totem Shumba Estate. Failure is therefore not an option. Everyday we wake up and what makes us get out of bed, is the realization that, nature has no vacuum, if we are careless in decision making, we might wake up one day without a business and others will fill that vacuum.
Significance
We are therefore anal about how we allocate our resources amongst the many competing priorities, cut our expenses to the bone and keep marching forward to make it work. In essence, we are constantly sharpening our preparedness and readiness to take giant leaps forward as soon as there is a correction in the marketplace.”
Totem Shumba is founded on the principals of sustainable innovation. Our mission is to make products with a lifetime guarantee to pass on as heirlooms from one generation to the other and create value for money to our loyal customers. Thus, our values are in grained in everything that we do.
This enables our company to incorporate these values into our mission statement; create decorative and truly artistic products inspired by our heritage of the various tribes of the Zimbabwean people; and create opportunities for our local skilled craftsmen to express their talent in the comfort of their own native home. This makes Totem Shumba a company committed to developing long-term partnerships with both our employees and our clients through heritage and culture.
It is a known fact, that Zimbabwe has suffered a migration of both skilled and professional workers as a result of the continuous economic and political instability over the last decade.
For most, who neither had the opportunity nor the resources to leave their home town in search of better pastures; most have been forced to make it in the current economic climate. Totem Shumba provides a haven where creativity and innovation are nurtured and employees take full responsibility for their artistic aspirations.
Post published in: Arts