THE Jairos Jiri Association’s Mutare branch has, with funding from Alpha Developers International, opened a carpentry venture that is poised to become a significant contributor to the local economy.
Located in Zimunya, Mutare, the factory is transforming raw materials into valuable products, creating jobs, and boosting local businesses. The factory sources its raw materials, primarily logs, from the nearby Vumba plantations, which are meticulously processed into various products, including pallets, doors, and furniture.
The factory manager, Jonathan Gapare Junior, said: “We cut them down into blocks, and from those blocks, we make many products. We make pallets, doors, and we also make furniture, like tables.”
Despite being in its early stages, the factory has already transformed the local economy with some of its products sold to major retailers like Willowton and Megamarket.
“So, one load of logs, which is like 15 tonnes, costs us about US$800, and, from those 15 tonnes, we can make 250 pallets, which we resell and get US$1 600.”
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Alpha Land Developers took over Jairos Jiri operations this year in a bid to restore investor and donor confidence. It has embarked on supplying different branches with resources for income generating projects.
While the factory in Mutare is experiencing growth, it faces challenges such as inconsistent electricity supply from Zesa. To overcome this hurdle, Gapare said the factory often relies on night shifts to maintain production.
He added that to further expand its operations, the factory aims to diversify its clientele and increase production.
“I think, if we can get a bigger clientele we would grow, because right now, so far, we only have one main client for these pallets. “In terms of electricity problems, I believe it is a huge stress.
“We barely have Zesa, so we're forced to do night shifts, most of the time, we do night shifts then, during the day, we have assemblers who will be assembling the components for the pallets,” Gapare said.
By securing more clients and ramping up production, the factory can create more jobs, contribute even more to the economy and help the association.