Zimba-Arts

Zimba-Arts is a company that specializes in fair trade art from Africa. They use recycled and sustainable materials to create handmade art. The company is an official member of the World Fair Trade Organization. It was founded by Shadreck Huni, who has Zimbabwean roots but is a Dutchman. Initially, he started making and selling traditional art from Zimbabwe to finance his studies in the Netherlands. Later, his art became popular at European art markets, festivals, and trade shows. He then decided to help young people in his home country by importing handmade artwork created by his old schoolmates in Zimbabwe. This seed grew into Zimba-Arts, a company that now supplies over 400 retailers in six countries. The funds raised by the sale of this artwork continues to help pay for education, support children, and feed families in the same communities where the art is handmade. As the Founder and CEO, Shadreck works with groups of artists in the high-density suburbs of Harare, Zimbabwe's capital city. He offers mentorship to increase their skills and make their art accessible beyond the African market. In 2014, Zimba-Arts expanded its collaboration and mentorship to include artists in Ongata Rongai, a peri-urban settlement on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. Shadreck believes in the creativity, talent, and potential of each of these young artists, and he strives to help them achieve a sustainable income by creating and selling their art.