Vuvulane’s JEREMPAUL venture leads business and job growth
Khulekani Msweli, the visionary behind the JEREMPAUL establishment in Vuvulane, recently shared insights into the remarkable growth of this enterprise since its inception and how it has added to the growth of Vuvulane whilst extending opportunities for the locals.
Speaking about the journey of JEREMPAUL, Msweli highlighted the last five years and expressed pride in its transformation from humble beginnings to an internationally recognized space.
When asked about the progress of JEREMPAUL, Msweli reflected on its steady rise in revenue and its significant contribution to job creation in the Vuvulane community. While he didn’t have specific numbers at hand, Msweli emphasized the positive impact the establishment has had on the local Vuvulane economy.
Established in 2010, JEREMPAUL is a socially aware enterprise committed to upholding and safeguarding Eswatini’s cultural heritage while enhancing livelihoods and perspectives through art, design, and culinary offerings.
Ranging from cutting-edge fashion to diverse interior designs, bespoke furniture, and organic local produce, each endeavor is viewed as a distinct avenue to honor our customs and values within a modern context. This week Msweli spoke to the Eswatini Financial Times.
Eswatini Financial Times (EFT): Can you briefly share a bit about yourself, your community Vuvulane and maybe your educational journey? Khulekani Msweli (KM):
I’m a simple rural man who also happens to be an artist, designer, farmer, social entrepreneur and community activist. The educational journey that led me to the aforementioned career choices, began at Waterford Kamhlaba United World College, in Mbabane, to Southport College (UK), to Manchester Metropolitan University (UK) and then to Dartmouth College (USA). Vuvulane is my hometown, making me a third-generation resident farmer. My community is great, despite being riddled with historic and current injustices, we are resilient determined to pave a better future.
EFT: Is JEREMPAUL non-profit initiative? KM:
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EFT: What inspired you to establish JEREMPAUL, an establishment known for innovative, high-quality craftsmanship celebrating Southern African cultures and traditions through a contemporary lens? KM:
The greatest drive was to see design and art taken to greater heights in eSwatini and internationally. The other aspect was that it was going to be a way of creating employment for a lot of incredibly talented artisans and artists.
EFT: Could you tell us more about the various aspects of JEREMPAUL’s portfolio, including avant-garde fashion, interiors, fine art, and the recent addition of food with Vuvulane Food Market? KM:
JEREMPAUL, as a business, has been positioned within the lifestyle space, thus touching on the various forms of design and art. It really is about how we should be living – a balanced life – appreciating contemporary art and consuming ethically designed and produced fashion and furniture. Food, through the Vuvulane Food Market, was a natural progression as I wanted to offer locally sourced organic food that is in keeping with the company’s ethics of being environmentally conscious and humanity centred in all of its dealings. Our website, www.jerempaul.com , offers more information.
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JEREMPAUL is a for profit business. With that said we do have a non-profit that we affiliate with which is the Vuvulane OVC Outreach Foundation, a foundation which is owned by my family.
EFT: How many visits does Vuvulane Food Market typically receive in a month or per year? KM:
I don’t have the numbers off my head. In the 5 years of its existence we have seen a steady rise in its revenue and it has been able to provide several permanent jobs for the Vuvulane community. I am proud of the fact that we started everything from nothing, literally in a bush on the side of the road and now it is a space that has been recognized internationally.
EFT: Your establishment recently hosted an art exhibition where you asserted that you’ve raised $6000.00. Could you elaborate on the purpose of this exhibition, how the raised funds will be utilized and your target? KM:
Yes, the exhibition ‘The Built Environment – A Story About Tomorrow’ is ongoing at the Yini Loku space in Mbabane. The purpose of the exhibition is to showcase the ecologically conscious approach that we will be taking to building the JEREMPAUL Lifestyle Centre in Vuvulane. The building will be financed through online crowdfunding. Within 24hours of opening the crowdfunding, we were able to raise $6,000.00 (E 113 400.00) online and offline of the $40,000.00 (over E700 000.00) that we are targeting! It is a testament that my local and international community believe in the importance of such a project. To learn more about it and to contribute, you can visit the following crowdfunding site: https://tinyurl.com/eswatini-ecobuild
EFT: As a Community Activist, can you share any additional insights into your initiatives beyond JEREMPAUL and Vuvulane Food Market? KM:
My community activism has been amplified by the raw injustice that engulfs my community. Issues of abject poverty, child abuse, fractured leadership, lack of service delivery and many more, have fuelled me to not be silent nor apathetic but be involved and find solutions to the social ills. My family’s foundation, Vuvulane OVC Outreach Foundation (www.vovcof.org), has been the anchor vehicle in making sure that we can handle a lot of the issues diligently and also work with the government to find solutions.
EFT: What challenges have you faced in your journey with JEREMPAUL and how have you overcome them? KM:
There have been too many to count. Noting that it has been 14 years since I started JEREMPAUL. The key one was that not many people in eSwatini understood what this whole design and art thing was about, let alone the market for it, and access to capital. Consistency in the output of unique quality craftsmanship, ideas, staying true to my vision and being a strong voice in the creative space of eSwatini has allowed me to overcome a lot of the challenges.
EFT: How do you ensure that JEREMPAUL’s initiatives contribute positively to the community or the Kingdom at large? KM:
It always starts off with the question “Is this idea humanity and ecologically centred?” Due to that we are then able to create products and initiatives that impact our community and eSwatini positively.
EFT: What are your future plans or goals for JEREMPAUL and its associated projects? KM:
To make sure that JEREMPAUL is the leading high-end ecological lifestyle brand on the continent.
EFT: Finally, is there any additional information you would like to share with our audience regarding JEREMPAUL and your vision for cultural expression and community engagement? KM:
Creativity and cultural expression are important aspects for general human fulfilment and economic drive in our communities and we have to promote, support and nurture them at all costs if we are considering the ambitions of being a developed country.