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Yeukai Karengezeka Entertainment reporter
One of fast-rising crafters, Enock Kolimbo, believes  the sky is the limit  for him, after  proving he is one of the finest in the manual arts industry. Born and bred in Harare, Kolimbo realised his dream  when he was 26 years old and abandoned his job in pursuit of craft work.“I started this work about 20 years ago, when l quit my formal job,” he said.

His specialty in tie and dye materials has enabled him to exhibit  most of his products across the borders and locally.

“So far I have managed to exhibit my stuff in South Africa  and Kuwait where l was representing  Zimbabwe at the World Craft Council and I made some good income there.

“Locally I sell my products at flea markets like Sam Levy’s Village,” he said.

The 46-year-old crafter highlighted some of the challenges  crafters face that include lack of support from corporates.

“Our biggest challenge at the moment is lack of funding from companies because some of the material we use is expensive. “We are taken for granted but, slowly, we are getting there.

“For instance if there is low production it becomes expensive to pay for the machines we use but at least we are managing to feed our families,” he said.

Kolimbo is also the chairperson of the Applied Art and Crafts Association that was established in 2010 as a way of getting craft work on the limelight.

“I am one of the founding members of this board which we established it in 2010.

“I realised that there was need for us craft workers to create our own board to gain recognition in the flooded arts market where focus is given to popular genres,” he said.

Kolimbo was the organiser of the Arts and Craft fair exhibition recently held at the Book Café where many people came in to buy their products.

Craft work is a form of cultural expression in material form and some of the products they make include earrings, clothes, bracelets, designed plates and cups.