Young entrepreneur becomes her own boss

Armed with only a few hundred dollars that she had received as her terminal salary, Makara, 21, embarked on a journey into the design industry. She was not deterred by the fact that she had no qualifications or machinery for the trade.

She used $500 to purchase original African prints from Zambia. “I had to sacrifice. I knew that if I tried to keep the money, I would spend it on other things such as clothes. I travelled to Zambia so that I could get the material that I wanted at a cheaper price, which was from Tanzania,” she said.

After buying the material, Makara started experimenting with her designs. “I have always wanted to do something that no-one else was doing. Realising that many women in Zimbabwe preferred African outfits, I decided to start designing matching shoes and handbags,” she said.

Makara is now getting famous in and around Harare for her skill in coming up with matching shoes and handbags for any African attire.

“I use old shoes. The customer identifies the material they want and I design the shoes or handbags accordingly,” she said. She can also make other matching accessories, including earrings, necklaces or bangles, to customer specifications.

“When a customer brings their own material, it becomes cheaper because I only charge $25 to design their shoes. For handbags, the prices vary depending on the size and design of the bag,” said Makara.

The former Kuwadzana High 1 student does not limit herself to accessories, but also designs men’s, children’s and women’s clothes, curtains and bedcovers.

“African prints are no longer available in Zimbabwe and the majority of the people who are in this business import from Tanzania. I sometimes wonder why business people do not want to invest in the clothing and textile industry because African prints are fashionable and designers now love using that," she said.

Although she has managed to establish a sizeable clientele, it has not been an easy road. “Designing is very expensive. Most designers have a lot of ideas but are stalled by financial challenges. I have endured because this is something that I have always wanted and because I have not set for myself unrealistic targets,” said Makara.

“You need a lot of capital investment and when you are just starting, the tendency is that most people will take you for granted, especially when you are a young woman like me,” she said.

"As Africans we should be proud of our heritage and identify with our own unique, dignified dress code. I am a young woman but I am proudly Zimbabwean and would love to promote my culture the world over. This is my own small way of igniting my African pride.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions reported that since last year, the country recorded 9,617 job losses and 75 company closures. As one of the young people affected by those closures, Makara has been innovative. She believes that the sky is the limit as she hopes to be an international designer one day.