Mutare Female Entrepreneur Breaks Barriers in Male-Dominated Industry Through Innovation

By Evans Jona

MUTARE – In a country where manufacturing and creative industries are largely male-dominated, Mrs. Beauty Dorothy Hughes, founder and director of Dollar Deal Manufacturing and Zim Properties, is making a mark through resilience, commitment, and creativity. Speaking to Master of Science in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity students from Africa University, she shared how her journey from rural Nyanga to becoming a prominent entrepreneur in Mutare exemplifies how determination and innovation can overcome societal and structural barriers.

Mrs. Hughes, a mother of two, grew up in the rural areas of Nyanga, where toys and resources were scarce. “In the past, you know in the rural areas you don’t get toys, you have to make your own dolls. That’s when my entrepreneurship started,” she said. From an early age, she learned self-reliance, walking long distances to school and managing household responsibilities while her mother stayed in town.

After completing her O-levels, Mrs. Hughes moved to town and began running her uncle’s tuckshop. “It started by running a tuckshop; that’s where I raised the money to supplement my O-level as I studied at night school. I later did computers,” she recalled. Her early work experience laid the foundation for her entry into desktop publishing, an area still dominated by men at the time. At Core Computers, she met her husband, Mr. Hughes, and together they developed technical skills and professional confidence that would shape her future entrepreneurial endeavors.

Her path was not without challenges. As a woman, she often faced skepticism about her ability to produce durable, high-quality products in areas traditionally dominated by men. “When a woman is doing work that is supposed to be done by men, there’s always a challenge to try and get confidence from the clients,” she said. Despite this, she persevered, with support from her husband and mentors who encouraged her to pursue her ideas.

A personal health crisis in 2020 became a turning point. Following a mild stroke and a period of illness, Mrs. Hughes decided to channel her energy into creative manufacturing. She began by painting discarded tyres and soon recognized the potential to turn waste into functional and aesthetic products. “I thought, why can’t I do it? Then I made that tyre. The other one is, you know, it’s my house, written my name. And the people were actually impressed and they were inspired,” she said. This marked the birth of Dollar Deal Manufacturing, where she repurposes tyres, scrap metal, and plastics into household items and décor.

Starting with just $50, Mrs. Hughes demonstrated that limited capital need not hinder entrepreneurship. Her first clients included Mana Resorts in Narare, and she has since exhibited her products internationally, including in Germany and the United Kingdom. The business integrates environmental consciousness, focusing on recycling and turning waste into value.

Mentorship played a critical role in her success. She credits Core Computers and her friend and mentor Mrs. Saurombe, as well as her mother, who instilled independence and self-reliance from a young age. “She wanted that attribute in you, to be independent,” Mrs. Hughes said.

Balancing multiple roles in a male-dominated industry, Mrs. Hughes also serves as treasurer of Caps United Football Club, Arsenal Fan Club Zimbabwe, and president of the Lions Club International, while managing her businesses. “Wearing so many hats becomes stressful sometimes but I manage my time carefully,” she said, highlighting the importance of efficiency and strategic planning.

Her ambitions extend beyond her current operations. Mrs. Hughes intends to establish a recycling plant in Manicaland to process plastics and tyres into usable products while training women in the community to participate in recycling initiatives. “I want to move Zimbabwe from being waste collectors to active recyclers,” she said.

Despite regulatory challenges, limited local demand, and the threat of intellectual property theft, Mrs. Hughes remains undeterred. She maintains prototypes rather than large inventories and trains trusted groups, such as prison inmates, to replicate her designs without risking her innovations.

She stresses that entrepreneurship is a lifestyle rooted in creativity, resilience, and continuous learning. “With entrepreneurship, you’re flexible. You have time flexibility. You do things at your own time. My life’s value will be stretched because I’m not mentally thinking of, oh, what can I do? I will never retire,” she said.

Her story, shared with students from Africa University, underscores the challenges and opportunities faced by women in male-dominated sectors in Zimbabwe. Through determination, innovation, and strategic partnerships, Mrs. Hughes has carved out a space where creativity meets environmental responsibility, setting a model for aspiring female entrepreneurs.