Being born in Zimbabwe is a true blessing. From childhood, I grew up surrounded by talented artistic people especially in Shona Sculpture making unique stone pieces by hand out of lumps of rock. From the age of 18 I travelled to other African countries selling these crafts. I came to England in 2003 and would sell small items to pay for my study fees. In Manchester I met my husband Andy and in March 2008 gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Jasmine Vimbai. Vimbai in the Shona language of Zimbabwe means “to have faith, hope or a belief in something” this is why our company is called Vimbai in Africa. During my time in the UK, Andy and myself have managed to help over 20 children stay in school by paying fees and supporting the families. With the help of local women’s institutes like the W.I. I have been able to send parcels of sanitary products which have been delivered directly to women in rural areas where it is almost impossible for them to get these items. But this year we have taken a different approach. Zimbabweans are proud people and they are hard workers and they deserve to get the direct benefits of their work. This is why we import from different families that produce wire work, stone work, wood work and Basket work. We do have a few products from Malawi and South Africa. The sculptures there offer a different wood like iron wood (Malawi) and beads and bracelets (South Africa), which are rare to get in Zimbabwe,
Caroline Hebblethwaite.