Changing lives one ingredient at a time

Charmaine Kuvare (27) was born and raised in Tsumeb, where she still lives.

Raised by her mother, she is the second youngest of five siblings. A trained chef, Kuvare graduated from the Windhoek Hospitality and Culinary College in 2025.

“Cooking and baking have always been a passion of mine, and through my studies, I was able to develop my culinary skills and creativity in the kitchen,” Kuvare says.

Kuvare currently runs a home-based bakery called Cara's Creations, where she sells baked goods and also caters for special occasions.

In addition, she offers beginner baking classes for children between the ages of 5 and 15.

"I enjoy sharing my knowledge and inspiring young people to explore their creativity in the kitchen.” Kuvare reflects. 

Her career path into the culinary world is marked by a deeply personal struggle.

In 2019, she was diagnosed with clinical depression and grappled with finding purpose in life.

While attending therapy, her therapist asked her a question that would eventually change her life: “What makes you happy?”

Her answer came naturally: “Cooking.” She quickly realised that food gave her purpose and healing.

Like many entrepreneurs, Kuvare faces challenges, including product pricing, paperwork and finances. Over time, however, she has taught herself the business side of the culinary industry, understanding that growth requires discipline and patience.

Small acts, big impact

Kuvare’s love for people, especially disadvantaged children, inspires her to give back to the community.

“I believe that every business has a social responsibility to give back to the community that helped shape it," she says.

Now that Cara's Creations is more profitable, Kuvare is able to give back even more.

Recently, Kuvare had the privilege of feeding homeless residents at the Tsumeb dumpsite.

“Many of them survive by eating rotten food discarded by trucks, which is heartbreaking to witness.”

So Kuvare decided to bake and hand out cupcakes as well as second-hand clothing.

Next month, she plans to launch a weekly soup kitchen, supported by her clients, to provide ongoing meals for those in need.

Kuvare’s long-term goal is to open a fine-dining restaurant in her hometown of Tsumeb and to establish a baking school where she can teach women the skills to provide for themselves.

Passion keeps her going

Her personal journey, however, continues to face hurdles. She lives with alopecia, a condition that has caused her to lose all her body hair, and has also been diagnosed with lupus.

“Life has given me every reason to feel sad and dwell on my limitations, yet I choose to rise above it all every day,” Kuvare says.

Some mornings her legs are in too much pain to move, and other days her eyes cannot tolerate light. She tries to eat healthy, take her medication, and stay positive. Living with chronic pain for over 15 years has become part of her life.

Kuvare's advice to anyone who wants to pursue a career as a chef: "You have to truly love what you do. Cooking is demanding, and there will be times when the excitement fades, but your passion will keep you going.”