Prominent businesswoman Tokky Hou, the only local owner among the country’s 22 major textile factories, has been nominated for Manufacturer of the Year (regional) at the upcoming Pan-African Women Empowerment Summit (PAWES) Awards.
Her nomination marks another milestone in a career defined by breaking barriers in a sector long dominated by foreign and male ownership.
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Hou’s company, Far East Textiles, is the country’s only locally-owned major textile firm and one that has consistently demonstrated export excellence in mainly South African markets.
Hosted by Africa for Africa Women, the awards gala dinner, where the winners will be announced, is set for November 28 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Cape Town, with conference sessions at the Momentum Metropolitan Auditorium.
Finalists from across the continent are expected to attend, celebrating women who have shaped Africa’s economic and leadership landscape.
Reacting to the nomination, Hou said she was humbled by the recognition, describing it as appreciation not only of her own efforts, but of the collective commitment of her team.
“I am very honoured by such a nomination in recognition of the work that we have been doing,” she said, stating that the achievement reflected years of dedication in what she described as a ‘cut-throat and highly competitive industry’.
“We are blessed to continue performing at the highest standards after so many years and we can only hope for the best going forward,” she added, putting emphasis on the fact that being named a finalist was humbling, therefore, to win would be a cherry on top.
Far East Textiles’ regional recognition is not new, as the firm has steadily built a reputation for world-class production standards and export competitiveness.
In 2022, Far East Textiles was honoured as Top Business Woman Exporter, recognised for producing high-quality men’s and women’s garments for leading retailers, including The Foschini Group and Woolworths.
The company also made headlines in 2021 after being second runner-up at the inaugural Southern Africa Regional Exporters Awards, hosted in East London, South Africa.
Competing against top firms from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia, Far East Textiles distinguished itself for export growth, innovation and resilience during the pandemic.
The awards were organised through a partnership between USAID and the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, celebrating the best export-driven businesses across the region.
While her factory success has earned her regional acclaim, it is Hou’s community leadership that continues to draw admiration at home.
She serves as Chairperson of Vukani BoMake, an innovative empowerment initiative that has transformed lives across various constituencies.
The initiative was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic under the women’s wing of Business Eswatini and equips women, youth and people with disabilities with sewing and entrepreneurial skills.
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The programme repurposes fabric offcuts from the textile industry to produce high-quality items such as reusable shopping bags, crocheted products, wine holders and ottomans.
The initiative has grown into one of the country’s most inspiring grassroots success stories, supported by international partners including the European Union through the International Trade Centre’s Alliances for Action project.
Its impact has drawn praise at the highest levels.
During a recent visit, Inkhosikati LaMatsebula described the programme as proof that “the true African way is using our hands to sustain ourselves,” commending its role in fostering resilience, skills transfer and sustainable livelihoods.
Meanwhile, Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development Sikhumbuzo Dlamini described the programme as an initiative that has become a model for decentralised economic activity in the country.
“The Vukani BoMake Programme is really of assistance to government and speaks to the decentralisation that anchors our governance system.
We have a mandate to devolve economic activity to the grassroots and this programme is a model of how this can be done,” he said.
The minister further announced that the ministry would formally partner with Vukani BoMake, coordinating with other ministries to strengthen the programme’s reach and sustainability.
“I now commit that we, as a ministry, will coordinate with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade to ensure that we assist this initiative to continue being a success.
I will make sure that the principal secretary and the department of community development meet with Business Eswatini and the Vukani BoMake team to find ways of formalising this coordination,” he added.
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