The Origin Story: Part 2

Our 4 bed-roomed family home for 11 years officially became a student accommodation. For several years, it operated as student housing. However, they noticed something, when the students would go on semester breaks, there would be very little income to pay the few employees. Lovemore and Sitabile needed to find other income generating activities.

They started offering accommodation to part time students who were coming to attend exams during semester breaks. The lodge would also cater to those who needed accommodation in Gweru who were also coming for workshops and conferences at MSU Innovation Hub. This still is a platform that support Entrepreneurs, SMEs and the community to develop sustainable business ventures.

Ruvimbo Gardens Guest Lodge needed to upgrade now that their clientele had expanded. Now single beds were turned to queen beds for the comfort of the guests. What was the bedroom with bunk beds for siblings who were obsessed with pink was converted to a neutral grey room. Originally, there was the master bedroom which was already ensuited and common bathroom and toilet. However, as more people where frequent the lodge, it needed to create more ensuited bathrooms for privacy. They were not too the standards they preferred but it was progress.

The lodge needed to modernize with the contemporary sophistication which most guest lodges with cable TV, mini-bar and eventually free Wi-Fi for those who were working and needed reliable internet away from their office.

Unlike the student housing, where they would bring their grocery and cook in the shared kitchen, now the lodge had to incorporate coffee, tea and food menus for the on-the-go breakfasts, lunches and dinners! Even those who were not being accommodated at the lodge would come for meals because it was nearer than going to central business district.

Of course, we didn't forget about the story behind the name, Ruvimbo Gardens! Here's the gist!

Sitabile and Lovemore have four children and three of them were sent out into the world to flourish. The last child, Ruvimbo, was the only child now in family home but when she went to university, they had the liberty to venture! I guess Ruvimbo, besides meaning faith, in our family, means the start of new season.