When Evenes (Eve) Mafupa started her natural hair journey in 2011, people asked what was wrong with her. Women with Afro-textured hair were expected to regularly apply chemical lotions, known as natural hair relaxers, to their hair to give it a smooth, straight appearance. Whenever Eve’s hair was “relaxed”, it looked thin and lifeless. She went against the norm and decided to embrace her hair’s texture and nurture it in its natural state. Managing naturally curly hair was not an easy process, but Eve was determined to put the effort in. Everyone was shocked by her decision to go natural and some even assumed that she just could not afford to continue straightening her hair.
“It was normal for me to have straight hair, until I was like, ‘My hair doesn’t grow like this. It’s supposed to be coily. I shouldn’t strive to make it straight; I should just let it be what it is.’” – Evenes Mafupa
Eve started a blog, called Natural Sisters, to document her transition to natural hair. One of the obstacles that Eve encountered on her journey, was that there were so few products in South Africa that specifically catered for natural hair. She searched for shea butter; however, at that time, it could not be found online and the retail stores that stocked it were scarce. After an extensive offline investigation, Eve eventually found it. She whipped the shea butter herself and used it to do a twist out. She posted photos on her blog, and received comments from her readers asking where they could find shea butter. Realising the gap in the market, Eve decided to create a product that would provide chemical-free moisture, from natural ingredients such as shea butter and coconut oil, to curly and coily hair.
“If I don’t earn from it, I learn from it.” – Evenes Mafupa
In 2013, she founded Natural Moisture, which won best natural hair product of the year, at the 2016 African Hair Awards. Later on, the brand name became known as Nashe Organics, while the business name remained Natural Moisture. Throughout her journey of growing her business, Eve encountered highs and lows. She celebrated her wins, while her losses motivated her to persevere and continue improving. In 2019, she enrolled in a Supply Chain Management course to learn more about running a successful business.
“After getting my Supply Chain Management degree, I realised that life is all about buying and selling. You buy groceries. You buy stuff for your house, for your business. You buy knowledge from your lecturers. When you buy more and sell less, you’re going to have a deficit. I think each and every person should be taught the fundamentals of a business and try to start a business, either as a second income or just as a project.” – Evenes Mafupa
When asked what advice she has for anyone wanting to start their own business, Eve replied, “It’s more scary not to start. Sometimes you figure things out as you go along. Just like a child learning how to walk. They don’t know that they are going to fall or even break a leg at some point. But if they do not learn how to walk just because they may break a leg, that would be a costly decision.”
It has been 10 years since Eve started her natural hair journey. Everyone who thought she was crazy, has now followed in her footsteps. Read her latest blog or watch her YouTube video to find out the 10 lessons she learned along the way.
“It’s not a race, it’s a journey. There are going to be ups and downs. And when there is a down, it’s not the end of the world; hair is going to grow anyway.” – Evenes Mafupa
Apart from being a successful businesswoman, Eve is also a mother to three boys. She says that watching her sons grow has been the most enriching experience in her life. On the rare occasion that she has free time, she designs and makes her own clothes, a hobby that she started when she was in Grade 7. She also enjoys gardening, creating canvas art, and doing DIY projects. Eve is the happiest when she is in nature, observing the beauty and diversity of life.
You can purchase Nashe Organics products on King Online. View the products here. King Online is passionate about supporting local businesses and we have had a fruitful partnership with Natural Moisture since June 2019.
Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning “humanity”. Another translation is, 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. The philosophy of uBuntu emphasises social unity and generosity. King Online is what it is because of our suppliers and because of you. Without our suppliers, like Natural Moisture, and without your support, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
I know I am grateful to you for your truth iabout our crown. I'm natural as well now and can do a lot more with it if I want to.