House of Mutapa October 2020 Issue by House Of Mutapa

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

CONTENTS 3 - EDITORIAL 4 - HoM NEWS COVER STORY 18 - Sha Sha - All Hail The Queen of Amapiano THE GAME CHANGERS 6 - Precious Gondwe - The Life of a Pan African Game Changer 10 - Andy Svikiro - Film Director and Author STARS IN STEM 14 - Senamiso Mathobela FEATURE 22 - Cynthia Chirinda - The Life Coach THE SERIAL ENTREPRENEURS 32 - Brian Maramba - Seven Digits Foundation 26 - Future Natasha Mawindi - Natasha’s Season Boutique HEALTH 34 - Let’s Talk Colorectal Cancer COVID-19 DIARIES 38 - The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Education COVER DESIGNED BY RR CHAWOTA PICTURE BY @JR_ECKO & @STEEZUS_SA ALL MAGAZINE LAYOUTS DESIGNED BY RR CHAWOTA

Editor In Chief - Rhoda Molife; Creative Design Director - Rodney Rumbidzai Chawota; Chairman - Godwin Chireka; Public Relations Director - Simba Harawa; Social Media Marketing Expert - Rumbidzai Chakanza Mamvura; Public Relations Executive - Vannesa Moosa HOUSE OF MUTAPA PVT LTD is a Registered Trademark. South Africa. Copyright 2020.

Contact - info@houseofmutapa.com 2

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

EDITORIAL

tion. Cynthia Chirinda shares her story and tells us why helping others to reach their potential is so important to her.

t’s the #October2020 edition of HoM and we’re delighted to bring you another issue packed with inspiring and powerful tales of excellence, success and super #bossmoves.

We also spoke to two serial entrepreneurs based in South Africa and the US – Brian Maramba and Natasha Mawindi - to find out just what keeps them going; entrepreneurs seem to have a never-ending source of energy! In the past couple of months, some of our past features have made big news and we share their achievements with you. Trust me when I say that HoM features are far from being one-hit wonders!

We are so so proud to have the one known by some as the Queen of Amapiano on our cover. Let’s ‘All Hail Sha Sha’ because from where we stand, she is ushering in a new and regal age for Zimbabwean music. That voice…! It’s no wonder she won Best New International Act at the 2020 BET Awards. Turn to page 18 to find out just how Shamiso from Mutare has sashayed her way to the musical throne she’s currently perched on.

We continue with our COVID-19 Diaries as our founder Godwin shares his thoughts on how the pandemic has impacted education in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Finally, you’ll remember that last month we lost two of our kings, Patson Dzamara and Chadwick Boseman, to colorectal cancer. It took me back to ten years ago when I lost my 38-year-old brother and toddler-bestie to the same cancer. It’s a disease that’s hitting young people of African descent more and more and so for a moment, I felt it was important to put my oncology hat on and share some important facts on this illness with you.

Other features this month are rising in the spheres of STEM, law, business, life coaching and film. Senamiso Mathobela was this year named one of the top 50 women engineers in the UK. I first spoke to her about four years ago or so and was inspired by her quiet but impactful focus and determination – no wonder she has been honoured in this way. Pan-African lawyer Precious Gondwe in Botswana is galvanising women all over the continent to transform Africa and the storyteller Andy Svikiro is bringing multicultural tales to German TV through his own production company Creapac Film Produc-

HoM family, we hope you enjoy this issue. Follow us on all social media platforms as House of Mutapa and keep giving us feedback. We appreciate your support! Rhoda Editor-in-Chief & Strategy Executive 3

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

HOM NEWS

About This Mournable Body

Rhoda Molife

This is the third of a trilogy that started with the critically acclaimed Nervous Conditions back in 1988 followed by The Book of Knot in 2006. Nervous Conditions won The Commonwealth Writer’s Prize in 1989 and was the first book to be written by a Black Zimbabwean woman and published in English. It was also listed on the BBC List of ‘100 Stories that Shaped the World’ back in 2018. Interestingly Tsitsi had difficulty finding a publisher for both Nervous Conditions and This Mournable Body… and look where they are. Now she is rising gracefully in the midst of turmoil.

rhoda@houseofmutapa.com

Tsitsi Dangarembga’s novel This Mournable Body shortlisted for a Booker Prize Great news for our July cover feature, the author and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga. In that same month, her novel This Mournable Body was longlisted for the biggest literary award in the UK, The Booker Prize. On 15 September, she made it as a finalist to the shortlist of six for the award. During this time she was arrested in Harare for peacefully demonstrating against the Zimbabwean government.

About The Booker Prize This is the leading literary award in the English speaking world. Each year, a panel of judges selects the best novel of the year written in English and published in the UK and Ireland from a final shortlist of six. The prize transforms the winner’s career not least because they receive £50,000 as well as £2,500 awarded to all the finalists; they are also guaranteed a global readership and a dramatic increase in book sales. For more go here: https://thebookerprizes. com/fiction/2020 4

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

Codilia Gapare wins big at the Allure Awards In September 2020, Codilia Gapare’s creation, C-Lash, won the Best of Beauty in the Breakthrough Category of the Allure Awards. Codilia featured in our October 2019 issue. She created the C-Lash, a strip lash with a clear self-adhesive band attached to it that increases the stability of false lashes and made especially for those who had lost their lashes. Codilia invented the product after losing her lashes with chemotherapy she received for breast cancer in 2014. About the Allure Awards With a total circulation of over 1.5 million, Allure is one of the top beauty magazines in the US. The C-Lash was voted as one of the 11 most revolutionary innovations as chosen by the customers. The Allure Breakthrough Award is a massive win for anyone in the beauty industry. For Codilia to have won against established brands like Oral B and L’Oreal Paris was simply unbelievable. Because of the pandemic, the awards were held online.

