Our Story – Fine Art, Zimbabwe, Silver & Charity
Just across the street from an open sewer line south of Greater Harare, in the Chitungwiza district, is a sign reading “One Stop Coffin Shop”.
For years this has been Jemali’s home and work place. One of Zimbabwe’s most talented and successful Shona stone sculptors, Jemali has been living here comfortably with his wife and five children. His neighbors are less fortunate. They live hobbled in makeshift shelters fabricated of moldy cardboard and ripped cloth. When it rains a constant stench of retched waste floods over the road due to a broken sewer line. The children fall sick on a regular basis with intestinal infections- a result of playing in or near the polluted water. Many of Jemali’s children’s playmates have died as a result of these dreadful unsanitary conditions.
It might never be guessed, but not too many years ago Zimbabwe’s Shona stone sculptors were earning a decent income. Before Zimbabwe’s economy spiraled to disastrous lows many Shona artists would regularly sell their magnificent verdite, cobalt, fruit serpentine, leopard rock and opal decorative stone sculptures. That was when foreign buyers and holidaymakers were frequenting this lush, mineral-rich nation. That was when traditional Shona sculpting was still in the midst of its 1950s resurgence, and that was when Zimbabwe was considered among Africa’s most promising and prosperous nations.
Since 1980, Zimbabwe, the former nation of Rhodesia, has been on a steady decline. The story of gradual decent is similar to many African countries. For Zimbabwe, the transition to an independent economy is plagued with seemingly insurmountable difficulties. Today this immense country of 13 million has the lowest healthy life expectancy at 34 years, an infant mortality rate of 50%, chronic food shortages, 80% unemployment, an average daily income of $1/day and the world’s highest inflation rate (which the International Monetary Fund claims could reach 5,000% by year’s end). Three million Zimbabweans have left the country. Meanwhile the government appears unable to rectify the situation or even to acknowledge a crisis exists.
Among the millions who have lost family members and friends, and among the millions who’ve been deprived of any meaningful sense of freedom, is a population of African tribal artists whose very way of life is unraveling at the seams. Traditional Shona art – one of the most intrinsic facets to Zimbabwe’s national identity is at serious risk. For decades Shona statues and sculptures were a thriving source of revenue and national pride. It is no longer such a prosperous trade. Coupled with the depleted exchange rate (currently running around $4.5 million Zimbabwean dollars to $1 US dollar) it no longer provides a viable income. The gradual disappearance of this fine African art form means very serious social and economic repercussions. As a result, millions of Zimbabwean individuals and families are affected.
Many Shona artists stopped producing their African sculptures when diesel prices skyrocketed and the cost of shipping rock became too high. The Zimbabwe sculptors were left with little choice: pay exorbitant prices or buy lower quality stone. Many artists tried to continue working with smaller, inferior stones they could carry on a bus. As a result, the larger and typically more beautiful pieces of fine art, which weigh hundreds of kilograms, began to disappear. They no longer had the necessary art elements and Shona artists began to feel helpless. Their options grew limited. Many abandoned their passion and many more left to grow crops in the hills where they earn less than $1/ day, simply to survive.
When Dr. Brian Carpenter, a Canadian health care professional, decided to visit Harare in December in 2006, it was to witness, first-hand, the problems plaguing the Shona artists. An aficionado of Shona abstract and contemporary art sculptures, Carpenter wanted to access the crisis and consider what opportunities could directly benefit the artists. Carpenter met with his partners, Doug Dicker in Zimbabwe and Greg Pendura in Canada. Together they developed a business model where Muvezi Inc. and Muvezi Charitable Foundation, a non-profit organization named for the Shona word ‘carver of stone’, was born.
As an initial goal the charity wanted to renew passion for this spectacular, yet endangered tribal art form. By doing so they are simultaneously improving the quality of life for hundreds of Shona artists, along with the thousands of people depending upon them within their familial and social circles of influence. Today, thanks to Muvezi’s efforts, the top Zimbabwe carvers receive a consistent income and regular shipments of 15-ton quality stone that arrive directly to their workplace. The Shona artists can now work with their apprentices on an ongoing, daily basis without the stress of financial uncertainty. Artistically and economically this is the ideal way for their craft to evolve.
