By Desire Tshuma
As Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc in the economy, Sarah Dee, a female artist has diversified into business ventures to cushion herself against the poverty induced by the pandemic
Public performances in the arts industry have been put on hold since the inception of the Covid-19 lockdown in Zimbabwe in March 2020, critically affecting the livelihoods of artists and other sectors of the economy. Sarah Dhliwayo (Sarah Dee) has defied all the odds by venturing into multiple business ventures.
”I am a singer and I have ventured into multiple business activities so that I boost my income. No one funded me into my businesses. I worked hard to raise money for the initial capital. I started working at Hustlers Night Club in Bulawayo as a waitress with the aim of raising funds so that I would start recording my music. To date, I have managed to compose five albums with different tracks ranging from five to eight, ” Sarah Dee said.
”My first song is a single called ”Sokalami” followed by an eight-track first album with the same title which I recorded with Royalty Studios which was launched in 1997. As a woman, it is not easy to venture into such a career and I managed to establish a modelling business that I named New stars modelling in 2004. I also own SDee TV 1, and the Ladies Gym just to mention a few,” Sarah added.
Sarah is appealing to the government and other stakeholders to come on board and assist her to establish a better business that can employ unemployed youths in Zimbabwe. She also thanked President Emmerson Mnangagwa for the stance that he took to lessen Covid 19 cases in Zimbabwe by introducing lockdown measures.
Recently the artists met the Deputy Minister of Youths, Arts, Sports and Recreation, Mr Tino Machakaire in a bid to persuade the Ministry to open the Arts industry so that they could kick-start shows while abiding by the World Health Organization regulations.
Sarah was born and bred in Bulawayo. She did her primary education and secondary education in the Nkulumane high-density suburb in Bulawayo.