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Sipepisiwe Moyo

THE lush green of Lavinia Gardens will host a gathering exclusively for the women who are shaping the future of commerce. Spearheaded by the visionary Sipho Mazibuko, founder of the Esteemed Business   Women, the yet-to-be-dated event promises to be a vessel of collaboration and empowerment.

Amid the camaraderie of peers, women will hone their acumen in bookkeeping, and entrepreneurship, and navigate the intricacies of taxi clearances, with Zimra poised to ensure each attendee emerges with a tax clearance in hand, unlocking new vistas in business.

“I came up with the name of this group (Esteemed  Business Women) after I looked at myself and realised that I could only describe myself as esteemed because I look esteemed, I walk esteemed I have earned it through hard work, so together with a few of my friends we formed the group. I was also reflecting on the challenges I have faced in my 25 years in business and how I overcame them, so I would like to share and empower other women in business,”  she said.

Spanning generations, the Esteemed Business  Women embrace members from 19 to 75 years. Their mission — to extend a hand to every woman, from the fruit vendor to the boardroom executive, united by the credo of inclusivity.

“We are the heart of SMEs, not an enclave of the elite. With over 4 000 members and counting, our reach extends from Harare to Gwanda and beyond to Chimanimani, Chipinge, Gweru, Masvingo, Chiredzi — no one is left behind,” declares Mazibuko.

Last year’s event set a high bar, but Mazibuko assures that this year’s assembly will eclipse it. With meticulous planning, from seating to sustenance, the event will close its ticket sales a week in advance. The guest list reads like a roll call of Zimbabwe’s most influential women and includes high ranking Government officials such as Monica Mutsvangwa, Emily Jesaya, Musa Mathema and Mercy Matsika, CEO of Megafest Group, to name a few. From across the border, Sophie Ndaba, the acclaimed actress and motivational speaker, will share her journey of resilience and reinvention, inspiring attendees to rise above life’s challenges.

Mazibuko’s recent sojourn to Harare secured the backing of pivotal ministries, fostering a synergy that will resonate throughout the event.

“We  were in Harare on a sponsorship drive and we got Government ministries that will support us. I also went to the office of the First Lady seeking partnership in introducing the national dress fabric to the people of Zimbabwe in Matabeleland who are not aware of this fabric or who politicise the fabric. We will showcase the fabric as it is for our identity even when we go out of the country,” she said.

The stage at Lavinia Gardens is set to become a vibrant showcase of emerging talent, as Sipho Mazibuko opens the doors to artistes seldom seen or heard.

“We  will have performances from cultural groups. There is a group in Gwanda that can represent Zimbabwe anywhere in the world showcasing Sotho and Tswana dances, and that group is unknown in Zimbabwe. I want them to be known through this event. People do not know that we have a large population of BaSotho and BaTswana in Zimbabwe so that group will perform and I am hoping they will impress the ministers present on the day and they are given a chance to be taken to overseas expos.

“We also have Fezi, who is an urban grooves artiste who sings love songs, we have Hloseni, MJ who impersonates Michael Jackson and many others.

We also have umama uJudith Ncube who will welcome all the guests, lo mama uSithembiso Nyoni will be there teaching the women about sustaining our environment, there is a need to teach rural women how to sustain their environment and urban women about recycling and reusing,” she said.

Mazibuko’s journey, marked by resilience over 25 years, fuels her mission to uplift others.

“I am  an esteemed woman, I earned it, I walk esteemed and I look like an esteemed woman. I want that for other women in Zimbabwe, especially in Matabeleland, because people feel  marginalised. This started with a few of my friends and we were about 200 in number. For the first event, the response was overwhelming, they came in large numbers, so to avoid the fiasco that happened last year, ticket sales will close a week before the event as we ended up running out of chairs and food as most women showed up and bought tickets by the gate. So after this experience, I will make it a point that this will be a better polished event,” she said.

Despite financial hurdles, Mazibuko’s spirit remains buoyant, bolstered by support from United Refineries’ generous hampers and partnerships with local media and hospitality.

“I approached the Standard Hotel as they started as an SME and have now grown from there. We have 5-star guest houses and I told Minister Mutsvangwa that we need her to stay at these guest houses and support us as she is our Minister for SMEs. We have Penicular Guest House which has partnered with us, it was opened last year. We also have BnBs owned by Lorraine Hadebe of Supermed Pharmacies and her BnBs are also 5-star.

The minister has to support us and stay in our places and I am happy because she agreed to support us,” she said.