Lack of equipment strains Kwekwe soap producer

Inadequate equipment and working space is limiting the growth and employment capacity of a Kwekwe-based small-scale soap and juice manufacturer.

The company, Proud Hands Company, has 15 workers and operates from donated space.

Proprietor, Mr Michael Sibanda, whose company produces “Fin Drinks” said if they get adequate machinery and working space, they can employ up to 50 workers.

The company produces a variety of products ranging from juices, soaps, detergents, and flavours, among others.

In a recent interview during a tour of the plant by Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni, Mr Sibanda said: “I have more than 30 years’ experience of manufacturing soap, drinks, and detergents among others and I have all the knowledge required.

“At one time in the 1990s, I once employed more than 50 workers but after our company was destroyed during Murambatsvina, we never really recovered”.

Mr Sibanda, a war veteran, said he started with soap making before diversifying into detergents and is now into drinks as well.

“I can make more than 100 products, which I taught myself through experiments. We started off as a family business but we are now a fully-fledged company, which has a manager, an accountant, and other workers,” he said.

Due to limited machinery, the company is supplying products ranging from soaps, syrup flavours, and juices to Mbizo, Gokwe and Mberengwa, among other local markets.

“We cannot sign an agreement with a company like OK Supermarket because we might fail to meet the demand and end up breaching the contract.

We are actually grateful to Mr (Tashinga) Mugabe who is currently giving us the space we are using at the moment.”

The company has attracted a number of potential sponsors after scooping various awards at various shows.

“We have won a number of awards at the Midlands Show and recently at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga was impressed and we are still making a follow up with his office on what his office offered us,” said Mr Sibanda.

Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga

He said a number of private potential sponsors were also making inquiries on how they can assist on the project.

Besides the manufacturing company, Dr Nyoni also toured various other projects including an events centre owned by former Kwekwe Mayor Mr Stanford Bonyongwa.

“My visit was targeted more at micro-business so that we can see them and get their challenges so that we see how best we can help them to graduate from one level to another,” she said.

“I am really impressed with what I saw in Kwekwe and the Government always stands ready to assist businesses to grow.”

Dr Nyoni said “fin manufacturing” needs assistance in terms of equipment so that they can grow their business.
“As the Government, we always stand ready to assist any company to grow.

That is why we have different departments here with me and I am sure they have already engaged and are assisting them with something,” she said.

Dr Nyoni said small-scale companies play a key role in attaining Vision 2030.

“We are aware of the key role played by small-scale and medium companies in achieving Vision 2030 hence we remain committed to help in any way possible so that every company grows and plays their expected role,” she said.-chronicle.cll.zw