Good day ZBIN family. My name is Rutendo Nemapare (Masithole) 65 years of age on the 6th of this month. Would like to start by thanking God for yet another year. Am a mother of 4 and grandmother of 5 living in Chitungwiza.

History

I worked in administration and secretarial positions during my working days. Growing up my hobbies were knitting and knitting. I have always enjoyed making stuff with my own hands (kushandisa maoko). When my children were growing up in the 80s I never used to buy jerseys for them, my husband even for myself. I used to hand knit. Unfortunately in those days we didn’t have mobile phones to show off our work.

UK Experience:

I then left for the UK and when I came back I brought a few knitting patterns and knitting needles but people were now into machine knitted jerseys and fleeces and even the wool was now hard to find.

I joined the FB and saw an advert for beading lessons. I took up the course for 3 days and perfected it on on my own. I then joined the ZBIN family and asked Ntate if it was OK to design and see if I can make a ZBIN bag and got a positive response . This is the bag shown in the pictures.

Zimbabwe Flag

I also decided to make a go at the Zimbabwe flag bag and other designs including church colours. The Zimbabwe bag was a hit with the Diaspora community. I once joined a group of ladies on a trip to Tanzania to source the material originally from China.

Then when sales dropped I decided to go on YouTube and learnt how to make beaded key holders as well as bracelets. These I advertise on the FB Market place. I also have a FB page RN Beaded Bags & Accessories. Please check it out and like my page. All my beaded work is displayed there. I also have this flyer with some of my work.

ZBIN Impact.

I also thought about doing a different kind of project having followed J@J Rabbitry’s journey on the group whom I approached and he gave me an online training on rabbitry and still he is still my mentor. I took up rabbitry because of lack of space and it’s something I could do at the back of my yard. I then bought my cage and all the necessities to start the project. I started with 3 rabbits 2 females and 1 male they were 8 weeks old at the time. I specialise in New Zealand White breed and sell to those who want to start their own so I sell breeding stock. Rabbits take long to start multiplying but when they do they can give birth to average of 8 at a time and only carry for a month. They only feed on rabbit pellets, hay and water. I start selling at 6 weeks but they start breeding at 6 months old. Am glad to say I can also share my experiences with other upcoming rabbit farmers. I am also a member of the ZBIN rabbit group and other groups.

Herewith are pictures of my small rabbitry project.

Contact No: +263 73 536 9100

As an entrepreneur make sure that you balance generating profits with building your brand. It is not easy to balance the 2. And ZBIN is one of the business forums that help you to balance generating sales whilst promoting your brands. Below we cover a premium chat done by Estery.

Greetings  everyone hope l find you well. l’m glad to be here and have such an opportunity to share my journey with you all.

I’m….. Estery Chitangirofa 38 years old, became a School Prefect in Form 2 first and 2nd term only then from 3rd term became a head girl up to finishing ‘A’ Level. I studied up to A’ Level then joined the Police Force which l later resigned after serving 12 good years. Within this period also acquired some certificates in Etiquette and Grooming

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That was from 2007-2012 as an officer based in Harare but as l served l started looking for something to do as a side hustle. Firstly took advantage of where I was working as we prepared uniforms for all Police Officers then l ventured into buying winter tracksuit materials from Namibia, prepare hoodies and full tracksuits for kids and sell using the organization’s machinery and utensils.

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What next now. I joined the Musina crew to go buy and sell clothes and shoes but eish this wasn’t easy at all imagine the long ques at the border, come back and sell to fellow officers who would only want everything for free and pay later, but what was the guarantee they will pay.

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In trying to make a living, along the process lost a lot of money to those who didn’t pay giving stories. Also at home quarrels began that you are drowning in business and you are a failure l can’t continue helping you.

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Taking you back a little l started selling sweets and popcorn at primary level grade 5 and at Secondary level even ran the school tuckshop – entrepreneurship started way back.

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Now heard of the online businesses and was completely blank and with no idea how it goes, never knew that l had to study first before l can sign up.

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Fell in the wrong hands – Ponzi or let’s say scams these were companies who would say invest a chicken today and get a cow tomorrow. Poverty is not good eish.

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Now can laugh but back then you would have a heart attack losing that $100, how much was l even earning as a civil servant  it was little not to waste in scams but experience always is the greatest teacher

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In trying all that l started with a product based network marketing company in 2007 l pushed sales like crazy with bitterness of losing to scams and in 2 months recovered it all selling products.

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But something was waiting for me again, haaa wonders shall never end. I missed my new rank in business with only 2 points out of 25 haaa l gave up l was so frustrated and drained. I decided to quit and move to another company.

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Stupid me l started jumping from one company to another

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2018 l joined another company, remember l was a good seller when it comes to products and team development so l grew well in this company that truly made me decide to resign and go full time in Network Marketing Business.

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Kindly note l started Network Marketing in 2007 till date and as l jumped from one company to another there’s one company l didn’t drop along the way because l truly fell in love with the products as l love being the natural me.

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Early 2020 l resigned but before doing so the top leaders at the Police Station I was had to call for a meeting, we saw your resignation why have you decided to resign are you being abused or something happening, you are still young blah blah aah why would l listen when l had mapped my way out and was even earning times 10 my income from the side hustle. They had to let me go after all.

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February 2020 l began my full time entrepreneur journey, boom Covid-19 shut down came  this was something else not prepared for it but God was with me, business moved well in this era and sales were increasing.

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But now business is booming the health industry noticed something, because we were selling health supplements our company was stopped to operate by MCAZ, It took years to acquire the certificate but you know taking years not operating some new companies emerge, you lose customers etc

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Then l thought of that my company ( ORIFLAME) l never dropped, if l can give all my efforts l think l can yield better results.

Subdivided efforts are truly a challenge especially if operating different companies but with the same method of growth but just different names and products

Instead why not put all the efforts in one company and see how it grows

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2021 l pushed and then was getting products from Nigeria the only depot in Africa it wasn’t easy, orders taking a month or more, sometimes losing orders but l and my team decided not to give up.

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With hard work, commitment, discipline, determination our work was rewarded by the company and they decided to open a new market for us in South Africa being way closer and from 1 month of receiving orders to only a week or less to getting orders.

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Oriflame launched in South Africa May 2025 and now only 2 months and guess what in those 2 months the growth is exceptional and already having qualifications for Sun City Trip 2026 and on track for Paris 2026.

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One thing all along l can be grateful for is the strength to endure all but never give up and quit completely, l kept on soldiering in good and bad times, l’m not fully where l want to be but I’m happy being on track

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Last but not least thank you for following on my story l might not have given all the information but my advice to you, In whatever you are doing don’t give up, remember why you started, check and follow those who succeeded in life they have great inspirational stories that can inspire you too, YOU CAN DO IT.

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If you are looking for a side hustle or love going natural get in touch with me for all your natural and organic Swedish Cosmetics that includes skincare, perfumes, Feetcare, Haircare, personal care like Feminelle Wash, shower creams, soaps, oils, wellness supplements, men’s skin products etc

Love you all and stay blessed.