William Sachiti’s Kar-go hits the road Kar-go is the driverless delivery vehicle created by our September 2020 cover feature, all-round genius and serial inventor, William Sachiti. William is the award-winning founder of the Academy of Robotics. This month the vehicle received its Minister’s Approval Certificate from the UK’s Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency meaning it can travel on the road with other cars. This makes it one of the UK’s newest car brands out there.

About C-Lash C-Lash is manufactured by Eyelure and retails in Boots, Walgreens in the US and at www.falseeyelashes.co.uk

About Kar-go

In 2019, Codilia and C-Lash were nominated for nine awards winning six including a National Diversity Award for Entrepreneur of Excellence and an Enterprise Vision Award. So far this year she has been nominated for four awards, winning one.

Invented by William and designed with the help of one of the UK’s top car designers Paul Burgess, the electric cars are manufactured in the south of England. Several companies want their tech to be on par with that of Kar-go proving that William and his team have mastered the technology of driverless cars.

For more go here: https://www.eylure.com/ uk/c-lash/#:~:text=C%2Dlash%20is%20a%20 strip,remain%20in%20place%20all%20day

For more go here: https://www.academyofrobotics.co.uk/index.html 5

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

GAMECHANGERS

PRECIOUS GONDWE The Life of a Pan-African Game Changer 6

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire recious Gondwe is the CEO and founder of Precious and Partners Legal Practice based in Gaborone, Botswana. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and is both a candidate for an LLM and with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) of Admissions in the UK and Wales. Precious is also the president of Pan-African Game Changers, a movement for the empowerment of young African female leaders.

my heart every time. This is why I’m a Pan-Africanist at heart... I believe our people have so much to offer to themselves and to the world. We must embrace our African-ness and leave discrimination out of it. And so, what’s your ‘take home’ of living in the UK? I admire the systematic manner in which the economy functions thereby fostering economic growth independent of politics. That’s unlike in Africa where a change of head of state or political party means changes to literally everything which affects continuity and growth. Every five years, someone new comes in with different policies and thoughts which impedes on infrastructure and general economic development. In the UK, approved projects go on as planned which works out so much better. Your experience as an African in the UK was…

by Rodney Rumbidzai Chawota

… really bad. I had a few incidents that maybe contributed to my decision to come back home. For some reason, if you’re intellectual like me and are outspoken, you tend to ruffle a few feathers. In some instances, our profession is more territorial and people consider you a threat in their turf so there was a lot of in-house sabotage. When I looked around, I realised I was the only black girl in the entire law firm. I worked so hard and those I worked with did not understand how I made it there.

rodney@houseofmutapa.com Your childhood was… … interesting. My dad was from Malawi and initially settled in Zimbabwe before moving to Botswana in 1987 when I was only a few months old. I’ve had a taste of the Zimbabwean culture and upbringing of course, as well as that of Botswana, my home. With the many trips taken to Malawi where I eventually got married, it’s safe to say I’m a Southern ‘Africaneer’.

So, I realised Africa has everything I needed to thrive and that it was not a terrible idea to come home and build something up free from discrimination or racism. Precious & Partners has no room for racism or any form of discrimination. We are simply looking to uphold the vision of the firm which is to ‘stoutly uphold and defend the rule of law for the world’s citizenry’. Our mindset is to serve the people of the world regardless of where they come from.

A valuable lesson your father taught you was… …Fear no one. He’d say, “The world is not kind. There will always be opposition, negativity and calamity... but fear no one, except God.” Fear no one - this is something my siblings laugh about all the time in remembrance of him. God bless his resting soul. He unfortunately passed on three years ago but his words echo true every single day.

What needs to change across African legal systems to foster true Pan-Africanist values?

What makes you a Pan-Africanist?

We need to revisit our governing laws. Our constitutions do not reflect who we are. We have Every country I’ve lived in has had a take home simply copied and pasted laws into our jurisfor me and led me to my current thinking. I dictions. Most governing laws have not been enjoyed the family life of Zimbabwe and the hard work and unbreakable spirit of the people. revised since the 1960s, yet we have evolved and become independent from colonial rule since Botswana, my home is about peace and democracy. From a legal perspective, the independence then. Now can you imagine what that means if we have little or no constitutional reform? of our judiciary stands out! When one goes to South Africa may be the exception. court, they have confidence that justice will not only be served but will also be implemented, If our political leaders would unilaterally agree unlike in some of our other African countries. to a law and governance system reform, touchMalawians are humble and kind and that warms 7

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire ing also on issues of migration as a whole, then we would be taking the right steps towards the liberation of our people and real democracy. At the moment, for me democracy is a myth. When the time is right, I will qualify this statement.

Oh yes, PAGC. I launched the very first chapter and headquarters on the 15th of September 2018 so we are two years old! Right now, we’re about mobilising women who believe in our vision across the continent, then the world. In fact, everyone is a game changer in their own right but first they must recognise that fact. We all have a role to play to see Africa transform for the better but first the mothers of our nations must be empowered and thoroughly equipped to effect changes. This starts in their families, then their communities and next their nation and then the region and before you know it, the continent and the world over will be changed. But first we want to instil Pan-Africanism in them in the context of the now. In turn they will influence others to do the same, then together we can all change Africa’s narrative. We can safely say, we’re marching on.

You are a force! How do you stay true to yourself? This is the thing, I am myself. No pressure... I’m just a young woman who wants to see Africa doing better, who wants women to take up positions of influence not for themselves but for the people of Africa. But first we must unite with our authentic selves, allow our minds to speak up. What we say must resonate with our conscience. Those are the thoughts and sentiments I usually share and interestingly they resonate with most people - young and old, male and female. In a nutshell everything I share or speak about is exactly who I am. They say, ‘as a man thinketh so is he’. I would say, ‘as Precious thinketh and shareth, so is she.’

