With urbanization surging and the cost of living rising, the dream of homeownership in Zimbabwe can feel out of reach for many. Yet, in true Zimbabwean fashion, a new wave of resourcefulness is shaping the country’s housing landscape in 2025. From savings clubs to grassroots construction collectives—and a powerful boost from social media—Zimbabweans are hustling harder (and smarter) than ever to put roofs over their heads.

Savings Groups: The “Round” That Builds Dreams

The concept isn’t new, but in 2025, maRound—informal rotating savings groups—are more popular and organized than ever. In Harare’s high-density suburbs and across rural towns, these groups pool members’ monthly contributions. When someone’s “round” comes up, they receive a lump sum, often enough to buy bricks, roofing sheets, or even a small plot.

Ruth Mutswiri, a 33-year-old teacher in Chitungwiza, beams as she stands beside her unfinished two-room house:

“I waited 14 months for my round. When it came, I bought the windows and roofing. Next year, I’ll get my kitchen done—one step at a time!”

These savings clubs have gone digital too, using WhatsApp groups and mobile money (EcoCash, OneMoney) to collect contributions and track progress transparently.

Community Housing Projects: Power in Numbers

Facing skyrocketing land prices and building costs, many Zimbabweans are embracing communal approaches. In 2025, cooperative housing projects are thriving in cities like Bulawayo and Mutare, with groups of families pooling funds to buy larger plots and build together.

One standout is the Sunrise Gardens Project outside Gweru. Here, 40 families joined forces to purchase land, negotiate bulk discounts on materials, and hire builders. The result: modern, solar-powered homes at a fraction of the usual cost.

Project coordinator Tendai Mpofu explains:

“Together, we can negotiate better prices and share skills. Some are good at wiring, others at tiling—everyone chips in, and no one is left behind.”

Government and NGOs are taking note, offering technical support and microloans to such collectives as part of the 2025 National Housing Strategy.

Social Media: The Digital Toolbox

While construction used to be the domain of specialists, social media has democratized building knowledge. On Facebook, groups like “Zimbabwe Home Builders 2025” and “DIY Zim Construction Tips” have tens of thousands of members.

Here, users swap everything from floor plans and cost-saving hacks (like making your own bricks) to reviews of local suppliers and step-by-step videos on plumbing or wiring. TikTok and Instagram Reels are packed with time-lapse builds and “before-and-after” home transformations, inspiring others to get started with whatever resources they have.

Even diaspora Zimbabweans are pitching in—sharing remittance-fueled success stories, offering technical advice, and sometimes crowd-funding urgent needs for relatives back home.

Innovation Born of Necessity

With cement prices and formal mortgage rates sky-high in 2025, Zimbabweans are also experimenting with alternative materials—like compressed earth blocks, recycled plastic bricks, and bamboo roofing—often sourced via tips from online communities.

Pop-up “builder’s markets” in Harare and Kwekwe now feature booths for upcycled materials, while local start-ups provide eco-friendly prefab panels designed for easy on-site assembly.

The Road Ahead

Government’s 2025 Affordable Housing Initiative aims to add 150,000 new units by 2027, but officials admit the real engine is grassroots ingenuity. For most, the journey to homeownership is a marathon, not a sprint—built on patience, hustle, and collective effort.

As Ruth sums it up, “In Zimbabwe, a house isn’t just bricks and mortar. It’s proof of our determination—and our ability to make a plan, no matter what.”

From group savings to viral DIY tips, Zimbabweans are redefining what it means to build a home, one round, one wall, and one shared idea at a time.

Not so long ago, the heart of Zimbabwe’s economy beat strongest in its bustling flea markets. Here, under patchwork tarpaulins and makeshift stalls, thousands of small business owners traded everything from tomatoes to tailor-made suits, woven baskets to cellphone chargers. But as Zimbabwe confronted economic headwinds and a changing global landscape, these entrepreneurs discovered a new frontier: the digital marketplace.

Their shift from physical stalls to online platforms isn’t just a story of adaptation—it’s a testament to the resilience and ingenuity woven into the fabric of Zimbabwean life.

A New Chapter for Market Vendors

Take the story of Mai Chipo, a Harare-based vendor who once spent her days negotiating with customers in Mbare Musika, the city’s largest open-air market. When COVID-19 restrictions hit in 2020 and foot traffic plummeted, her income dried up almost overnight. With mouths to feed and stock piling up, she took a bold leap: she began photographing her vegetables and posting them on WhatsApp community groups.

“At first, it was just a few neighbors,” she recalls, “but soon people from all over the city were sending me orders. My son helped with deliveries, and suddenly we were busier than ever.”

