‘I did not know that bookkeeping  ,financial literacy and business management were essential skills to the growth of a business until ,l received training from Hand in Hand Zimbabwe  ’-Graceful Chatora.

Graceful Chatora ,43-year-old is mother to three children (22,17,13) from Chachacha  in Shurugwi Rural District .Despite having 13 years of experience as a tailor/seamstress ,her business was struggling to thrive because of incapacitation in business management skills and resources. She often depended on subsistence entrepreneurship and this affected her business growth rate.

In 2016, she joined Hand in Hand Zimbabwe’s self-help group (Batanai) and later on became part of the JCP (Jobs Creation Project). The group received six modular trainings which included financial literacy and business management, which helped Graceful to be in cusp in her business.

On the 6^th of July 2023, Graceful   received a loan from Hand in Hand Zimbabwe’s accelerator project, which enabled her to enlarge  her business through purchasing 56 rolls of fabrics in all kinds of assorted colors and textures ,threads and five new sewing machines (2 Kingstar overlooking ,straight –(electric) and 3 manual Singer’s.

By reinvesting the loan into her business, Graceful has since employed 4 staff (2 full time  and 2 interns) and registered her enterprise to Gradvan Enterprise.

(One of Graceful ‘s staff selling groceries within her shop)

Through her enterprise she is sewing school uniforms ,church specific garments ,mining clothes and designer specific garments. Within her shop, she has a retail enterprise selling a few groceries just to keep afloat from the competitive economy.

The employment of four staff workers demonstrates her commitment to creating job opportunities within her community and impacting skills on students on industrial  attachment. By providing employment, she not only supports the livelihoods of those individuals but also contributes to the overall economic growth of the area.

Ms. Chatora dreams of starting a  sewing academy so that she  empowers  and  supports her  community . The empowerment of women, particularly in developing regions, is a crucial aspect of societal progress and economic development. When women are empowered to become entrepreneurs and contribute to their families’ well-being, it not only improves their own lives but also has a ripple effect on the community as a whole.

“When l make a flash back to my life before 2016,l was just an ordinary girl in a rural environment but through Hand in Hand Zimbabwe trainings and loan , I am a proud businesswoman with a shop in a business centre . My husband is very supportive and proud of me, said Graceful Chatora.

Graceful empowerment and the support for her business extend beyond her individual circumstances. The community is benefiting  from her tailoring and retail enterprise as these services are to their proximity.

Hand in Hand Zimbabwe’s accelerator project aims to provide financial support and business training to entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe. The project focuses on empowering individuals to start or expand their businesses, thereby contributing to economic growth and poverty reduction in the country. Graceful’s experience with the accelerator project demonstrates its impact on local entrepreneurs and the potential for economic development through small business investment.