How do you stay motivated and inspired? I pray and read a lot but most importantly my family inspires me to be the best version of myself. Then there is my pillar and inspiration, my dear husband who has not only supported the dream but takes time to use his own resources to fund some of my projects. I have a solid team of cheerleaders too - the Game Changers. As long as I have them in my life, I’m guaranteed a dose of inspiration daily. I cannot fail.

Tell us about the Pan African Game Changers initiative you started.

Who are your role models in life? I am my own role model (laughs). But there are powerful women and men from whom I draw wisdom, inspiration and mentorship. Every one of them has a special role to play in building Precious up. I love that and I am because they are. The future Precious Gondwe is… … The next President of the United States of Africa. One day… ! You can follow Precious on: LinkedIn: Precious Gondwe (1st) Facebook: Precious Gondwe Instagram: @The_Lawyer_Ceo Website: http://preciousandpartners.com/ You can follow Pan African Game Changers on: LinkedIn: Pan African Game Changers Facebook: Pan African Game Changers Instagram: @pan_african_game_changers Website: http://panafricangamechangers.org/ 8

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

“The next President of the United States of Africa”

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

ANDY I. SVIKIRO The Film Director & Author

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire ndy I Svikiro is a film director and writer based in Berlin, Germany. He is the author of the bestseller I Came In Blind which is part of a trilogy based on the story of a young African woman, Shades of Affiliation released in September 2019 and Taka’s Dreams, a children’s book series.

Your journey as a filmmaker started with… … An interest in creating dramatic scenes. I was writing action-packed scripts and not doing anything about it. When I came to Germany, I started in the nightlife business with a restaurant, a couple of bars and a club. After ten years, I was fed up with that life and decided to study film production. I went to Amsterdam for three years, fell in love with directing and developed my skills in creative writing and producing. The story of Chipo in I Came In Blind is captivating. What lessons can parents learn from this tale?

simba@houseofmutapa.com

Yes, it is. Chipo comes to Germany on empty promises and her life spirals out of control. Parents should know that there is nothing such as a land of milk and honey. This myth has caused great depression among ill-prepared students and migrants. The reality can be quite shocking, and many might get exposed or become vulnerable to cunning eyes. So it’s important to enlighten and prepare children to focus on their goals, be disciplined and keep pursuing education, regardless of the hardships they encounter.

Tell us a bit about your family and your move to Germany.

Three lessons you’ve learnt as a migrant trying to make it big in Germany are…

I grew up on a farm in Kadoma with five sisters and one brother. Unfortunately my father recently passed away, just two weeks short of his 80th birthday. My mother remains the most loving person I know.

… If you want to succeed here, you need to do what the Germans do. There’s a huge intimidating cultural difference. For example, if you’re too nice to someone or you smile a lot, that might be perceived as if you’re after something from that person. The attitude is, ‘Why are you being nice to me when you don’t know me?’ The Germans will only talk to you if you talk to them. An example is this - one might like a girl but never talk to her. They will spend years seeing her every day without saying a word, until someone introduces them.

Through his company Creapac Film Production, he produced the Caramel Pilot series which has aired on German television. by Simba Harawa

I came to Germany as a tourist visiting a good friend of mine. My plan was to travel and end up in Australia, but my host convinced me to stay for a while. That was almost 20 years ago and I’m still here. When I first arrived it was in the middle of the winter season so you can imagine how bitterly cold it was. It was my first experience of winter. For the first month or so I stayed indoors, 24 hours a day!

The trick is to understand the system and follow the rules. Just do as the Germans do and you’ll be fine.

How and when did you develop a passion for writing?

What valuable lesson would you give to a young migrant in Europe?

When I was ten, I played the role of a dad in a school play. It was the only time I was in a play, but it was great fun. What intrigued me was the creativity behind the script. There were a lot of characters and the dialogue and set up was captivating.

Follow the rules. Get some form of education or training. It doesn’t matter whether you decide to drive a truck or go to university – get something that opens opportunities for you. As an African in Europe, we have to talk about racism.

When I went back home during the weekends - I was a weekly boarder - I started writing trying to emulate the play. I would write 30 or 40 pages by hand and when I was done, I would start on a new one. I’d actually throw the old one away. For me it was about the fun and fulfilment, I guess.

I have had situations where racism was put right into my face. Some years ago during an outing with friends, a stranger came out of nowhere and said to me, “I don’t like foreigners staying 11

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire for too long in my country.” After hours of schooling him, he showed signs of repentance, ordered a few tequilas and sobbed. Racism is everywhere. What worries me with systematic racism is that it’s hidden but in a transparent glass right in front of you - in government institutions, private companies, schools and more. There are jobs and positions that are reserved for a certain type of people. There are very few ethnic minorities working in the police force or the city council, for example. You can change the system and the laws but if the same people remain in the same positions of power, nothing changes. It’s as if you’ve taken a shower only to wear the same dirty clothes again. Things are changing though, but very gradually. I always tell the young guys, never get involved in a fight because some half-wit is being racist. The best thing is to talk intelligently and educate them. Losers and inferior people find their voice behind a false belief that can be easily deconstructed. If someone calls you the n-word and you slap him, what if another ten more people call you the n-word. Are you going to slap all ten of them? Be the bigger man, educate, then walk away unmoved. Tell us a little bit about the Zimbabwean community in Germany. The Zimbabweans that I know here are young, focused and determined to achieve their goals. They are willing to do what it takes to be successful. There is a university in Kleve with around 200 Zimbabwean students which is a beautiful thing. Other young people come as au pairs, then go on to do their apprenticeships or start university. There is also a group of Zimbabwean women who organize events and festivals promoting Zimbabwean and African culture, under the name Isusu Fena. This is where I also market some of my books. Your thoughts on how we network as Africans are… … Networking is good if it produces the results that you’re seeking, otherwise it’s just about eating sadza and appeasing our spirits. Zimbabweans tend to stay in the shadows until the coast is clear. Their approach can sometimes be, ‘show me yours and I will see if I can show you mine’. What’s missing is a talent scout who is capable of bringing in different players who play in different positions and gel them together without malice. Someone who can transcend

