Boot manufacturer on surviving Zimbabwe’s rocky economy

For Zimbabwean businesses the past 10 years have been challenging, to say the least. In 2008 the country experienced one of the worst cases of hyperinflation in world history – with a monthly inflation rate of 3,500,000%, which saw the introduction of the infamous ZW$100 trillion banknote.

Since then the country has abandoned its Zimbabwean dollar and adopted a multi currency system where nine currencies have been authorised as legal tender (although the US dollar is the most widely used).

Today the Zimbabwean economy faces new challenges – namely a shortage of US dollars in the market. The country is over-reliant on imports – mostly paid for in US dollars – in part because many local factories closed down.

One manufacturer and exporter that has managed to survive Zimbabwe’s economic roller coaster, however, is The Courteney Boot Company, which produces handmade safari and outdoor footwear and accessories from natural game skin leathers such as hippo, kudu, Cape buffalo, impala, Nile crocodile and ostrich.

How This 15-Year-Old 'Kidpreneur' Makes More Than $1 Million a Year

Rachel Zietz

15-year-old Rachel Zietz, is a high school sophomore honors student and lacrosse player from Boca Raton, Florida, who started her own durable line of lacrosse equipment at only 13 years of age in 2013.

In her second year of business, she achieved revenues of $1 million. (This is where the "humbling" part joins the eager-to-learn part for me.)

How did she do it? After taking a rigorous 33-week course at the Young Entrepreneur's Academy in Boca Raton, she entered the local competition. 

Even though she didn't win, it got her started on some initial fundraising to build her business. Read more Inc

Motivation: Unemployed lady overcomes adversity to start her soap making business in Budiriro

Rudo with her bar of washing soap

Despite being a holder of Bsc Degree in Chemical Engineering, Rudo Mazhandu (31years) faced the reality of unemployment upon completion of her studies. She tried to be employed in the public sector as a secondary school teacher; the remuneration coupled with the underutilization of her skills made her quit the job in less than a year.

As a chemical engineerer, in December 2014, Rudo decided to utilize her skills and knowledge and started a green bar soap making enterprise. 

The coming in of Z:W project in partnership with Junior Achievement Zimbabwe in March 2016 through life skills training integrated with entrepreneurship and business management training was a turning point in Rudo’s business.

Meet Nkosana Mazibisa a young Zim Entreperneur

Nkosana Mazibisa

Zimbabwe is currently going through a very bad patch economically. The question everyone is asking, how do we get out of this quagmire? Is it Government to blame for this economic collapse or is it isolation from the global market? One does not need a rocket scientist to pinpoint the cause of the current economic collapse. 

As individuals we cannot wait for the Government to turn around the economy - John F Kennedy said ' Ask not what your country can do for you, rather ask what you can do for your country' 

In all this, resilience is a key factor which will pull us out of the current problems we are facing as a nation. It is noteworth to celebrate young Zimbabweans making strides in business irrespective of  the dire straits we are facing

Meet Nkosana Mazibisa 

At 27, Nkosana Mazibisa is one of Zimbabwe’s most promising young entrepreneurs. The idea to start his own business was planted in his mind during a high school debate about his country’s collapsing economy. 

He started in mining, where things didn’t work out. But he never gave up. “I realised that I didn’t fail, instead it was a learning process for me. I’ve learnt patience, consistency, and courage,” he says.

Widow manages successful rabbit farm

Mrs Chinyai

What started as the occasional tasty meal of cooked rabbit enjoyed by the whole Chinyai family has become a thriving business for a dynamic Mutare-based widow. 

“My late husband and I enjoyed breeding and rearing rabbits and the whole family enjoyed eating rabbit meat very much. Initially it was just on the menu of our family,” explained Dorcas Chinyai in a recent interview.

After retiring from being a general worker at the Mutare City Council in 2010, Chinyai, who lived with her three children in Darlington after her husband’s demise, observed that there was a great demand for rabbit meat. She was eager to expand her rabbit rearing enterprise and thereby generate an income for herself.

INSPIRATION: How a Ugandan Woman Became a Millionairess from Piggery

RACHAEL Mubiru was tired of being a jobless housewife with no income. The trials of lacking an income are what drove her to venture into commercial farming. 

Today, she is practicing piggery and poultry farming, ventures that have turned her into a millionaire. 

Mubiru, a resident of Nateete in Rubaga division, started poultry farming in 1995 with 100 broilers. 

Although she faced a lot of challenges, she grew the stock up to 800 in two years before turning to piggery. 

“My biggest dream was in poultry, but I later found out that piggery was more lucrative,” she says.  Mubiru says she started piggery with local breeds but acquired exotic breeds after she watched President Yoweri Museveni on television encouraging farmers to turn to modern farming. 

'Came like a king, left like a legend'- Zlatan Ibrahimovic confirms he's leaving PSG

PSG and Sweden foward has shut down all rumours with his latest tweet saying Tomorrow's game at the Parc De Prince will be his last for the Paris club.

He has been linked to Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea and even the U.S Major league soccer. He won the French League's player of the season award. 

Watch: South Africa's youngest Millionaire

'Africa is not going to be left behind or outside the data revolution' - Strive Maisyiwa

Mr. Strive Masiyiwa

Strive Masiyiwa, who set up his Econet Wireless company in Zimbabwe in 1993, believes the world is on its way to being connected "in ways we never imagined."

Masiyiwa's company is not only playing its part in the constant growth in cellphone use in Africa, it also does vital work in establishing the technological networks that enable that to happen.

He explains to Marketplace Africa host Zain Asher why he thinks that, amongst other things, this revolution can "democratize" education across the continent. READ MORE AFTER THE CUT

Nigeria's Tony Elumelu funds 1,000 African entrepreneurs

Billionnaire Tony Elumelu

Nigerian billionaire Tony Elumelu has decided to fund 1,000 budding African entrepreneurs as part of a $100m (£670,000) initiative to boost the continent's private sector.

Mr Elumelu said the entrepreneurs were Africa's "hope for the future". The 1,000 come from 52 African states and territories and were chosen from some 20,000 applicants. Forbes magazine listed Mr Elumelu last year as the 26th richest African, worth $1bn.

RED COUCH: How to build a media empire, Malawian style

Media Entrepreneur - Gospel Kazako

(CNN)Gospel Kazako knows that sometimes it's best to follow the light. The eldest of eight children, the Malawian entrepreneur had a typical upbringing in the southern town of Zomba. 

One night, sitting out on his parents' veranda, he spotted a mysterious light flashing atop nearby Mount Mpigi. He asked someone about it, who told him it was a radio transmitter. 

"I got very fascinated," Kazako recalls. A lifetime obsession was instantly born, setting the young boy on a path that would see him transmitting to millions of people every day and eventually becoming a major media mogul.

High school and a diploma in journalism later and Kazako found employment at Malawian state radio MBC. There, he produced a variety of shows but after seven years he left to set up his own company, which created adverts, features and documentaries for other radio stations.