Widow appeal for assistance on her domestic made products
Widow appeal for assistance on her domestic made products
July 13, 2022
Saul Utete
Choice News Africa
Bulawayo – Zimbabwe based widow Ruth Khumalo of Nkulumane Bulawayo is appealing for assistance to marketing her self-manufactured products that she wishes to spread to the entire African continent, if the products can be well marketed.
Several widows of the departed war veterans of liberation, are wallowing in abject poverty, while some have to tow the ruling party line to get aid. Those who are not doing projects, spend most of their precious time in long queues for paltry pensions that have long been eaten by inflation.
Ms Khumalo a widow who is now living with disability, has proved beyond doubt that disability, is not inability, as she doesn’t sleep or beg, but wakeup daily to manufacture, domestic needed products like, dish washer, engine cleaner, pine gel, and floor polishes, to mention a few of her domestic made products.
Khumalo has since registered her project, in an effort to formalize, so that she may also get tenders like other companies and small to medium enterprises. She is desperately in dire straits, as she cannot walk without support from walking sticks, or crutches.
The project that she has established, if funded, it may go a long way in creating employment, and empowering other women, who are not able to produce the detergents.
The project among other products makes, floor polish, petroleum jelly, ladies hand bags, necklaces, choker, thick bleach, foam bath and soft drinks that are currently sold to local community.
At the present moment, she is having transport challenges as she relies on public transport that really is a great set back in terms of smoothly running her enterprise.
She suffered a spinal cord injury that left her crippled but can walk with an aid of a clutch.
Speaking to Choice News Africa, Ms Khumalo said that the passing on of her husband brought in many challenges that changed her life and the children.
In her quest to earn a living, she ventured into cross boarder trading that was cut short by her injury of the spinal cord.
“I lost everything including my car but as the only parent left to fend for the children, there was need of me to do something.
Fortunately, I started to receive a social welfare disability grant that became my first capital to register a company.
Though the money took long to come out, it helped me to start this project, that resulted in the registration of a company.
The current hindrance to my products, is of transport, as I desperately need to reach wider market and more capital injection, so that production levels can be increased to meet demand.” said Khumalo.
At the moment her company lacks exposure, as it is the only way to avail the products to the local community who only afford to buy in small quantities.
The majority of people close to where she operates her business, are unemployed and do not have any disposable income against an economy that is struggling under hyperinflation rates in the country.
“At the moment I am selling only to the surrounding community, my wish is to be able to supply big chain stores. I managed to show case my products at the just ended Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) where I got enquiries from only two big companies, who promised me that they were prepared to support me by buying 100 to 1000 products, but to date never returned.