the personality and ego clashes of pretenders, wannabes and turn them into reality. We all need support and encouragement; without that we doubt every move we make. What lessons have you learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic? It’s never too late to learn a new skill and nothing lasts forever. The pandemic has severely affected many businesses especially in the restaurant and entertainment industries. We have also learnt which governments are well prepared for pandemics and which ones are not. In Germany the economy has remained watertight. A lot of organizations were supported by the government, including the entertainment industry, through various funding initiatives. Nevertheless, it’s going to take a while until things become normal again. What have you done to stay focused and hopeful during this time? When you depend on a system and that system becomes disrupted or destabilized, it’s normal for people to get confused and lose their way. I decided to write and work on different projects. After I completed I Came In Blind, I created a series of children’s books. There’s the series of four books, Taka’s Dreams as well as Princess Aneni and Grandpa’s Village Stories. You just have to be quick and flexible in adjusting plans. Force yourself to be busy. What’s next for Andy the author and filmmaker? I am playing catch up at the moment. The positive thing is that I have a wealth of material in my vault, ready to be unleashed. We are in the process of establishing an international film production company in South Africa too.In five years’ time we want to have established ourselves as a global powerhouse in terms of film making. My main aim though is to build film studios in Zimbabwe, just as Tyler Perry has done. With respect to my books which are available online, in a few days’ time one of the biggest book wholesalers in Germany will start distributing them to all bookshops in Germany, Austria and Luxembourg. Follow Andy here: Facebook: Andy Israel Svikiro IG: andy.isvikiro LinkedIn: Andy.I Svikiro 12

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

STARS IN STEM:

SENAmISO MATHOBELA 14

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire interconnector flows. In 2009, she moved to the UK to work for National Grid as a power system engineer. She became the first woman to be authorised as control engineer in the TNCC in 2016. Eleven years on, and she is now the delivery manager in the Warwick-based control centre.

y Rhoda Molife rhoda@houseofmutapa.com

Meet the Zimbabwean who this year was named one of the Top 50 Women Engineers (WE50) in the UK by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES). She’s Senamiso Mathobela, an electrical engineer born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

So what does she actually do? Well, she’s responsible for a team of control engineers operating the high voltage electricity transmission system across England and Wales. Basically her and her team keep our homes lit! “I ensure that the daily outage plan is delivered efficiently and that network faults are dealt with promptly to maintain network resilience. It’s a challenge trying to describe a typical day! Our work is so dynamic, and no two days are the same. I work a 24 hour shift pattern. The morning shift starts quite early and so I leave home around 6:20 to get to work for a 7am start. The operational response required on any given day will depend on the outage plan, prevailing system outages, faults that occur and on the weather. It’s amazing how much of an impact the weather has on power system operations. So, I generally go into work not knowing what the day will be like but trusting that I have sufficient knowledge and a team of control engineers with the right authorisations to deal with whatever scenario we face. I love the unpredictability though!”

Every year since 2016, WES has celebrated the achievements of female engineers in relation to a specific theme in the field; this year’s theme was ‘Sustainability’ and Senamiso was awarded for the work she does as a delivery manager at the Transmission National Control Centre (TNCC) for the National Grid UK, as well as her contributions to the Women’s Network within National Grid. It’s an incredible achievement as the judges stated that “the standard of the nominations was extremely high” and highlighted the “exceptional attainments made by women in sustainability which is testament to the difference that female engineers are making in shaping the world.” Sally Sudworth, WES Honorary Secretary and WE50 Head Judge said, “The panel of judges was thrilled with the outstanding achievements demonstrated by all of the winners and were thrilled by the difference being made by the candidates”.

“The journey has been long and hard but worth it.” I asked Senamiso about the nitty gritty of emigrating to the diaspora and working in a male-dominated field. First why the UK? “I fell in love with power system control in 2007 whilst working at the National Control Centre in Zimbabwe. I researched power systems around the world just to get a better understanding of the field and came across an advert for power system engineers on the UK National Grid website. I applied and to my surprise was shortlisted, and after a long interview process, in 2009 I moved to the UK to work for National Grid.”

“I found out a few days before International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) 2020 that I was one of the winners and I was really delighted. It’s a great honour to be one of WES’ Top 50 women in Engineering.” So who is Senamiso? Well, her journey started back home. She was first inspired by a childhood friend’s father who was an engineer at Hwange Power Station. “He would talk about getting the power back on following faults in power supplies and I found it fascinating. At 13, I decided I wanted to be an electrical engineer.”

