Every year, MTN Bushfire honours some of the outstanding traders who bring their fire, creativity and passionate commitment to the festival’s sustainability mandate, quality standards and impact.

A glowing expression of the “Bring Your Fire” call to action for positive social and environmental change, the festival’s trader experience is more than a revenue-driven platform. However, the numbers tell a powerful story. In 2025, the festival’s 113 traders collectively made over E10.3 million in sales, up from E9.5 million generated by 112 trader in 2024.

This impressive increase is an outcome of the festival’s intentional efforts to curate a trader experience rooted in supporting Eswatini’s creative economy, empowering the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and uplifting local communities.

In this spirit, MTN Bushfire is proud to award 2 of this year’s 50 traders who helped elevate the sustainable shopping experience in the festival’s The Barn Marketplace.

The Barn Marketplace is a creative shopping hub loved by festivalgoers for its extensive catalogue of one-of-a-kind, handmade artisanal pieces crafted with rich storytelling, cultural influences and environmental consciousness. This space goes beyond traditional retail by curating sustainable, ethically sourced, quality products in the craft, fashion, and design sectors.

Accepting the Artisan Innovator Award this year is female-owned, eco-conscious jewellery brand from Eswatini, Benanial, which transforms repurposed waste materials into contemporary, meaningful designs.

The Artisan Innovator Award celebrates an emerging maker whose bold ideas and sustainable innovations spark new creative energy in The Barn Marketplace. Benanial is recognised as a rising talent shaping the future of the festival’s craft community with her handmade, recycled jewellery that blends traditional beading techniques with modern designs.

We took a moment to engage with the hands and heart behind Benanial, Benanile Maphanga, to learn about her trading experience at MTN Bushfire, her vision for her brand and how her environmentally conscious practices are making real impact for communities in Eswatini.

Tell us about your brand. What inspired you to start it, and what makes it unique?
I started the brand because I wanted to create something truly unique, an outlet to express my art in a way that felt personal, creative and different. Jewellery became that medium. It allows me to translate ideas, colours, textures and emotions into tangible pieces. My inspiration comes from sustainability, creativity, and the beauty of everyday materials, which I combine with beadwork to create expressive, modern designs. What makes Benanial unique is its commitment to upcycling, its deep connection to Eswatini’s environment, and its ability to blend natural and recycled elements in a balanced, storytelling fashion. Each piece is handcrafted with intention, celebrating beauty, responsibility and artistic expression.

How would you describe your MTN Bushfire 2025 trading experience?
Trading at MTN Bushfire 2025 was an exciting and fulfilling experience for us. We arrived with high anticipation and with a new collection. The customer feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Our revenue increased compared to the previous year, and it was beautiful to engage with people from different parts of the world who connected with our brand in their own unique ways. The festival created a space for real-time conversations, laughter, love and genuine appreciation for what we do. It felt like a vibrant exchange, people bringing their fire to our stall, and us sharing ours through our craft.

As the 2025 Artisan Innovator Award recipient, what does this recognition mean for you and your business?
This recognition means a great deal to us. It affirms that people are listening, observing, and valuing the work we put into Benanial. It shows that the conversations around recycling, sustainability, and conscious making are not only relevant but welcomed. Being recognised on this platform tells us that our message is reaching the world, and that our creative and sustainable approach is resonating with a wider community.

What do you believe set your MTN Bushfire stall apart this year?
What set our stall apart this year was our focus on storytelling through visuals. We wanted our space to feel like a pop-up experience, a small world where visitors could step into Benanial and feel Eswatini through colour, vibrancy and design. Instead of overwhelming the space, we allowed the products themselves to bring life, colour and movement into the stall. We prioritised creating an atmosphere where people could not only see the work but also touch it, feel it and meet the maker behind it. Our use of locally sourced materials, combined with a commitment to quality craftsmanship, helped elevate the stall. Customer engagement came naturally to us because we genuinely wanted people to feel our warmth, hear our story, and resonate with the purpose behind our pieces.

MTN Bushfire values trader professionalism and excellent service. How do you ensure a memorable customer experience for the festival’s diverse attendees at your stall?
We create a customer experience that goes beyond purchasing. Every person who visits our stall is invited into the story behind our work, from the inspiration to the process and meaning behind each piece. We make sure customers understand the heart behind Benanial, so they don’t just take home an item, but they take home a piece of our journey. We share the real story behind the craft, and customers appreciate being part of that narrative. This connection allows them to wear our pieces with understanding, pride, and intention.

