Born into a family of five girls, Kudakwashe Makuzwa stood out even though she was the second-born because of her unstoppable drive to succeed. Raised by a resilient mother who, even at 70, continues to work as a teacher, Kudakwashe’s story is one of inspiration, grit, and unwavering ambition.
Her father, a Mining commissioner, passed away when she was still young, leaving behind a family in need of strength and survival. But it was in this time of loss that something remarkable awakened within Kuda, a spirit of determination fanned by an unstoppable entrepreneurial instinct that would set the tone for her future. Even as a young girl, she learned the art of hard work, helping her family raise chickens to make ends meet, a small beginning that laid the foundation for the business acumen that would later define her.
Kuda’s academic journey began humbly at Kurayi Primary School in Kambuzuma, but her brilliance soon set her apart. She earned a place at the prestigious St. Dominic’s High School, an elite institution that was notoriously difficult to get into. Out of her primary school peers, only two made it through the competitive interview process, and she was one of them. Her academic prowess shone brightly, and at O-Level, she achieved an outstanding 9 As, causing many to encourage her to pursue medicine.
However, despite this pressure, Kuda had a different calling. She went on to study chemistry at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), but it wasn’t long before she realized that her true passion lay elsewhere. She made friends from marketing and other business-leaning departments, reflecting her broader interests and signaling that science was not her ultimate path.
It was during this time of self-discovery that Kuda found her footing in the world of business. As the government opened up the pharmaceutical industry to generic medicines, she took on the role of a medical sales representative. With Indians leading the way in this new market, Kuda, along with a few others, was selected and trained as a technical sales representative. This opportunity allowed her to merge her scientific background with her entrepreneurial spirit, giving her the perfect platform to thrive.
I did that for many years and it became limiting for me and boring. I went back to school did an MBA and I went on to hold business development posts at Anchor yeast and Securico. I learnt to be resilient and smart by observing my bosses, especially Divine Ndhlukula who was my MD at Securico. I started taking the initiative to present and pitch ideas as often as I could.
How a Rugged Terrain Sparked a Buzzing Business
It all started with an 80-hectare farm in Shamva, acquired by her father through Zimbabwe’s land redistribution program. But as much as the idea of farming seemed promising, only 20 hectares of the farm were arable, and the rest was a rugged, mountainous terrain. Faced with the challenge of how best to use the land, she began to wonder if traditional farming would cut it given the rugged terrain that their farm had. That’s when the buzz of an idea hit her, beekeeping. The were no commercial beekeepers in Zimbabwe at the time as the industry was dominated by small-scale beekeepers scattered across the country. There were also no major players in the processing and packaging space for honey and the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.
Honey is a reflection of the land. Its color, its flavor, and even its texture depends on the pollen source, be it from the blossoms of jacaranda trees or the sturdy Musasa tree. The biodiversity of our country makes our honey one of the best in the world.
How a Beekeeping Dream Won a $25,000 Grant
Her journey into the world of honey started slowly, learning the ins and outs of the business. She even attended a Honey Expo in 2014, where countries from all over the world showcased their beekeeping skills and products. Inspired by what she saw, she knew that her vision needed to grow quickly.
The following year, she applied for the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship, a program that seeks out Africa’s brightest young leaders. At 34 years old, she had one last chance to apply before the age limit of 35 closed the door. Determined and prepared, she threw herself into the application process.
The hand of God also played a hand as just after her interview, she was fortunate that the embassy staff came for a site visit at Securico where she was working as a Business Development Manager and she seized the moment to show them what she was capable of. The embassy team was impressed by her confidence, as she rocked as an MC during their visit, and selected her for the program.
While at Dartmouth, The United States African Development Fund (USADF) unveiled an entrepreneurship competition. The competition was fierce with 500 participants vying for just 25 spots, with many already established businesses in the mix. She gave it her all. While selecting an idea to pitch she found herself on one particular day in her hotel room, staring at mini-packs of packaged honey and peanut butter. It hit her then that this was a good idea and that’s how she decided to pitch the honey idea to USADF. And this idea won! Her project stood out, not just because of its potential, but because of the heart behind it: empowering women in agriculture, traditionally a male-dominated field. She was the only Zimbabwean winner and was given a grant of $25,000 which she came and used as seed money for her business.
Empowering Women through Honey
When she came back home, her vision came to life. She started with 20 beehives as she launched ANAYA investments which gave birth to the Golden Safari Honey brand. But as with any new venture, there were challenges. Shamva’s heat, the lack of a nearby water source, and the dry seasons with flowerless trees meant the bees would often leave in search of better conditions. Their first harvest yielded only five buckets of honey. But rather than be discouraged, she and her team persisted, planting sunflowers and sesames to provide more nectar, experimenting and learning with each setback. The breakthrough came when they sold out their honey at an expo in Bulawayo. The demand was there; now, they just needed to scale up.
Over time, international support flowed in. The Tony Elumelu Foundation, known for supporting African entrepreneurs, took notice, and although economic hardships in Nigeria meant they were selecting only a few winners from each country, her project continued to shine. She traveled the world, meeting with inspiring leaders and participating in programs like UN Transformational Women in Leadership and Women Entrepreneurs for Africa. Her honey project was more than a business it was becoming a movement.