When she got to the UK, she soon realised the need to adapt and be flexible - two things we at HoM know are necessary for success. “When I got to the UK, I very quickly realised that everything was different - the culture, the way people relate to each other, what success means to people and the means to get ahead. It was all different from what I was used to. So, I had to adjust my mindset and submit myself to learning everything afresh. I obviously made a lot of mistakes and on reflection there are things I could have done better had I known better, but I’m glad I went through it all because I grew from

Fast forward a decade or so, and she held in her hands a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Zimbabwe. Next was a job with the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority as an electrical maintenance engineer. Engineering training was at Hwange and Kariba power stations before moving on to the National Control Centre in Harare to work as a despatch Engineer, monitoring system frequency and 15

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire it. One thing that helped me was the humility to ask the silly question. That way I got a lot of help and learned quickly.” We also talked about women in the field. It seems there are many in the National Grid across different fields of engineering. However, there aren’t that many in power system control, and very often she still finds herself being the only woman in the room. “… The value of support networks.” Senamiso cannot stress how much others have helped her along her personal and professional rise. “Moving to the UK and having to adjust to a new culture and a new job whilst at the same time being a new mum was a big deal. I leaned on the support of my husband and colleagues at work and since then I’ve learnt the value of support networks. It’s possible to achieve anything you set your mind to as long as you have the right support network around you, and I’ve been blessed with amazing people who have helped me along.” Despite that she does miss the network of the extended family that we know is one of treasures of any African-based culture – and especially for her kids. “I was very close to my grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins and I feel like my kids have missed out on those relationships with their grandparents and the extended family. These relationships I believe build character and make us who we are as Africans. I find that quite sad…” As a result, Senamiso and her husband do prioritise trips back home as she feels it’s important that their children know and understand their roots.”

“I believe it is important to enjoy your job otherwise getting up to do it every day will be a struggle.” Of course, I had to pick Senamiso’s brain about her top tips for anyone who may want to become an engineer. Here’s what she had to say: ‘Hard work – there’s no substitute for it. Don’t be afraid to ask. With the world changing so fast, there will be something you don’t know, so ask! It amuses me that often after I have confessed my ignorance, I find out that I’m not the only one that doesn’t know, so it’s good to ask. Have a good attitude. I’ve found that people buy into who you are a lot more than what you can do, so a good attitude goes a long way in career development.” What’s next for one of the top female engineers in the country? “I’m at the point in my journey where my focus has shifted from myself and I think more about what I can do to help uplift others. There is a certain freedom and fulfilment that comes with that. I feel I’ve found my voice and would like to speak up and share my experiences and hopefully help and encourage others to follow their dreams. “I hope by sharing my story I inspire some little girl to consider engineering as a career choice.” Connect with and follow Senamiso here: LinkedIn: Senamiso Mathobela 16

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“A good attitude goes a long way in career development”

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

COVER STORY

ALL HAIL THE QUEEN OF

AMAPIANO

SHA SHA 18

Photos By @jr_ecko & @steezus_sa

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire y

What does it mean to you?

Rhoda Molife

It’s really a blessing and I’m so thankful and grateful. It’s so many different emotions all at the same time! I know this will open doors for me I’m sure. What does it mean? So much!

rhoda@houseofmutapa.com

Charmaine Shamiso ‘Sha Sha’, Mapimbiro was undoubtedly the breakout star of 2019 with a voice that graced the airwaves and dancefloors up and down not just the country but the continent. This year she won the 2020 BET Viewer’s Choice Award for Best New International Act.

Who do you credit for this achievement? God first. Then all the people that He has led to me – my friends, family, Audius Mtawarira, DJ Maphorisa and the music producers I’ve worked with. Really, it’s whole list of people honestly that I have to say thank you to. Then of course to my fans. I would not have gotten this award without the help from my people in Zimbabwe, South Africa, all around Africa. Honestly, I’m super thankful for them. I did not do this alone, that’s for sure!

Born in Mutare, and raised throughout the country, Sha Sha first found her voice in the church choir. As a teenager, a friend of hers helped get her music some airplay on one of Zimbabwe’s radio station. After rave reviews, she caught the ear of the award-winning singer, songwriter and music producer Audius Mtawarira who subsequently became her mentor and who she says brought her out of her shell as she was so shy. After pursuing music professionally and having more of her singles hit the airwaves in Zimbabwe, she moved to South Africa where she gigged intensely and steadily grew her fan base.

You dedicate this award to… …Definitely my fans and all those that voted for me. So, we need to hear the journey to this wonderful place you’re now at! Honestly this journey has not been easy. For me it’s been six years, yet my blowup started last year only. It’s a lot of work but it’s all about the mind and the heart and will power. With that you would always arrive where you want to be. You are driven by…

Things really changed when she was introduced to award-winning producer DJ Maphorisa by the Zimbabwean cab driver who used to take her to her gigs. Following the introduction, Sha Sha collaborated with the DJ on ‘Nge Thanda Wena’ by the Scorpion Kings and ‘Akulaleki’ by Samthing Soweto, which helped cement her name in the music industry.

… hearing stories from people about what my music has done for them and listening to people singing my songs back to me when I’m on stage. Those are the real trophies for me. The cynics say you’ll probably abandon your Zimbabwean identity after such phenomenal success. (Laughs) I could’ve easily done that when I came to South Africa. But from day one I’ve been clear about who I am and where I’m from and that will not change. This is who I am and there is no way I can change that. It doesn’t make sense to! This recognition and all that has happened is because of who I am and where I’m from. There’s no way I can abandon my identity.

On 1 November 2019 she dropped her debut EP, Blossom, which produced hits like ‘Tender Love’, ‘Something About You’ and ‘Sing It Back’. The EP combined various sounds from Amapiano, pop and afro beat, and it’s this ability to sing across musical genres that keeps her in high demand. She is currently working on a new album.

How do you hold on to that identity?

ShaSha – first of all congratulations on winning BET’s Viewers’ Choice Best New Int’l Act for 2020! How does it feel?

I incorporate Shona in my music as well as Zimbabwean instruments. The thing is I moved around Zimbabwe a lot as a child and also Botswana and now South Africa, so I’m pretty diversified. I’m just me.