The festival celebrates creativity and originality. How did you express your creative identity through your products and stall design?
Our creative identity was expressed through boldness in colour, shape, design, and energy. Our products are intentionally vibrant and expressive, reflecting a spirit of being unafraid, different, and creative. Each piece encourages people to rethink conscious consumerism. It invites them to appreciate, not only the beauty of the jewellery, but the responsibility behind choosing sustainably made art as well. We wanted our creativity to speak clearly and that every item carries meaning and a reminder that responsible consumption can also be colourful, bold and beautiful.

Benanial has a strong mandate of advancing socially and environmentally responsible business practices. Tell us more about how you achieve this?
Our business focuses on domestic waste as a resource. A significant amount of our raw material comes from community vendors and local families who donate or collect waste for value exchange. This helps to creates awareness around waste separation while supporting small community efforts. We also run initiatives centred on specific types of plastic that we can recycle within our capacity and are in the process of training local personnel to assist in production as the business scales, contributing to skills development and local employment.

Your brand aligns with MTN Bushfire’s environmental ethos. What steps did you take to reduce waste, minimise plastics, use eco-friendly packaging, or adopt greener operations during the festival?
Our main sustainability practice is using recycled plastic as our primary raw material. We also ensure that our branding and packaging are eco-friendly by using biodegradable paper and other recycled materials wherever possible. Our entire approach is rooted in reducing waste and giving discarded materials a second life through design.

Reflecting on your trader journey, what opportunities do you see for further improving your environmental practices in the future?
Looking ahead, we see opportunities to expand our recycling capacity, collect a wider range of waste types responsibly and strengthen our partnerships with households and community groups. We also hope to introduce more structured sorting and collection systems and explore collaborations that can help us scale our environmental impact while keeping our process efficient and sustainable.

Our festival uplifts traders through skills development and market access. What have been your biggest learnings from participating in MTN Bushfire?
Our biggest learnings have been the importance of presentation, storytelling and understanding customers in real time. Interacting with people from different parts of the world helped us refine our personas and test global preferences. Seeing other artisans grow, innovate, and express themselves was also inspiring. We learned to balance professional visual presentation with creative expression, while honouring the personalities and needs of different customers.

In what ways has trading at MTN Bushfire helped you grow professionally, creatively, or personally?
Trading at MTN Bushfire has helped us grow creatively, professionally and personally. Engaging with a global audience broadened our perspective, challenged us to refine our designs, and strengthened our confidence in the uniqueness of our craft. It also deepened our understanding of customer expectations, storytelling and meaningful brand presentation.

If you were to advise a brand looking trade at MTN Bushfire, what guidance would you share?
Have a strong, well-made product and ensure your materials are ethically sourced. Keep your social media active and visible. Apply with courage, and once accepted, show up fully. Invest in your presentation, visuals, and storytelling. Be open-minded, enjoy the process, connect with people, and embrace the opportunity to trade on such a vibrant, diverse environment.

What’s next for your Benanial? Tell us about any exciting plans, innovations or goals for the coming year.
We are entering an exciting growth stage. We are expanding our team, strengthening our branding and introducing new product lines beyond accessories. Our focus is on scaling sustainably and building a team that can help us meet increasing demand while maintaining the quality and intentionality behind every piece.

How will you continue to ‘Bring Your Fire’ through your business?
Through bold creative expression, eco-consciousness and community engagement. Our goal is to expand our recycling capacity, educate more people on conscious consumerism, and advocate for responsible creativity. We want our work to inspire others to express themselves freely while also contributing positively to the environment. When we come together as a community, our fire becomes bigger – and that is the spirit we want to carry forward.

Any more reflections you’d like to share about your experience or your journey as a 2025 MTN Bushfire trader?
MTN Bushfire is a space that teaches you about stages, growth and the different steps of being a trader. It allows you to express your creativity freely while connecting with people from all walks of life. We appreciated every visitor, every conversation and every moment of connection. It is a festival where uniqueness is celebrated, and we are grateful to have been part of it.