Mambo Pambo, A Woman-Led Fashion Brand that Is Turning Heads and Pages

Kawira Mirero, the founder of Mambo Pambo. Photo courtesy of Business Daily 

Kawira Mirero and Mambo Pambo, her fashion brand which reimagines afro-contemporary fashion, are no strangers to the corridors of HEVA and the support that we provide to the region’s creative and cultural industries. Mambo Pambo has been a beneficiary of our inaugural portfolio and Young Women’s Fund—a fund focused on women in creative enterprise with a specific focus on providing affordable financing to these enterprises.

Kawira and her dynamic team have shown dedication to African fashion, building partnerships, and the will to succeed. One of the many fruits of their efforts is Mambo Pambo’s visible recognition and expansion in the region. This fashion line is not only making heads turn in the streets. It is also turning the wide-spread pages of East Africa’s economy, business, and market reporting platforms.

On March 1st, 2023, an article titled How Kenyan designer stitched a fashion line fit for financiers was published in the Business Daily. In it, Kawira talks about the roots of her journey as a creative entrepreneur, her design muse, and opening stores and workshops in Nairobi's Kilimani, Karen, and Village Market. On securing working capital, Kawira explains that she has gotten resources from HEVA and local banks to expand her reach. “We have also secured facilities from HEVA and local banks. The company’s track record of discharging (sometimes even early) our debt financing over the years and sustainably growing revenue year-on-year has created and maintained a credit-worthy profile for us.”

As we conclude this year’s international women’s month, the HEVA team is beamingly excited to recognise the journeys, impact, and contributions to the sector that are made by women-led businesses such as Mambo Pambo, and others highlighted by our Ignite Culture facility—to name a few. Our commitment to working with women in the continent’s creative industries continues! 

#EmbraceEquity #CreativeAfrica