The Spar Lesson: Overcoming Early Challenges
In the early days of her honey business, the opportunity to supply Spar, a well-known retail chain, seemed like a major break, but the reality was harsh. Despite the excitement, delays in payments and the inability to keep up with demand took a toll. As the business struggled to stay afloat, the country’s weakening local currency added to the pressure. Payments often arrived with diminished value, leaving her balancing personal expenses like school fees and the cost of running her business. The experience was tough but enlightening. It taught her critical lessons about distribution and the importance of financial sustainability. However, it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic hit that the real game-changer occurred.
Thriving in Crisis: The COVID-19 Boom
When the pandemic brought the world to a standstill, something unexpected happened: the demand for honey skyrocketed. With people focusing more on health and natural products, honey became a hot commodity. She pivoted quickly, delivering directly to individual customers rather than relying on big retailers. This direct-to-consumer model was not only more sustainable but also more rewarding.
During this period, she also expanded her business beyond just honey production. She began producing beekeeping equipment like bee brushes, smoke pans and ventured into value-added products like candles, floor polish, lip balms, and even honey-based food therapy items. The pandemic, while challenging, had pushed her business to evolve in ways she had not anticipated.
A Miracle from New York: The Investor That Changed Everything
Following the Seedstars program that Kuda had applied for and attended, her project was showcased in a professionally curated portfolio amongst many others as part of that program, and shared on the Seedstars digital platform which reached a wide network of potential investors. Then 2024 brought a miracle in the form of an email from New York. Initially, she thought it was a scam, but as the conversations unfolded, it became clear that this was a genuine opportunity. An investor, intrigued by the ecosystem her business supported and the rural livelihoods it uplifted, was particularly interested in honey as a natural, healthier alternative. The investor asked for a pitch deck and financials, and soon, things started moving quickly. He recognized the high quality of Zimbabwean honey, largely thanks to the country’s unique landscape. But there was a problem: her business was still processing honey manually. This method, though intimate, was slow and inefficient. Seeing the potential, the investor offered to purchase a commercial-grade honey processor, one capable of processing a ton of honey per day.
Zimbabwean honey is the best due to the landscape so he came on board, I told him that we are struggling with manual processing so he told me to get quotations of a commercial processor. It processes like a tonne a day. He bought it from one of the best companies in the world from France and it was delivered here and became our game changer because most of the people here still use manual which takes time. Our honey is processed fast.
The equipment, sourced from one of the best manufacturers in France, was delivered, and it completely transformed her business. Suddenly, what had taken hours now took minutes. Production skyrocketed, and with the new system in place, she began receiving inquiries from markets in the UK, Cape Town, Malawi, and Botswana.
Building a Global Honey Brand
With the investor’s support, Golden Safari Honey underwent a complete rebranding. The labels and website now carried an “American touch,” giving the company a sleek, professional appearance. The phone calls from international buyers kept coming, and soon, universities in Malawi and South Africa were asking her to train their students on beekeeping.
He came here, all the way from New York. He has been helping us with marketing strategies. He made our label and website, and it has an American touch now. We are getting phone calls from the UK, Cape Town in South Africa, and Malawi. We are in the process of getting papers to start exporting into Botswana, and we also have got universities in Malawi wanting us to teach their students. We are also in talks with University of Cape Town in South Africa who also want us to train their students.
A Home-grown Success story
What’s remarkable about her story is that it all started in her mother’s kitchen. After struggling to pay industrial rentals, she decided to make the most of what she had. And it worked. Today, her operation is one of the few honey processing units in Zimbabwe.
With a small but dedicated team of three full-time members and several part-timers, they manage over 1,200 beekeepers across the country. Capacity-building training is at the core of her work, helping rural farmers produce honey. Kuda also make eco-friendly equipment like wax products and lip balms. She remains deeply committed to environmental sustainability, warning against practices like veld fires that damage ecosystems. She has also been teaching farmers in her program to use natural methods such as using cow dung to smoke out bees during harvesting as this does not kill bees.
Honey as a calling
She emphasized on the spiritual value of honey. What started as a business has grown into something far more meaningful, a calling to be a steward of the land and its resources. She believes that honey is more than just a product, it’s a testament to the perfection of nature. Through her journey, she hopes to inspire other entrepreneurs, especially women, to believe in their dreams. She is taking positive steps, like being recognized by investors in America. Despite the challenges, including sanctions, success is possible.
The Bible talks about the land of milk and honey. A place where there is milk and honey is a place where there is rest and where God is in control but people don’t understand it. For me this started off as a business but later it became a calling to act as a a steward of the environment. Bees pollinate almost everything that we eat. If we kill them that will also be our end.
Inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs
She attended many events where many entrepreneurs are gathered and some are in search for funding. To her surprise, not many entrepreneurs ask for advice. She encourages fellow entrepreneurs, especially young women to step out of their comfort zones and seek opportunities. Through initiatives like Seedstars and other international platforms, she learned that investors are not just looking for profitable businesses, they’re looking for projects that align with values of environmental sustainability and community impact.
Her story is a testament to what young women can achieve if they dare to stand up and share their beliefs. Her journey from processing honey in her mother’s kitchen to leading one of Zimbabwe’s top honey businesses is a story of resilience, innovation, and unwavering faith. Today, she’s not just building a successful business but she’s also creating a legacy that will empower generations to come.