23/08/2026
from North-Western Province, Solweziπ§‘πΏπ²
Solwezi entrepreneur ready to scale up leather shoe production
A SOLWEZI based entrepreneur, Evans Bwalya has gone from producing leather shoes for his personal convineence to scaling up production and clothing the rest of the nation.
Recently, he received equipment from Kansanshi mining which will increase his production from a few shoes a day to multiple, as his company booms.
Bwalya, who operates his workshop at the Solwezi Industrial Yard, started making shoes as a hobby but has since transformed the skill into a growing leather shoe making business.
The entrepreneur currently produces about 100 pairs of shoes per month, with his products competing with leather shoes sold in established shops across the country.
He said his journey into shoemaking was born out of a challenge he faced when he could no longer find the type of shoes he wanted on the market.
βIt came as a result of a challenge where I used to buy my shoes and they stopped making the type of shoes that I needed, and at some point I tried to look for people that could make custom make shoes within Zambia, but I couldn't find the workmanship I was looking for,β he said.
Bwalya said he turned to YouTube to learn how to make shoes, a process that slowly developed into a passion and later into a business.
βI began just looking at YouTube videos on how to make shoes and from there I developed interest, and today I'm able to make our own shoes,β he said.
Through the Business Accelerator Programme, Kansanshi Mining Plc has provided equipment aimed at increasing the capacity of the business and creating opportunities for further growth.
Kansanshi Mining Plc Corporate Affairs Manager Ryan Ellis, who handed over the equipment, said the programme was designed to identify and support businesses in Solwezi that were creating value through the production of goods and provision of services.
Ellis said the programme was focused on supporting businesses with the potential to grow into sustainable enterprises rather than businesses dependent on short-term opportunities.
βThe approach we took with the business accelerator programme was to look around Solwezi and identify businesses that are actually creating value, that are creating a product or a valuable service and really try to empower those businesses,β he said.
He explained that supporting value addition businesses can create a lasting economic impact in communities, even beyond the lifespan of Kansanshi Mining Plc's operations.
Ellis said there is a ready market for locally produced shoes and that Zambia's growing population would continue to need footwear.
βWith a value addition company like this, even after Kansanshi closes down, we got over 20 million people in Zambia. That's 40 million feet. Those people will still need shoes,β Ellis said.
He said the vision was for businesses such as for Bwalya to grow beyond supplying a small market and eventually serve customers across Zambia.
Meanwhile, Bwalya said the new equipment would significantly increase his production capacity.
He shared that previously, the business only had one sewing machine and production was limited to one pair of shoes per day.
With the additional five sewing machines and other equipment, the business is targeting production of 300 pairs of shoes per month.
βWhen we had one sewing machine, we would produce just a pair in a day, but now we have these five sewing machines and more equipment to come, the capacity will increase,β he said.
Bwalya added that the business is also training more people to help meet the increased production target.
The support is expected to not only increase the production of locally made leather shoes but also contribute to skills development and employment opportunities in Solwezi.
By Elizabeth Muchape
Β© Kalemba
Mr Zambiaest
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