I still can’t believe it, really, I still can’t! Honestly speaking, I’d hoped that I could win but… this was my first time ever being nominated so you just never know. I didn’t even expect the nomination to start with. But to win is huge!

Three tips for success in the music industry in Africa especially? 19

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire Firstly, know what you want. Get informed. Stay focused. Be bold. Work hard. Hard work always pays off. Surround yourself with the right people with positive energy. And for me, as I’m spiritual, I pray.

back home! I love you guys.

Well I really wanted to come back and tour and perform in Zimbabwe but this whole corona thing…. But I have to say thank you to all my fans

Twitter: @ShaShaOfficial_

What’s next for you?

I’m going to be dropping an album later on this year (2020), so I’m putting all my energy into To a young girl in Zimbabwe looking up to you, that now. I’m really looking forward to that. what would you share with them? Thank you, Sha Sha – it’s been a pleasure chatting with you! Really, it starts within, with respecting and believing in yourself. Then you have to know what Follow Sha Sha here: you want and work for it. Be resilient. IG: shashaofficial1 How has the pandemic affected your musical Facebook: ShaSha plans? Label: blaqboy

“Surround yourself with the right people”

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

“I’m spiritual, I pray”

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

THE LIFE COACH

CYNTHIA CHIRINDA 22

some of the brokenness I went through starting from my very early childhood. I was bullied and taunted by my peers because of my family’s economic background. This spurred me on to build resolve and determination towards becoming the best version of myself. These feelings of rejection, abuse, worthlessness, loneliness and more were overcome through my spiritual rebirth experience.

by Vannesa Moosa vannesach@gmail.com

Three things you would say to your younger self…

Who is Cynthia? Tell us where your life journey started?

Relax, don’t take yourself too seriously. What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger. You are loved and appreciated in spite of who walked

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire ynthia Chirinda is a certified life coach, author, strategist and leadership development practitioner. She has positioned herself as a change agent for women’s empowerment by creating platforms that enable women to make significant contributions to sustainable political and social-economic developments together with their male counterparts. Cynthia also works with the Africa Reform Institute and Women’s Politicians Incubator Zimbabwe to develop values-based leaders. She has written several articles and authored ten books including the You Are Not Damaged Goods and The Connection Factor series.

What was the best advice you were ever given? Who gave you that advice? ‘Take each day as it comes, build slowly and surely because Rome was not built in one day’. That was from my father, after, I think, he noticed an impatience in me to grow and develop all at once. I’m still impatient today especially by processes that are detrimental to the well-being of others.

I was born in Chivhu and spent my early childhood deep in the rural farming lands of Mtoro where I developed survival skills, knowledge of managing scarce resources and a concept of community. Memories of mahewu, mutakura and magandari still linger. Then there was dancing to the 1985 song ‘All Fall Down’ by British pop group Five Star with my siblings. We learnt to dance on that song and the moves still vibrate in our bones today. Growing up I wanted to go into teaching, broadcasting or working in the healing field. My father discouraged journalism mainly due to his concerns about morality stemming from some journalists he knew. My first job was in 1997 teaching in two high schools. Later, I went into marketing communications working in the corporate world until venturing into what I do now – business consultancy. The hardest challenge for you growing up was… … Recovering lost confidence and finding my authentic identity. Most of my books on inner healing and wholeness share my life journey and 23

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire out on you. What has been the inspiration behind what you do? My teachers always saw the best of me even when my peers didn’t. Then there are my own experiences of brokenness which inspired me to develop messages that promote inner healing. My uniqueness comes from making myself vulnerable with my audience so that I can enable them to reflect. You’ve published about ten books. What inspires you to write? Writing provides not only a platform for expression but also generates records that can equip the current and future generations with relevant tools to live significant lives – whatever a significant life means to them. The three main themes of my publications are around thought leadership, personal development and finding wholeness. I discovered that so many people needed inspiration and encouragement from hearing about the life experiences of others. I’m inspired to share my story to provoke others to engage in critical thinking so that they can live fulfilling lives and leave a legacy.

One thing you wish you were better at is… … Exercising tolerance. I acknowledge that it is not always possible for mankind to operate at the same frequency, with the same levels of skill, thinking and understanding. In my pursuit for excellence, I tend to become very impatient with mediocre thinking or delivery. It may seem contradictory because those of us with a teaching gift are expected to extend more grace, patience and tolerance. As a coach however, I find that this same weakness is a strength that helps me expect and push for the best in my clients to get them to go beyond their comfort zones. What’s a typical day for Cynthia? My day starts with early morning devotions followed by a prayer walk which I also use for releasing daily faith declarations and goal setting. I juggle different sorts of work assignments during the day which range from business consulting, ministry, coaching, writing and other entrepreneurial activities. Alongside all this is active parenting and other household duties. The final wrap up each night is an audit of the day and thanksgiving. How do you balance it all? Multi-tasking has its fair share of merits and demerits. I confess that there are many times when I feel overwhelmed. In the past I found myself drained, spread thin and emotionally bankrupt 24

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

Books by Cynthia because I did not know when to stop giving. Over the years, I’ve learnt to say, “No,” and “I am not available at the moment.”

opportunities on the horizon as the long-awaited African Continental Free Trade Area finally becomes a reality. We one day will become great ancestors and so we need to position ourselves accordingly.

I’ve also learnt to set clear boundaries that help me to stay nourished whilst nourishing others.

Finally, we’re living in a new normal and we need to step out with digital savviness and develop skills that will prepare us to take on the world post COVID-19.

To unwind and reconnect with yourself you… … Play my praise and worship playlists in the background. This motivates me and helps soothe any tension.

