By HELEN ZULU –
THE Copperbelt Leather Industry Cluster Limited says there is need for stakeholders in the leather sub-sector to operate a fully-fledged incubation facility with basic equipment to help artisans with entrepreneurial capacity building.
Cluster coordinator Preston Viswamo said there was greater need for stakeholders in the leather sub-sector to operate a fully-fledged incubation facility with basic tools and raw materials to help artisans obtain entrepreneurial skills.
Mr Viswamo said this would assist all artisans graduating from the vocational skills training centres to have an opportunity to receive technical skills and entrepreneurial capacity building.
He observed that lack of business management skills, lack of design expertise and supporting shoe making technologies to produce good quality leather products, were the major challenges facing the artisans in the country.
“A diagnostic study conducted in Kitwe through a series of one-to-one interviews with the leather industry, artisans reviewed a number of challenges facing them.
“These include lack of suitable equipment or machinery for shoe making, the use of old and obsolete machines, lack of proper working space and lack of working capital,” he said.
Mr Viswamo said the facility would provide technical support aimed at upgrading the technical skills and strengthening the entrepreneurial behaviours and business skills including creation of infrastructure support system which would enhance networking and cooperation among the artisans.
He said once the artisans had built entrepreneurial capacities from the incubation, they would be recommended for financial support from financial institutions and Government agencies under the supervision of the cluster to ensure effective utilisation of the grants or loan facilities.
“The artisans will have an opportunity to produce and market their products under the guidance of qualified shoe designers or technologists and market specialists.
Their products will sell under a group banner until the time they can stand on their own and are capable of coming up with their own brand of leather products,” he said.