“A woman doesn’t need to be equal to a man she is more than that “ and this is what exactly the tales from the city centre of Bulawayo unfolds. At the city, the ordinary women are the heroes of their family and are armed to fight with nothing but their wares and indomitable spirits.
The women navigate the streets to eke out and earn a living for their families. Women, especially the single mothers have become the unsung heroines of their families and have defied all the odds to ensure that their loved ones’ meet their all needs.
A women named Irene Nhambire stands among the James Court and shared her unwavered inspiring story, “What keeps me strong and highly motivated to wake up every day is reporting to the streets and is to make sure that my family gets food to eat every day.”
Nhambire said that she has to clear the rentals, has to pay the school fees and has to clear all bills before other rents gets added to it.
Irene wasn’t like this before, the prohibitive cost of formal vending sites such as the US $90 was demanded by the Bulawayo City Council at Edogini which forced her to remain in the informal sector, despite of all the looming threats of by the city council of Bulawayo.
Superwoman for her children, Irene admitted that “When the operation is on, We run” and revealed the precarious nature of their daily hustle.
Another intimidating story of an unnamed vendor needs to be narrated as it teaches the bond of partnership and value of perseverance.
The anonymous lady proudly spoke that she is her husband’s right hand helper. “Therefore, I wake up with him every morning to part ways in town. When he will be leaving for his work, I go out to sell my second hand clothes,” she said.
Surprisingly, the entrepreneurial spirit of the lady selling second-hand clothes has led her to buy a car, which celebrates her great success.
Another wonder story of the woman Noncebo Nyathi tells her story of being strong spirited. Twenty-year-old (22) lady Nyathi stands firm on the pavement at 9th Avenue and Herbert Chitepo Street as her young voice echoes the sentiment of self-reliance.
“As a single mother I make a living solely out of vending,” expressed Noncebo. She voiced that the school fees, rentals and her needs as a woman rely on the money she earns from vending, though the sales are not certain.
Noncebo Nyathi told the average earnings of a month and mentioned, “An average of US $100 is expectable in a month.”
Grace Tshuma is another lady aged twenty-seven (27) who operates the pavement at Nedbank in Leopold Takawira Avenue and Joshua Nkomo Street who specialises in children’s wear.
She is very much in support of women’s empowerment through self-sufficiency.
Grace enlightened, “In my approach, there is nothing impossible as I am firmly self-sufficient from vending.” She added, “I am managing to take care of my two kids who are going to school and to offer three meals to my family everyday out of the busy day.”
Grace mentioned the fact that “I am a parent and this keeps me strong and determined to make sure my life and my kids’ lives won’t be shameful and anchored on coveting other families.”
Another inspiring lady, Dazline Masukume, aged twenty-four (24), who is not just a friend but a fellow dreamer alongside Grace, spoke about the drive that propels them forward.
Both of them share a common goal to expand their ventures and one day trade from their own shops.
Dazline shared that they are looking forward to growing their businesses and are able to rent shops where they will be selling.
She conveyed that there are some people who look down upon them as vendors because they think vending is being next to destitute, but for them vending is the way they figured to come out from poverty.