He is only 34, but Wanamari Financial Services CEO Hillary Mushamuviri’s passion for people development and community empowerment is deep sitting and he believes he was called to help all progressive citizens achieve financial freedom, the marginalised included.
A happily married father of two and a pastor, Mushamuviri’s work is driven by his love for God and he told Standard Style that his growing up equally had a strong bearing on his approach to life and business.
“I grew up under difficult circumstances in Mvuri as life circumstances played me roughshod, but I am glad that the whole experience gave a strong foundation and a better understanding of life,” he said.
“I later moved to Ruwa when my father who was working in Botswana got a job in Harare and I remember that my mother would also supplement our family earnings through vending so that we could get by and that sowed a seed in me to ensure that every hardworking citizen is empowered enough to enjoy financial freedom for their own good.”
A very bright student since day one, Mushamuviri’s educational dalliance included switching from one school to another and he reckons his past schools list included Holy Rossary, TC Hard High School, St Vincent High and later on Churchill Boys High School, but in all that, his desire for excellence was always evident.
“I was a very bright and intelligent student since primary school and I had good grades all the way to A’ Level, but my father wasn’t sure if he would pay for my university education, but thank God for providence I managed to see through my education,” Mushamuviri said.
“For my university education, my father’s employers were quite involved as they vouched with my father that in spite of the circumstances, I was supposed to pursue tertiary education. As fate would have it, I got a job at the tender of age of 17 and I would be engaged at work throughout my semester breaks.”
While some attribute their success to sheer hard work and dedication, Mushamuviri believes God has been at the center of it all and even the company that he is running to him was a spiritual revelation from God.
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“I had to start work at the tender age of 17 so that I could see through my university education because even with my parents’ full support and love, life was difficult. I remember when I almost quit during my first two days at work because it was too hard for my small frame but I just had to soldier on.
That job experience was at Bom Industrial Supplies and it certainly was for a 17-year-old, but there just wasn’t no way out. I had to work shovels, picks and other heavy things in a container, but my clarity of intent kept me going,” he said.
Now running a fast growing financial services company, Mushamuviri believes his love for numbers started when he was in Form 2 and his dream was to become an accountant though he had to take a different route on his way to self-actualisation.
“From Form 2 I already knew I had a love for numbers. Unfortunately I couldn’t go for an accounting degree since I had not started accounting at A level. I then went to Bindura University 2010 where I graduated with an Honours Degree in Financial Intelligence in 2014. The programme helped me to see opportunities and I am grateful for that turn of events,” he said.
Mushamuviri told Standard Style that though he started running his business ventures in 2013; the Wanamari Financial Services idea is a result of his spirituality, his attachment to the gospel and the teachings of his pastor.
“Around 2013, I became much attached to the gospel and through Pastor Chris’ teachings; I now had the audacity to dream beyond my present circumstances because the word is full of God’s promises and good plans for those that love him,” he said.
“In 2013 I started my first venture, an internet venture, called Communication Centre, which then changed to Modern Learning Solutions.
“We started with internet services and then flyers where we would approach pre-schools with a view to introduce information communication technology (ICT) to these little kids.
“We visited 25 schools and got 24 no’s until one guy with 19 students at 2 each gave us the nod in Ruwa. That was the break we needed and from there on we saw endless possibilities.”
Mushamuviri reckons the internet services and ICT business grew and spread to other town like Mutare and Zvishavane, but because they were young and still to master business, they made mistakes along the way and became grounded until God gave him the Wanamari vision during the 2017 crossover service.
“It was during 2017 Crossover service that our pastor spoke about 2018 being the turnover year and being someone who had always wanted to own a bank, God spoke to me during that service and the Wanamari seed became planted in me,” he said.
Now running providing financial freedom to various clients through his Wanamari incorporating Rongamari business, Mushamuviri told Standard Style that its early days and he believes God for increase as he continues to provide tailored services to his clients.
“After undergoing all the requisite processes, we then started offering loans and in the years 2018 to 2019 we were growing in leaps and bounds. Even when Covid-19 came in 2020, 2021 we were still growing because our financial services remained relevant to our clientele,” he said.
The businessman said he started the financial services business with his wife and he is grateful for her support.
“I started this business with my wife. She was always there as an integral part of the journey and remains committed and part of it to this day,” he said.
“It has been an amazing journey and we are grateful to God for carrying us through. Our clients have become an important part of our community and we are geared to continue giving them the best service possible,” he said.
Born of out of Mushamuviri’s personal experiences and struggles with getting business capital, Wanamari Financial Services if providing flexible financial loans to start-ups and the impact has been amazing to date.