In only a few short months, the 200 Shona sculptors working for Muvezi are regaining motivation, confidence and self-esteem. The foundation’s artists, along with their apprentices and families, finally have security and support. Needless to say extraordinary improvements in craftsmanship and creativity have taken place. Some of the highest quality custom-made Shona art for the Western world is now being created and this wonderful art continues to evolve. The transformation, from traditional tribal art to contemporary African art form, is being cultivated and primed. Indeed, a Renaissance is in the works. For the non-profit charity, their role is to ensure their fine decorative stone art is world-class. Ensuring top quality means Muvezi is dedicated to selling only the best. As charity gifts, office gifts or simply fine art decorative pieces, Muvezi is ensuing galleries, museums and art enthusiasts around the world can collect and display this magnificent art.
But Muvezi doesn’t stop there.
Trading Art For Health
Ten percent of all sale revenues from Shona African art, plus an additional 10% matched by Muvezi go back. It goes back to Zimbabwe, back to Africa, and back in the most precious way -back to their health. Through the Muvezi Charitable Foundation, 20% of all gross revenues from the fair-trade charity gifts return to a continent strife with sickness and corruption. It returns to help fight one of the most dire social and economic impediments; malaria.
Malaria is one of the most serious hurdles to African development today. This is the primary incentive for Muvezi Charitable Foundation to choose malaria as their ‘target’ disease. Statistics show between 300-500 million people are inflicted with this deadly sickness annually. Malaria takes a life every 30 seconds and is the single biggest killer of African children under the age of five. For most Africans, prevention is difficult. For many, access to medication and preventative measures, such as mosquito nets and repellent, is next to impossible. High cost and lack of education prevent millions of Africans from treating and avoiding this ruthless disease.
Muvezi’s goal to help African development then became two-fold: how to use Shona fine art revenues to provide cost-effective and safe medication that would safely treat malaria? A uniquely formulated and patented new silver solution product entered the picture. The non-toxic, next generation, colloidal silver solution has numerous uses. It has been developed, through nanotechnology, to successfully cure malaria, among a range of other ailments. The solution, named “Love Silver Sol“, by Muvezi, bears no side effects- a frequent risk of many anti-malarial drugs on the market today- and is safe enough for children and adults alike. It has been tested and approved in laboratories across the world and is shown to be highly effective combating bacterial and viral infections. Dr. Carpenter has effectively used the solution in his health clinic over a two year span and observed the results on his patients over that period of time.
The patented “New Silver Solution” known as “Love” is distributed free of charge to the most needy sufferers, starting in Zimbabwe and working throughout the whole of Africa. Thanks to Muvezi Inc, and thanks to the renewed vigor of Muvezi’s Shona artists, Africans are being given a fighting chance. Spreading “Love” throughout the continent will give Africans the opportunity to develop and the means to survive against one of their continent’s toughest opponents.
Muvezi is giving Africa’s helping hands a chance to help each other.
Today a visit to Jemali’s studio sees him hard at work with any one of five apprentices. Nearby another Muvezi Shona artists is putting the final touches on a new house he built for his family. Inside his wife and kids are enjoying their new comforts. They make dinner, play cards and laugh, the way any family might do. All the while they may hardly realize that so many countries away their father’s own artistic creations have indirectly helped better the lives of a couple strangers: a middle-aged Rwandan secretary recovering from malaria and a Senegalese mother of five plagued with chronic post-malarial fatigue.
For Muvezi, their two-fold charity mission works at the grassroots level.
Much more work is required, but the foundation is built and the transformation has begun. One by one and hand-to-hand, Shona contemporary and abstract artists are reinvigorated with their passion and indirectly saving lives across the continent. The art apprenticeship program is beginning to flourish under Muvezi’s artists and thousands of Zimbabweans stand to benefit first hand. Working from the ground up, Muvezi has built a bridge of hope and prosperity, from art and for health. Best of all, the bridge links Africans, and Africans can finally get the chance to help one another.