Connect with Cynthia here:

A word to your fellow Zimbabweans in and around the world…

Email: cynthia@cynthia.net Website: www.cynthiac.net

Let me first celebrate our resilience and acknowledge the heavy burden that we carry as we fight daily to make a living in a highly dysfunctional environment.

Facebook: Cynthia Chirinda Instagram: cynthiackingmaker LinkedIn: Cynthia Chirinda

I encourage people to become forward-thinking and begin to visualise life past the challenging times as every season in life is not designed to stay. At some point this will pass. Stay connected to networks of support that keep you motivated, inspired and focused. We, as well as all Africans, should get ready to maximise on the

YouTube: Cynthia Chirinda Twitter: cynthiyahc LinkedIn: Cynthia Chirinda

THE SERIAL ENTREPRENEURS

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Natasha Mawindi

Pictures by Deborah Sibanda Photography Portaits & Flier Designed by RR Chawota

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

… Relationships with others – friends and family - are very important and they matter. We are nothing without other people. When we help each other up we can achieve so much more. I see social capital working so much here in Seattle within the Zimbabwean community. We just try to be there for each other and help each other along the way. Entrepreneurial success really comes down to the people you know. It’s the people that I surround myself with that will help make or break my business. Growing my network will grow my business. Social media is another form of social capital to me.

uture Natasha Makonese Mawindi, 32, is a Microsoft senior consultant based in Seattle, Washington, USA.

She owns the online shop Natasha’s Season Boutique and the cleaning company Now A Home Cleaning Services.

What’s your view on how to use social media effectively for business?

by Godwin Chireka

Everything is now digitalized. It’s on social media that we get to connect with people from all over the world. One of the things I’m working on is a talk show and social media for me is the way to get out there and be known especially among Zimbabweans. My online boutique has taken off all because of friends and family on social media who support me.

godwin@houseofmutapa.com Tell us about your companies. The first is a cleaning company called Now A Home Cleaning Services. My husband really helped me with this. I’ve also recently opened an online boutique, Tasha’s Boutique, which I’m very passionate about as someone who understands and loves the fashion world.

I’ve met amazing people who have become friends on both the social media streets and the outdoor streets! My Facebook friends mean so much to me; I don’t view them as just random people I need to make my business grow.

What’s your business focus right now? Right now, I’m just mainly focused on my online boutique. That’s my new baby and due to the pandemic, things are selling well. We’ve had to move fast to digitize everything because online shopping is going to be the norm soon. When that happens, I want to be established and ready.

A challenge for you is… … I would say getting that work-life balance. Having to manage the family and also run a business is not an easy task, especially as I have two toddler boys. I’m very passionate about business but I’ve not been able to really exercise my full potential because of the young family that I have – not that I would change it though!

I also have a lot of business ideas for Zimbabwe mainly. I’m here in the US but my heart and mind has not left Zimbabwe. What makes you wake up in the morning and pursue your hustle?

Being a black woman in business is also another challenge in this country. There are so many stereotypes and labels put on us. You really have to work ten times harder to gain customers and trust from everyone, even from within the black community itself.

I have this hunger to be the best at what I do – the best wife, mother and businesswoman. Mistakes motivate me to do better; I know they will come but I allow myself to learn from them. Being an immigrant makes you work harder too. I know that I couldn’t have the life I wanted in Zimbabwe and having the opportunity now to create that life makes me restless. I just want to leave a mark… a great one!

Raising children in the diaspora is such a different experience from the one at home, right? Oh yes, it is! You have to be available to them 100 percent and still give your all to your job because in most cases it’s just you, the parents. It’s easier when you have extra help from family but that is hard to come by here. So, I think raising kids back home is easier and better than it is here. Finances are then affected because of the high cost of daycare.

An entrepreneur must be… … Goal oriented, persistent, creative because the world keeps changing and you have to be one step ahead and a self-starter because no one will spoon feed you. Your take on the term ‘social capital’ is…

Language is another piece as you want to teach the kids both your language and the local lan27

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire guage. Do you insist on speaking only your language at home and save English for school or do you stick to English alone? Then there is the risk of children developing an identity crisis growing up in a dual culture. Police brutality is a real worry. You just don’t know what will happen to your kid while they are just taking a walk or at the grocery store. We’re now afraid of the very same system that should protect us. There is so much to talk about when it comes to challenges of raising kids in this country...

want that to be one of the best in the industry and I particularly look up to Amai Chisamba and Oprah Winfrey to help me do that. I have other plans too but that’s all for another day! Follow Natasha here: Facebook: Let’s Talk About It With Natasha Natasha’s Season Boutique Natasha Makonese Mawindi

What is your vision for your business interests?

IG:

Oh my! That’s a tough one. In the next ten I want to be a well-known fashion guru from Zimbabwe. I also hope to have expanded my cleaning business here and there too. One thing I do want to do is to go back to Zimbabwe and contribute positively to the economy. It may take more than ten years or less than ten years - I’m working on it regardless. Then there’s the talk show - I really

@tashaseasonboutique

@future.mk @lets_talk_about_it_withnatasha @zimbo_kids_in_fashion @nowahomecleaningservicesWebsite: https://www.tashasboutique.org/

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

“I have this hunger to be the best”

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

Brian Maramba

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire rain Maramba is an accountant and serial entrepreneur based in South Africa. He owns a payroll company, preschool and a motor lubricant business that delivers direct to the customer.

1,000 pads, 1,000 socks, 1,000 bags and feed 1,000 children. All this is made possible by our partners Daniel Samaita Vuyiswa, Cynthia Qongo, Shingirai Chikwara, Forward Mazaruse, Ngoni Mudede, Chester Makwanya, Simba Mungenge, Aubrey Mpayah, Miley Tatenda and Ammi Jamanda. We also get a lot of support from our Facebook friends.

