Startup Story
In South Africa, unemployment and poverty are real challenges that need real solutions for local people. In KwaZulu Natal, Lelly Mntungwa, founder of Msinga Clothing, is creating much needed jobs and skills training for young women in order to empower them in life.
LoA met with founder Lelly Mntungwa to find out more about this impact-driven business that is changing lives.
Tell us about you and your company.
My name is Lelly Mntungwa, the founder and the CEO of Msinga Clothing Factory and Msinga Skills Development Centre in South Africa. I am an entrepreneur in a deep rural area of Msinga - KwaZulu Natal. My company manufactures 3 ply cloth masks, surgical masks, N95/KN/95/FFP2 Masks, school uniforms, hospital linen and apparel.
“I believe skills transfer is a sustainable gift - it can empower people to become income generators and survive during difficult situations.”
What inspired you to start your company?
In an effort to reduce the unemployment rate and poverty in the area, I wanted to empower the Msinga community through job creation and skills capacitation. In my community young girls being abducted and forced into marriage even at an early age is commonplace, as is dropping out of school to run child-headed families. The situation compelled me to intervene and develop these 'young wives' through skills transfer. I believe skills transfer is a sustainable gift - it can empower people to become income generators and survive during difficult situations.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Our business is special because it is the only clothing factory in the deep rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal - Msinga, in South Africa. The employees within the company are from the disadvantaged communities around Msinga, and most of them have never attended school, yet they have been capacitated in skills transfer. We ensure quality of the product by asking our customers to conduct a survey about our products.
“Our business is special because it is the only clothing factory in the deep rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal - Msinga, in South Africa.”
Tell us a little about your team
We have 3 different groups within the factory and they compete among themselves when sewing. On a weekly basis the best performing group gets points and at the end of the year they exchange their points for cash. They communicate well among themselves; they focus on goals and results. They offer each other support. If targets are achieved every Friday before they leave work, they socialize and have some fun together.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
It has been a difficult road for me because I started my entrepreneurial journey without any financial assistance. Women in remote areas don't have access to information and resources to thrive. Rural life is still very much dominated by a patriarchal system where women find themselves working hard to prove themselves.
It has taken me 7 years to be where I am today. Expect challenges and delays with whatever you do in life. They exist to make you stronger.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
I want my company to be a one-stop-shop, where one can do embroidery, print, weave fabric and dye the fabric within our premises. Currently we do our printing and embroidery in Johannesburg which is over 463 km away from Msinga and it is costly. Our site is 14 983 sqm and we want to have different factories for each section.
“It has been a difficult road for me because I started my entrepreneurial journey without any financial assistance.”
“Rural life is still very much dominated by a patriarchal system where women find themselves working hard to prove themselves. It has taken me 7 years to be where I am today.”
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Knowing that I now afford more than 70 women and youth a living, and also that I'm contributing to building the economy of Msinga, as our area is being rated amongst the poorest areas in South Africa according to Stats SA.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Perseverance and hard work are the recipes for success and the onus is on an individual to take advantage of the opportunities to succeed in business. Do things differently and strive to achieve your goals, don't expect people to do things for you, wake up and make things happen.
Contact Msinga Clothing Factory
EMAIL umsingaholdings@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it….
The world needs change-makers, those who see a problem and do everything they can to find a sustainable solution, as a result changing lives. In South Africa, Lelly Mntungwa is one such change-maker. She saw young women in her local community not getting access to education and opportunities to empower themselves in life. Her solution was to create skilled jobs and training programmes to help these young women to live productive lives, where they could be empowered to take greater control of their destinies, and also provide for their families. Lelly is an inspiration and a great example of what can be done when you have a big vision and the determination to make it happen. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo of Lionesses of Africa