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Nokuthaba Brita Ncube, [email protected]

CERTIFIED life, business, and wellness coach Mavis Tsamwise Muchena (42) remains steadfast in her commitment to empowering women and girls, tirelessly working to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to thrive personally and professionally.

In an interview, Muchena highlighted that she believes every individual deserves access to opportunities, which is why she launched an initiative aimed at empowering women through business training, mentorship, and hands-on coaching.

“Growing up, I was surrounded by strong, independent women who instilled in me the importance of education, hard work, and resilience. These values have shaped my passion for empowering women and girls, and I’m committed to creating opportunities for them to thrive. My mum was also an entrepreneur, and I could watch her doing it so well,” she said.

Having launched the Mavis Empowerment Programme in September 2024 in South Africa, Muchena revealed plans to scale the initiative to Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Africa as a whole.

“Mavis Women Empowerment has exciting plans for expansion in 2025. The programme will be extended beyond South Africa to other countries, ensuring that even more women in Africa have access to the resources and support they need to thrive as entrepreneurs.”

According to Muchena, the Mavis Women Empowerment Programme kicked off an exciting new venture by offering practical training in the production of detergents, skincare products, and fragrances from scratch. The programmes included five in-person sessions that provided participants with the knowledge and skills needed to create high-quality, marketable products.

“This hands-on training experience is designed to help women tap into the growing demand for eco-friendly cleaning and skincare products as well as fragrances while building sustainable businesses,” she said.

In addition, Muchena believes her programme will contribute to shifting the mindset of young girls and women in Africa by providing them with access to education, mentorship, and economic opportunities.

“By empowering them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, we can help create a more equitable and just society,” she said.

After completing her Ordinary Level in 1999, Muchena also did digital marketing courses with Google Coursera and Meta. She noted that her educational background has provided her with a solid foundation in entrepreneurship, marketing, and personal development, which has been instrumental in shaping her career and entrepreneurial journey.

Having a marketing company and a hair and beauty academy where she trains people on how to acquire skills in the beauty industry, Muchena said becoming an entrepreneur has given her the freedom to pursue her passions and create innovative solutions to real-world problems.

Speaking on the marketing company, she said after training people on various skills, including how to do digital marketing, those who can’t or don’t have time to do it themselves are on-boarded as clients, and they do marketing for their companies.

Muchena lamented that navigating the complexities of funding and resource allocation has been one of the biggest challenges she encountered as an entrepreneur. She highlighted that another challenge is identifying the target market and turning leads into sales, citing that one can have a very good product, but putting it out and making sales is a challenge hence, she has spent most of her time acquiring knowledge on how it’s done. “However, I’ve learnt to be resilient and adaptable, and to seek out opportunities for collaboration and partnership,” she said.

She further pointed out that she has learned that success is not a solo endeavour, but rather a collective effort that requires the support and contributions of many individuals.

“I have also learnt the importance of staying true to my vision and values, even in the face of challenges and setbacks,” she said.

Being a single mother of three, balancing personal and professional life for her is all about prioritising self-care and setting clear boundaries.

“I make time for activities that nourish my mind, body, and soul, such as exercise, meditation, and spending time with loved ones. I am a single mother of three, and I understand that I have to play both roles of being a mother and father at the same time,” she said.

Sharing her long-term goals, she said she envisions the programme expanding to reach more communities and providing a comprehensive range of products that are made in Africa for Africans.

“We are planning to build plants around Africa where women will collectively make the products and share the overheads. We also want to stock our packaging in China so that we can get them cheaper and have a positive impact on our pricing,” she said.