Today, Mai Chipo runs a thriving online produce business, updating her Facebook page daily with new specials and using EcoCash and ZIPIT for cashless payments. She’s one of thousands of Zimbabwean traders who’ve harnessed social media and mobile money to reinvent their businesses.

E-Commerce Platforms: A Lifeline and a Launchpad

Beyond WhatsApp and Facebook, local startups are building bridges between tradition and technology. Platforms like ZimMarket and Kumba create virtual storefronts for artisans, tailors, and grocers, offering digital payment integration and delivery logistics.

Simba Moyo, a 28-year-old former flea market vendor, now sells handwoven baskets to customers in South Africa and the UK, thanks to Kumba’s international reach. “Before, I could only sell what people carried home from my stall,” he says. “Now, my baskets are in London living rooms. The world is my market.”

Overcoming Challenges

The transition hasn’t been without hurdles. Internet access remains patchy in rural areas, and digital literacy gaps leave some vendors behind. Fraud and delivery issues pose ongoing risks, and not every customer is ready for online shopping.

But Zimbabweans are nothing if not resourceful. Community workshops run by NGOs and local tech hubs teach basic smartphone skills, while mobile networks race to expand coverage. New micro-lending services offer credit to help small businesses invest in data bundles, packaging, and delivery bikes.

Surviving and Thriving Amid Economic Shifts

Zimbabwe’s economy has weathered currency instability, inflation, and supply chain woes. For many small business owners, the move online is as much about survival as it is about growth. Digital platforms offer a shield against market disruptions, allowing them to pivot quickly—whether that means selling harvested maize directly to urban consumers or launching a pop-up Instagram boutique.

As economic uncertainty continues, the ability to adapt has become the most valuable currency of all.

Looking Forward: The Digital Future of Zimbabwean Enterprise

The digital transformation of Zimbabwe’s flea markets is still unfolding. Some traders dream of exporting their products worldwide; others simply want to ensure their children eat each day. What unites them is a willingness to learn, adapt, and embrace new tools.

As Mai Chipo puts it, “We learned to survive with what we had. Now, with the internet, we can dream bigger.”

In every WhatsApp group order and every e-commerce sale, the story of Zimbabwe’s small businesses is being rewritten—one click, one customer, one bold step at a time.

In the quiet dawn of many Zimbabwean mornings, a mobile phone buzzes with new hope—a message confirming that funds have arrived from a loved one thousands of kilometers away. For countless families, startups, and community projects, this is more than just a transaction; it’s a lifeline. The Zimbabwean diaspora, scattered across South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and beyond, is fueling a silent revolution back home—one WhatsApp notification, one money transfer at a time.

Remittances: The Hidden Engine of Zimbabwe’s Economy

Remittances have long been a pillar of Zimbabwe’s economy, often surpassing foreign direct investment and official development aid. According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, remittances reached over US$1.4 billion in 2022, a figure that speaks volumes about their significance. But beyond the numbers, it’s the stories behind these transfers that reveal the true impact.

For families, remittances mean school fees paid on time, groceries in the kitchen, and medical bills settled. For many, they are the difference between scraping by and moving forward. “My sister in the UK sends money every month,” says Rudo, a mother of three in Masvingo. “Without her, I don’t know how I’d have kept my kids in school.”

Startups and Small Businesses: Seeds Funded from Afar

But the story doesn’t stop at household survival. Increasingly, Zimbabweans abroad are investing in local businesses—funding everything from poultry projects and taxi fleets to boutique shops and tech startups. These investments are not just expressions of familial love; they’re acts of belief in Zimbabwe’s future.

Take the story of Tawanda, who works as a nurse in Botswana. Through regular remittances to his brother in Harare, the two have built a thriving small-scale farming business—one that now employs several workers and supplies local markets with fresh produce. “It started as a way to help my family,” Tawanda shares, “but it became something bigger—a business that gives back to our community.”

Community Projects: Building Together Across Borders

The digital diaspora is also behind the revival of community projects. In rural areas, remittances have rebuilt schools, funded clinics, and restored boreholes. Technology, especially apps like WorldRemit, Mukuru, and EcoCash, has made it simpler than ever for Zimbabweans abroad to pool resources and direct them where they’re needed most.

WhatsApp groups have become virtual town halls, where project updates are shared, decisions are made, and accountability is maintained. Whether it’s a village electrification project in Mhondoro or a youth center in Chitungwiza, the diaspora’s fingerprints are everywhere.

Technology: Bridging the Gap

None of this would be possible without technology. Gone are the days of waiting in long bank queues or depending on unreliable postal services. Today, a few taps on a smartphone can move funds across continents in seconds. Fintech platforms have not only made remittances faster and cheaper but have also increased transparency—allowing senders to track their money and see its impact in real-time.

