In a society where people are increasingly looking for the easy way out, it is ever more important for us to shine the light on those who are taking what we can call a more sustainable path towards generating income and wealth for themselves. In the case for women, especially in Cameroon we believe entrepreneurial feminism is going to be key to improving the position of women in society.
Constance is one of those women who has been trodding on the independent woman lane for a very long time. Since her High School days Constance learned to sew she has been fending for herself as a tailor until the end of 2019 when she decided to leave the sewing machine and do something that would be more profitable than the saturated sewing market.
By her own account, after conceiving the idea of venturing into production and sales of interior and exterior design products, she turned to the internet for research. Her main challenge was finding alternative materials or designs that did not need many of the input materials she saw others using for their work in the YouTube videos she was watching. She has been able to come out with her own methods and workarounds to achieve great results. She makes flower pots, vases, and planters out of cement which is her primary working material. She also makes indoor and outdoor fountains amongst other products like chandeliers and light fixtures made from wood, PVC and other locally sourced or recycled materials.
Constance has been working and selling from a smack workshop in Bonaberi since she started and is now trying to turn her ‘backyard’ business into a professional service. That is how the business name ZHOD came about, and stands for Zionite House of Decor. She has ready made products but she is also able to make products to customer specifications.
Constance works primarily with her niece, Falorn, who she pulled to the workshop during the school breaks forced by the corona virus. That is just one of many jobs that this initiative can create for young boys and girls out there, many of who are increasingly becoming desperate and turning to crime and other legal activities. That is one reason why we alway try to promote such entrepreneurial ventures because until the private sector has a huge role to play in the economic and social development of the country as a whole.
She has products that sell for under 5,000F and products that range in the hundreds of thousands. You can find her on:
Facebook: ZHOD Instagram: @zhod_cameroon
Team Poise
