The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce has selected their three 2016 IWEC Foundation Awardees. Each will accept their awards at the IWEC Conference Gala on Tuesday November 8th in Brussels, Belgium. They will be joined by 40 other successful women business owners from 20 countries in accepting their awards.
Zodwa Mkandla, Traverze Travel (PVT), LTD, www.traverzetravel.co.zw
Zodwa Mkandla is the Founder and Managing Director of Traverze Travel which started operating in 2003 and is now one of the leading leisure and business travel management companies in Harare, Zimbabwe. Traverze’s reputation for service excellence has been proven through the many awards that the company has won over the years from airlines and the tourism industry. Traverze opened a branch in Lusaka Zambia in April May 2014. Zodwa Mkandla also owns an events management company – The Events Company. Traverze Travel is also the first travel agency in Zimbabwe to open its own business class lounge at Harare International Airport.
Hope Irene Makwara, Ariel Designs, www.arielgardens.co.zw
Ariel Designs started 12 years ago. It is a Property Development and Events Management company. The company purchases land, subdivides and constructs houses and cluster homes for resale and rental income purposes. In addition, the company purchases dilapidated homes and renovates them for resale. Ariel also created two Events Functions Venues: one specializing in weddings and the other is a Conferences Nature Reserve Recreational Park. The industry is male dominated and it has been a challenge to overcome culture barriers and beliefs but Hope has managed to break the shell and swim against the tides. Ariel also had a strong sense of philanthropy and Hope mentors young women who she meets through the chamber of commerce.
Rose Musarurwa, Surdax, www.surdax.co.zw
Roselyn Musarurwa-Charehwa is the founder and Managing Director of Surdax Investments, a company started by a woman who had no business training and no capital. Armed with only two brooms, two mops and a domestic carpet cleaning machine she began her business out of her home. She now employs over 400 men and women of which two thirds are women. The company is also embarking on a waste management program and donates manpower to clean up areas in the city of Harare. Surdax is also on the way to becoming ISO certified. Rose received the inaugural ZNCC WECA award in 2013.
Congratulations, Ladies!
