Zimbabwean Womenpreneurs Represent Country at China Import Expo

• Zimbabwe showcased its presence at the CIIE at the Shanghai National Exhibition
• The presence of the country at the event was spearheaded by female entrepreneurs
• A majority of exhibitors at the Zimbabwe Pavilion were women-owned businesses

At the recently-concluded China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, a strong representation of Zimbabwe was made up of enterprises led by women.

The Zimbabwe Pavilion reflected a notable number of women among the exhibitors that were using this larger scale and broad international platform to tell the story of Zimbabwe's commitment to the empowerment of women.

 "I’m glad to see so many women here at CIIE; it is a real endorsement of women’s contribution to economic and social progress in Zimbabwe," said Sandra Ndebele, musician and chair of the National Handcrafts Centre for Zimbabwe. "We do anything that is handmade in Zimbabwe."

Nyarai Kurebgaseka from Kaza Oils, a supplier of natural oils, shared that her company is focused on empowering women in rural areas further by sourcing some of the raw materials through women cooperatives.

"It is great to be at the CIIE, which extends our capacity to increase our impact by reaching global buyers and expanding community opportunities," she said.

Dionne Chibaya from Budiriro shared that this was being a great experience and that she had conversations with buyers from around the world.

The eighth CIIE, from November 5 -10 c, hosted more than 4,108 overseas exhibitors from 155 countries. Officials said the expo had record-breaking results this year, with deals valued at more than USD 83 billion, signaling China's commitment to international trade.