WHEN Covid-19 left its trail of devastation across countries and economies, Shylet
Buwerimwe, was one evidential remnant of the pandemic’s destruction.
Buwerimwe, from Chigodora area about 20km east of Mutare, was a travel consultant, and as
we all know there was not much travel traffic to consult on during the lockdown period.
“As we all know that Covid-19 was extremely bad to our industry. Hotels, lodges, airlines,
conference centres, restaurants, just to mention a few, were closed. It became so difficult for
our industry members to make ends meet,” she explained last week.
But she had always been passionate about levelling up the playing field in sewing. So,
Buwerimwe had to re-invent herself and that is when, in the middle of a pandemic, the idea
of starting a home décor business found root.
But turning her dream into a business in the middle of a pandemic with no resources, no loan
or funding but just pure passion, was no stroll in the park.
Now owner and Finance Director of Shylet Home Décor, she embarked on an entrepreneurial
journey, together with her husband, Frankline Banda, in 2020.
The thinking was to focus on growing the Shylet Home Décor brand in providing bespoke
high quality indoor and outdoor patio chairs and scatter cushions, as well as baby linen.
But starting a sewing journey without any sewing experience or any sewing background is a
totally different cup of tea, considering her travel consultancy history.
Nevertheless, on 21 December 2020 the couple took the bold step and registered their
company.
“I started specialising in couch and outdoor cushions, baby linen, scatter cushions and all
ranges of custom baby linen.
“The upholstery and outdoor department grew so fast that I felt the need for a bakkie.
“I started a buy a bakkie campaign. The target was to sell 6250 scatter cushions towards this
goal. It sounded very impossible but we just decided to follow it,” she told Pungwe News last
week.
During this period, one of the administrators of “We support group”, Evi Moller, a winner of
Woman in Tourism award South Africa, and Woman of Stature Foundation called
Buwerimwe for a meeting. Moller has since become Buwerimwe’s mentor.
In the meantime the bakkie dream received maximum support from the public and
companies. In September 2022 her bakkie dream started to materialise when she bought a
non-runner bakkie that just needed some mechanical fix up here and there.
What gave rise to this need was a big order from a client in the Orange Free State.
Buwerimwe and her spouse are based in Midrand, South Africa.
She explained: “We took the risk and started fixing the car. We had a target to get it done by
the 19 November.
“On 19 November 2022 we held a grand opening for Shylet Home Decor and we then also
unveiled this now beautiful Bakkie.”
One thing leads to another, and now Buwerimwe has been nominated for an Entrepreneur of
the Year Award organised by Charlotte Du Plessis of Woman of Stature Foundation South
Africa.
Asked what the nomination meant to her, Buwerimwe said it was a great opportunity for
exposure for her dream of establishing an international company.
Explained the 36-year-old mother of one: “My vision is to see Shylet Home Decor as an
international company with branches worldwide. I want to contribute to the growth of the
Zimbabwean, African and world economy at large. I am challenging myself to build a branch
in Zimbabwe and I already acquired a stand in my home area, Chigodora.”
