Ingawa dhana ya “ubunifu wa mitindo” bado haijatapakaa sana nchini Tanzania,wapo wabunifu wa mitindo ambao kila kukicha wanazidi kuitambulisha sanaa hii kwa watanzania walio wengi kwa namna mbalimbali. Mmojawapo ya wabunifu hao wa mitindo ni Khadija Saad Mwanamboka. Akiwa na umri wa miaka 30 tu ameshajijengea jina miongoni mwa wabunifu wa mitindo nchini Tanzania.
Khadija akiwa na mtoto Hussein.Picha na Esther Mngodo.
Khadija haishii kwenye kutengeneza viwalo tu bali ni mmojawapo wa wale celebrities ambao wanaikumbuka jamii yao na hivyo kila mara kukuna vichwa ni jinsi gani wanaweza kusaidia kila inapowezekana. Hivi karibuni ameanzisha asasi isiyo ya kiserikali (NGO) inayoitwa TANZANIA MITINDO HOUSE. Asasi hiyo inalenga mambo makuu mawili; kwanza kuwasaidia wabunifu wa mitindo wenzake na pia wale chipukizi katika kutimiza ndoto zao za mahiri zaidi na hivyo kuzidi kuitangaza mitindo ya kutoka Tanzania duniani kote. Khadija anasema wapo watu wengi tu wanaotamani kuwa wabunifu wa mitindo lakini hawajui wafanyeje wala waanzie wapi. Anawakaribisha kuwasiliana naye.
Pili asasi hiyo inalenga katika kusaidia watoto yatima, walioathirika na ugonjwa wa Ukimwi na wale wasiojiweza aidha kutokana na umasikini au sababu nyinginezo. Kauli mbiu ya kampeni yake ameiita “Tanzanian Designs For Lives”.
Lakini Khadija mwenyewe ametokea wapi? Alianza vipi kazi zake za ubunifu wa mitindo? Ana ushauri gani kwa vijana wenzake? Ana ujumbe gani kwa watanzania kuhusiana na suala la mitindo ya kitanzania? Kwa hayo na mengi mengineyo BongoCelebrity tumefanya naye mahojiano yafuatayo;
BC: Khadija a lot of people are now familiar with your name and that you are a young but very talented fashion designer. However, there is a lot about your life that I’m sure a lot of people are not familiar with and they would like to know. Therefore can you tell us briefly about you? Where were you born, went to school and how you became a fashion designer?
KM: My name is Khadija Saad Mwanamboka. I was born 30 years ago. I went to Olympio Primary School for my primary school education before joining Shabaan Robert Secondary School for secondary education. I first started developing my interest in designing by designing my mom’s and my own clothes around 1994. In 1996 I had my first fashion show at Diamond Jubilee Hall where my designs were modeled by my friends. By then I was just showing my talent. I never thought that I was just starting to take fashion design as my career.
BC: You started designing at a very young age, since 1994, when you were just 18 years old. How did the idea of becoming a fashion designer come about? Did you take any formal training to become a fashion designer we know today?
KM: No, I do not have formal training in fashion designs. As I have mentioned above, I started designing due to the talent that I thought I have since my childhood and due to the my passion for fashion.
BC: Now that you have been in the fashion designing industry for over 10 years, what do you think is one most difficult but very necessary skill to acquire before embarking on a fashion designing career?
KM: In my opinion, I think you must first of all, “have it in you”. By saying that I mean you must have the talent, the eye and passion for fashion. The rest will follow with hard work, confidence and patience.
BC: How do you reflect on the styles of your designs for the past ten years? Have they changed? If yes how?
KM: Well, I have matured as a designer because for the past ten years, I have traveled more to different parts of the world and therefore have got a chance to see and feel different cultures which inspires my current designs. Therefore, there has been a change in terms of quality and styles of my designs.
BC: You have now done quite a lot of very successful shows. What has been the high point in your career, your moment of great pride?
KM: You are right, in the past 12 years of being a fashion designer; I have done a lot of designs and shows. However, I still treasure the design I did for Basila Mwanukuzi, which eventually enabled her to win the Miss Tanzania 1998 title. Actually, that is the night I decided to take fashion design as my lifelong career. It was a turning point in my career. I always thank Late Amina Mongi, Jimmy Kabwe, Basila and Ruge Mutahaba for giving me the opportunity.
BC: In most parts of the world, including Tanzania, fashion design or designer’s clothes are said to be very expensive and in most cases left only to the riches. Is this a myth or truth? And if it is a myth why do you think it exists?
KM: Designer clothes are expensive everywhere else but not in Tanzania. The industry is still very small; we can not charge high prices.
BC: What advice would you give for someone shopping, say mitumbani au dukani? What should they look for that marks good quality clothing in both style and tailoring?
KM: As a designer in Tanzania, it’s hard for me to advise anyone to buy mitumba. The reason is simple; I want people to wear Tanzanian made clothes so as to show our nationalism through fashion.
BC: There are many fashion designers now in Tanzania, so we can imagine the competition is a bit more than it used to be. Who do you consider to be your competition and how do you guys work together to make Tanzanians believe in home made designer’s clothes?
I feel great that now there are many designers. That means the industry will expand and develop more. I work with almost all of them. To me it’s more of a challenge than a competition. I am like their big sister now.
BC: If you could give any advice to young men and women out there who are pursuing a career like yours, what would it be?
KM: They need to believe in themselves. They must have faith in their talents, must be hard working, patient and above all they should always remember that nothing is impossible.
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