“I started Wanamari because of my personal experience where I would struggle getting financial support for my ventures. I equally witnessed my parents’ struggles raising me and I felt I needed to introduce a solution provider for businesses and dreamers who want to eke a living. I strongly felt that getting capital shouldn’t be a challenge,” he said.
Mushamuviri’s Wanamari Financial Services provides capital to start-ups so that they start business and circumvent teething challenges that they face in their early stages.
“We have various models including crowd-funding towards equity capital. By that we help our clients pull resources from the crowd,” he said.
“Through this model, anyone with a financial contribution can become part of the company but the visionary then provides a return after a period with terms discussed.
“We have equity crowd funding where you must provide then provide dividence to those who are part of the company and by that you are widening the net as compared to banks that require collateral.
“We have many people that have good ideas and viable products but still they struggle get funding and that’s where we come in.”
While some financial services providers are picky, Mushavaviri said vendors are some of their biggest clients and they are happy to help achieve their dreams and raise community champions.
“We also give loans to individuals and mostly vendors. Vendors contribute a lot to the economy and we must not exclude them from the financial systems if we want stronger and functional communities,” Mushamuviri said.
“It is these vendors who are producing lawyers, doctors and so forth through seemingly small ventures and we must make sure we support and leverage their efforts towards self-sustenance and empowerment for their families,” he said.
While most commercial banks require collateral from clients, Mushavaviri said their business model is built around trust and they are making life easier for the everyday dreamer.
“We don’t take collateral from them, we are building trust through win-win business arrangements with our clients and the results are more that encouraging.
“The money is deducted directly from source and we are giving up to US$500 for vendors. For someone like me whose mother was also a vendor at some point, nothing gives better satisfaction. I believe if my mother could raise someone like me, it speaks to endless possibilities,” he said.
With many success stories to his company’s name, the Wanamari founder said he is happy to make a lasting impact in his clients’ lives and they are working on a system that will allow anyone anywhere ti apply for their loans.
“The truth is that money never satisfies but it’s what you do with the money that satisfies and we draw great joy from the smiles that we put on our clients’ faces.
We are home to all and we are working on a system that allows someone to apply from anywhere to ensure convenience,” he said.
Rongamari is a membership owned savings and Credit Corporation where one participates as a member or non-member.
“Our main goal is financial inclusion for young people. We want to guarantee them access to finance opportunities whereby they can access a loan at 5 %.
As an institution, we also help raise capital and we also train on how to manage your finances in terms of your business or your side hustles. Individuals, corporate or groups can also be part of this set up,” he said. As the company continues to grow, it provides different saves including goal oriented purposes, education purposes, and business reserve where you earn as you serve from 2 – 3, 5% per month.” He said.
A firm believer in the family institution, Mushavaviri told The Standard Style that Wanamari makes it possible for one to plan for their kids with the Kiddo Savings account from as little as $10.
“ We have various products including the Edusave which helps you plan for your children’s education, the Flexi-savings account which has 5 goals in the same account say plans to marry, travel and so forth with a minimum saving time of 6 months while the minimum saving time for the other accounts its 12 months,” he said.
Mushavaviri said he is proud to have tapped into the endless opportunities in Zimbabwe to run a business that is bringing convenience to locals.
“Under our group, Rongamari is registered as a Savings and Credit Corporation, SACO Bank while Wanamari is registered with the RBZ under the Microfinance Act.
Our furure plan is to build a bank that pays not charges. Right now if you have an account with commercial banks you are charged yet in times past you would get interest from your deposits. We want to build bank where the marginalized can still enjoy the benefits of banking though they may not be as wealth as their privileged counterparts,” he said.
The Wanamari visionary also shared about his vision to promote a culture of banking through building confidence and making banking an experience.
“The percentage of people using the banking services is not what you would expert. Banking services are important for everyone but very few are using them.
Our country’s 2030 vision speaks to financial inclusion and the how is where we want to be involved as Wanamari. Savings do not have to do with your situation but it’s a culture that we must entrench in our people. Our products make it even a lot easier for people to save and being a Christian valued venture, we are fully committed to serve better,” he said.
Mushvaviri who told The Standard that he is very strong on issues of faith thanked his parents, life partner, pastors and mentors for his strides to date and encouraged all young dreamers to go after their dreams.
“I wouldn’t be where I am without the support of my loving parents, my darling wife and partner, my mentor George Billionire who has helped me and my business to grow as well as my pastors who offer holistic guidance in my life.
My words to the dreamers out there are that they should not stop at anything. Nobody gets arrested for dreaming. Remember everything that you need is inside you. Where you are right now is adequate for you to get where you want to go. If you don’t have what it takes to start then it’s not possible to get
