Though equipped with professional skills in manicure, pedicure, body massage, various beauty treatments and hair dressing, she just could not get a job – much to her frustration. However, a new dawn has come for her – thanks to a joint venture she has entered into with other women who trained in the same trade.
Known as Petnard Salon, the venture – located on the periphery of the city – has transformed the lives of 33 formerly unemployed but professional women qualified in cosmetics and hair dressing.
Bankrolled by the Zimbabwe Chamber of Small to Medium Enterprises, the salon is now one of the most sought after in town. Besides providing basic cosmetic treatments and hairdressing services to clients, the venture now boasts of a broad clientele base for people scheduled for appearances at special functions like weddings, house-warming parties, graduation ceremonies and banquets.
Challenges
In separate interviews, the ladies who are involved in the venture narrated their exciting success stories of rising from grass to grace.
“I encountered the challenge of entering into formal employment when I graduated from Harare Polytechnic College just like thousands others who pass through universities and similar institutions. However, when we put our heads together with some other women who were trapped in a similar predicament, it was decided that we should open up a venture and use our skills to develop something.
“Though at first the plan was met with challenges like financial resources, things went on shape up and now we are better off,” said Chatyoka.
From the proceeds of the venture, she has now acquired properties in town and pays the living expenses for her extended family. “My biggest achievement so far is the purchase of a residential stand, which many women in cities cannot afford. I now have title deeds and a visit to the property that is in Hertfordshire will show that I am about to complete construction works and become a landlord for the first time in my life,” she added.
Jewellery shop
Linda Chimimba, 38, a graduate from Bulawayo Polytechnic College, who is another member of the venture, revealed that she has established a jewellery shop in town from the proceeds of the Salon project.
“I now employ a number of people at the shop and we have unique jewellery imported from the Far Eastern countries. It makes me proud as a woman to realise that I am becoming a master of my own destiny,” she said.
Choice Sithole, 31, another member of the consortium, pointed out that as a single mother, she has greatly benefited. “Single mothers always find it hard trying to make ends meet. However, this project has given me hope – as well as many others. I have succeeded to achieve basic things that every woman would yearn for like raising my own children and making them lead decent lives. I can also say that I am now a breadwinner to my sister’s family. I pay school fees for her three children and the eldest is now about to complete Form 4,” she said proudly.
Put heads together
Mellinda Hadebe, 45, said other women staying home because they failed to secure employment after going through practical courses at colleges should consider putting their heads together and becoming their own masters.
“Generally there is despair among women who are professionally qualified in different fields but find themselves unemployed. My advice is that they should start identifying their colleagues with similar skills and putting together projects like ours. That is how as women we can help ourselves to become empowered,” she said.
Rabson Hove, the secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Chamber of Small to Medium Enterprises in the Midlands, praised the women.
“Our chamber encourages such initiatives. We want a situation where the presence of skilled women in communities can start being felt. It gives others motivation and in a way reduces cases of domestic violence because if a woman is empowered, she will never succumb to such cases. It is the desire of our chamber to fund more projects involving women and we will always cherish those that have succeeded to make break-throughs in these hard times,” he said.
Post published in: Gender Equality