By Memory Mudzani
A local poet and fashion designer, Leben Panashe Kabete, has encouraged young people to embrace innovation and use their talents to create employment opportunities.
In an interview with this publication, Kabete said Zimbabwe’s largely youthful population faces high unemployment, making it important for young people to explore creative ways of sustaining themselves.
He said he has ventured into fashion design as a source of income, while poetry remains a form of personal expression.
Kabete said his interest in fashion began at a young age, when he started modifying his own clothes due to limited resources.
“I would be creative with clothes in many ways to match the standards of my peers. That’s how it all started. Now I am earning an income from fashion designing,” he said.
He added that although he is a graduate of Midlands State University and a poet, he is currently focused on growing his fashion business, with ambitions to establish a major fashion house in Zimbabwe.
Kabete also urged young people to remain focused on their goals and not be discouraged by criticism when pursuing their ideas.