Social media, too, has kept families and business partners connected, enabling collaboration and idea-sharing despite the miles. For many in the diaspora, the internet is the bridge that keeps their hearts—and investments—firmly anchored at home.

Challenges and Opportunities

Still, challenges remain. High transaction fees, fluctuating exchange rates, and regulatory hurdles can eat into remittances, making every dollar count even more. There’s also the risk of dependency, where families and communities lean too heavily on diaspora support, potentially stifling local initiative.

And yet, the opportunities outweigh the obstacles. With the right policies and continued technological innovation, remittances could be harnessed not just for consumption but for sustainable development—fueling entrepreneurship, job creation, and community empowerment.

Looking Forward: A Shared Future

The story of Zimbabwe’s digital diaspora is one of resilience, sacrifice, and hope. Every remittance sent is a thread that weaves families, businesses, and communities closer together, no matter the distance. As technology continues to shrink the world, the diaspora’s role in shaping Zimbabwe’s future will only grow.

In the glow of a mobile screen or the ping of a bank alert, lives are changing—proving that home is never as far away as it seems.

In today’s Zimbabwe, the sound of opportunity echoes not just in boardrooms or established companies, but in kitchens, garages, WhatsApp groups, and street markets. The country’s economic challenges and evolving social landscape have become unlikely catalysts, fueling a wave of grassroots entrepreneurship that is nothing short of inspiring. At the heart of this movement lies the rise of the side hustle—a phenomenon that’s transforming lives and redefining what it means to do business in Zimbabwe.

From Passion Projects to Profitable Ventures

A few years ago, “side hustle” was a term whispered among friends—something to help make ends meet while waiting for the next big break. Today, it’s a badge of honor. Across Zimbabwe, individuals are discovering that their hobbies and skills can morph into real businesses. Consider the story of Tinashe, a Harare-based IT graduate, who began repairing smartphones for neighbors during weekends. Word-of-mouth did its magic, and before long, Tinashe was running a thriving mobile repair service, employing two others and expanding his reach through social media.

Then there’s Tariro, a teacher by profession, who started baking cakes for family gatherings. Her artistic creations caught the attention of friends, then friends of friends, and soon she was supplying baked goods for weddings and corporate events. What started as a simple passion became a reliable source of income—and even a pathway to financial independence.

Technology: The Great Enabler

One of the most remarkable aspects of Zimbabwe’s side hustle revolution is the role of technology. With smartphone penetration on the rise and data bundles becoming more accessible, platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram have become virtual storefronts. No longer limited by geography, entrepreneurs can showcase their products, connect with customers, and receive payments instantly through mobile money services like EcoCash and ZIPIT.

Online communities have also sprung up to support this new wave of business. WhatsApp groups dedicated to buying and selling, Facebook pages for local artisans, and even Twitter hashtags have become essential tools for marketing and networking. These digital spaces are not just about commerce—they’re about connection, collaboration, and mutual support.

Why Side Hustles Thrive in Zimbabwe

The motivations behind side hustles are as diverse as the businesses themselves. Some are driven by necessity—a need to supplement salaries in a tough economy or to bridge the gap between jobs. Others are fueled by the desire for creative expression, independence, or the dream of building something of their own. What unites them all is a remarkable resilience and willingness to adapt.

Communities, too, have played a pivotal role. Zimbabweans are known for supporting their own, and the “buy local” movement has taken deep root. Customers are quick to recommend a neighbor’s services, share a friend’s online shop, or support a local craftsman. This sense of solidarity has become a lifeline for many fledgling entrepreneurs.

The New Face of Entrepreneurship

Side hustles are now more than just a backup plan—they are the new face of entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe. From fashion labels and beauty salons to digital marketing consultancies and urban farming projects, the diversity is staggering. Young people, in particular, are leading the charge, showing that with determination, resourcefulness, and a willingness to learn, anything is possible.

Of course, challenges remain: access to capital, unstable power supply, and regulatory hurdles can make the road bumpy. But the spirit of Zimbabwean entrepreneurship is undeterred. Every day, more people are proving that you don’t need a big office or a hefty bank loan to start a business—all you need is an idea, a bit of grit, and the support of your community.

Looking Ahead

As Zimbabwe continues to navigate uncertain times, the rise of side hustles offers a blueprint for resilience and hope. These small ventures may start in the margins, but their impact is rippling across communities and inspiring a new generation to dream bigger and work smarter.

Who knows? The next big brand or breakthrough idea might just be taking shape in someone’s backyard, kitchen, or group chat right now.

Are you part of Zimbabwe’s side hustle revolution, or thinking of starting your own? Share your story or thoughts below—let’s keep the spirit of innovation alive and support each other on this journey.