BY FIDELITY MHLANGA
After living in the United Kingdom for 17 years, Maureen Mbondiah Mandipaza does not regret returning from the Diaspora to set up business in Zimbabwe.
Mbondiah Mandipaza made her name as an entrepreneur in the United Kingdom with business interests in health, fashion and literature.
The businesswoman is the founder of Womanhood Global (UK), an organisation that empowers and supports disadvantaged young women in Africa. Her passion for women empowerment also saw her creating a Facebook page to give tips on women fashion and dressing.
Mandipaza’s empowerment works have earned her a plethora of top accolades.
She is also a co-author of the book, Inspiration for Women with over 300 women from across the world.
The businesswoman has extensive experience in the health care sector in UK with various roles at both practitioner and management levels in national health services and private health organisations.
In 2016 together with her husband, they founded Dravens Health Care.
After establishing indelible footprints in the UK, the couple decided to return home.
While, the couple still remotely manages their businesses in the UK, they have made huge inroads in establishing big businesses in Zimbabwe where they are now based full time.
Mbondiah Mandipaza and her husband have set up Vintage Shopping mall at Makoni shopping centre in Chitungwiza. It consists of 12 shops on the ground floor, including Vintage Supermarket, doctor’s surgery, hardware shop and confectionery shop.
Upstairs are 22 retail and office units to let for local businesses.
“Without disclosing figures, we managed to get a good deal from the previous owner. We bought into the potential of this building and l am pleased to say we have successfully face-lifted the place from its initial condition. The building now has a WiFi for customers and tenants to use as required,” Mbondiah Mandipaza said.
“So far, we aim to officially complete this project by end of August 2021. We have experienced delays in the completion due to lockdown restrictions in the country where staff have to complete work at 3:30pm.”
While the entire shopping Mall is set for completion this week, it will be one of the most developed shopping malls in Chitungwiza.
Already, the grocery shop is operational and according to Mbondiah Mandipaza, the business is tapping into virtual ways of marketing such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook so as to reach out to the global market.
“We have been busy. We recently became an Econet Distributor, so we are excited to be working alongside the most successful brand in Zimbabwe,” she said.
“For online deliveries, we have a truck, motorbikes and bikes for deliveries. We are actively using social media to drive sales for Vintage Mall & Supermarket.
“We also have launched an online store www.vintagemallsupermarket.com and a downloadable application for our customers to use from the comfort of their own homes.”
Mbondiah Mandipaza said they were looking forward to expanding the business across the country.
“We aim to be the most efficient and effective online supermarket for locals and those in the Diaspora,” she said.
“We aim to open more branches across Zimbabwe with Kariba, Bulawayo, Mutare and Kwekwe on the cards .We aim to be a well known brand throughout Zimbabwe.”