Turning Crisis into Opportunity: How Two Zimbabwean Women Entrepreneurs Are Building Thriving Businesses
When the Covid-19 pandemic brought much of the world to a standstill, Yollanda Mambeu saw an opportunity in the crisis. Amid the strict lockdowns that shuttered countless businesses, she launched her dream venture --a cake shop in a high-density suburb of Mutare, Zimbabwe's third-largest city.
Since then, her ovens have rarely cooled. What began as a modest baking business has expanded into a thriving enterprise. Today, Mambeu supplies a wide range of baking products and accessories, from cake-making tools and spices to balloon stands, cake toppers, and edible image printing. She also offers baking lessons to aspiring entrepreneurs, aged 20 to 40, in smaller towns around Mutare.
Mambeu now earns an average of $4,000 in monthly profit, with peaks of up to $5,000 during national holidays and festive periods. She attributes her success to training received under the Sustainable Enterprise Development of Women and Youth - Business Growth for Young Entrepreneurs project, funded by the African Development Bank. The programme, which promotes entrepreneurship and job creation, has reached 984 beneficiaries to date--over 68% of them women.
Mambeu took part in two key training programmes: Sustainable and Resilient Enterprise and Improve Your Business, both funded by the Bank's Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Multi-Donor Trust Fund and delivered by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe.
"Before the training, I struggled with market visibility and branding," she said. "I learned how to position my business, and now everything is branded--from shop windows to refrigerators. People immediately know what we offer. That change boosted our monthly profits from $1,000 to $4,000."
In January 2024, Mambeu formally registered her business as Yoyo's Yummy Cakes and Baking Supplies and began advertising on local radio. The strategy paid off--by September, her customer base had quadrupled to 1,200 clients.
Her growing brand has attracted the attention of large corporates. One of Zimbabwe's largest milk producers appointed her as a brand ambassador, supplying her with baking milk. She now provides confectioneries to a commercial bank, the national revenue authority, and a local NGO, among other clients. To meet rising demand, she invested $2,500 in heavy-duty baking equipment and is planning to open both a bakery and a wholesale outlet.
Mambeu's story is echoed by Violet Mhute, a 44-year-old entrepreneur based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city. Like Mambeu, she benefited from Bank-supported training--this time to help women entrepreneurs break into the male-dominated leather industry.
Mhute founded Soko Genuine Leather in 2008 but initially struggled to establish herself in Zimbabwe's $32 million leather sector. For years, she exported semi-processed hides to South Africa and the UK for low returns. Now, her business boasts a catalogue of high-quality leather goods--shoes, sandals, wallets, and belts--sold across Africa and beyond.
"Entering the leather industry as a woman was tough. Accessing the right information was a constant battle," Mhute said. "But the training gave me the tools and confidence to navigate those challenges."
With support from the African Development Bank and government policies that support local value addition, Mhute shifted from exporting raw materials to selling premium finished products. Her goods are now certified by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe, enabling her to participate in international expos and tap into new markets, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and the UK.
She was also trained on how to expand her business under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework. The impact has been significant: monthly profits rose from $800 to $3,100.
Mhute says she now employs five young people in her growing leather business.
Dr. Martha Phiri, Director of Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development at the African Development Bank, says the success stories of Mambeu and Mhute reflect the Bank's sustained commitment to private sector development--particularly micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
"These efforts prioritize inclusion, with targeted support for underserved groups such as women and youth, ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities," said Phiri. "Through the Bank's initiatives, we empower women entrepreneurs by providing technical assistance, skills training, and business development support."
Both Mambeu and Mhute say they are optimistic about the future and aim to grow their businesses further while creating jobs for others.
"My dream goes beyond expanding my business," said Mhute. "I want to establish an entrepreneurship institute that will help others break through the barriers in male-dominated industries--just as I have."
Since its launch in 2017, the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund has been a key catalyst for entrepreneurs like Mambeu and Mhute. The fund supports the African Development Bank's Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy, providing grants to empower youth-led start-ups and MSMEs operating in both the formal and informal sectors.
