Friends furnishing a living in Polokwane
When a skill acquired in childhood offered them a way out of poverty, these four friends grabbed at the opportunity
POLOWANE – A group of four friends from Zimbabwe create quality furniture that locals are proud to display in their homes.
Innocent Chiwenga, Leo Tinarwo, Lovemore Gwashavanhu, and Gift Tongesai make beautiful handmade furniture and other objects with cane or wood, and despite the many challenges they encounter with their business, they are determined to not give up.
“Due to the lack of employment opportunities in our home country and now here in South Africa, we decided to at least do something with the talents and skills we have to support our families who all still live in Zimbabwe,” Innocent told BONUS.
They began making and selling furniture in the city 10 years ago and are situated at the corner of Potgieter and Diemeer Street where they peddle their wares.
“We get most of the material we use from the surrounding veld while some of the materials we have to order. We start making our products at home in town before we bring them to round off and sell. Over the years we have grown quite close and consider each other as family, not simply friends,” Leo said.
As they have children who are still in school, their families only manage to visit them during the school holiday.
“For the moment we are looking for a convenient place or location where we can sell our products such as a shop or a busy corner. There aren’t as many people driving past and even less stopping to buy our products. We would greatly appreciate it if anyone can help us with a better place where we can sell our wares. Somewhere people will be able to stop and browse our work at their leisure,” Gift added.