And start-ups?

Godwin Chireka

I do a morning Facebook Live on my page to give a shout out to anyone who wants to go into business. The idea is to motivate and inspire up and coming entrepreneurs. We all need someone to encourage us to keep going so I decided to fill that gap.

godwin@houseofmutapa.com What makes you wake up in the morning and pursue your hustle? The drive to beat poverty and make Africa great.

Tell us about what you’ve learnt from being an entrepreneur in South Africa.

What motivates you to help the less privileged and start-ups?

South Africa has many, and I repeat, many business opportunities. Whether you want to start small or big, whether you have a lot of capital or not much, you can find a business to venture into. There are opportunities for credit if one is struggling with seed capital. There is also a huge population that makes for a massive clientele base where demand is high.

I grew up in poverty, so I know how it feels to go to school without. That made me seek to fill the gap to assist underprivileged kids. How do you support the less privileged? Through Seven Digits Foundation, we support ten school children at Zamba Primary School in Mutare with fees and uniforms. Every year, we choose an orphanage or a school where we handover 250 each of school shoes, satchels, sanitary pads, socks and a meal on the day of the event. This year, on 22 October, we are fundraising on Facebook to raise 1,000 pairs of shoes,

The key qualities an entrepreneur should have are… … Integrity, consistency, persistence, be hardworking, result-oriented and have a ‘never quit never let go’ spirit. Your advice for running cross-border ventures is… Build a formidable team and take care of them well. You are big on family, right? Taking care of our parents or guardians must be a priority because they need us. At the age of 26 I’d managed to build a three-bedroom house for my parents. I encourage everyone to care for their parents. Charity begins at home and it will never go unnoticed. Our parents in Zimbabwe need us. What is your vision for your business interests? To build the Seven Digits Group of companies into a multi-million rand brand in Southern Africa. Follow Brian Maramba here: Facebook: Seven DigitsGroup 33

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

HEALTH

Let’s Talk Colorectal Cancer

y Rhoda Molife rhoda@houseofmutapa.com Two months ago, we lost two young African kings, Patson Dzamara

and Chadwick Boseman, to colorectal cancer.

disease. He would have been 48 this year. Even though by the time he’d died I’d had nine years of training in the field of cancer medicine under my belt, it still stabs to remember how he wasted down to less than a shadow of his former self. We would have been laughing today about getting ready to turn 50… something that seemed so certain way back then… So let’s talk about this disease that seems to have a predilection for striking people in their prime.

Patson died on August 26th in Harare at the age of 34, trying to get treatment for his disease and while still fighting to get justice for his brother, Itai Dzamara, who had disappeared back in 2015. Itai had been quietly and peacefully protesting against the Zimbabwean political regime, and since his disappearance, had never been found. Patson had himself become an activist as he tried to find out what had happened to his brother. Zimbabweans and friends of Zimbabwe at home and abroad were hit hard by Patson’s death, least of all because it shone a glaring light on how the injustice that pervades our political system had robbed a young man of the opportunity to get treatment that could have given him a year or two to say goodbye to his loved ones.

What is colorectal cancer?

Chadwick Boseman, the African-American actor whose training as an actor was at one point sponsored by Denzel Washington, was one of the leading actors of his generation. He played King T’Challa in the Marvel superhero film Black Panther that made cinematic history in 2018. His death two days after Patson’s, on August 28th, at the age of 43, rocked the world and the lives of little black boys especially all over the world. It turned out that Chadwick had been undergoing treatment for his cancer for four years before he died…

What causes colorectal cancer?

I lost my own brother at the age of 38 to the

Colorectal cancer starts in the large intestines. If the cancer is located in the colon, it may also be referred to as colon cancer and if in the rectum, as rectal cancer, and so the term colorectal cancer. Bowel cancer is another term used in place of colorectal cancer. How common is it? It is the 3rd most commonly diagnosed cancer and the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world, and it’s increasing. It is the 3rd most common cancer in men after lung and prostate cancer and the 2nd most common in women after breast cancer. As is the case with most cancers, the exact cause of colorectal cancer is not clear but there are several things that can increase the risk of getting it. These are: Age – most people with colorectal cancer are aged 60 or older, though it is getting more common in people under 60 Diet – a diet high in red meat (beef, pork, lamb as opposed to chicken and fish) or processed meat (like ham and tinned meats) and low in fibre (few 34

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire

Patson Dzamara & Chadwick Boseman

fruit and vegetables)

David Kerr, wrote a piece on Chadwick’s death and colorectal cancer and gave some insight into the changing demographics of the disease here: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/936844?nlid=137287_4803&src=WNL_mdplsfeat_200915_mscpedit_honc&uac=373383EK&spon=7&impID=2566971&faf=1

Exercise – inactivity increases the risk for a lot of cancers including colorectal cancer Weight - it is more common in those who are overweight Smoking – smoking increases the risk of a lot of different cancers not just lung cancer

He points out that African-Americans tend to present with colorectal cancer at a younger age and with more aggressive disease. In addition, the same pattern is emerging in sub-Saharan Africa too. Whilst there is a lot of work being done to understand why this is in Western and Asian populations, he acknowledges that more research needs to be done to understand what is changing in the African and African-American populations. It is possible that a Western lifestyle and diet plays a part, and this may over a long period impact on genetics.

Family history – if your mother, father, brother or sister gets colorectal cancer when they are less than 50 years old, it increases your risk of getting it People who have an inflammatory disease of the bowels known as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease for ten years or more have a higher risk of getting colorectal cancer too. If it is more common in those over 60, why are younger people dying of it?

What are the symptoms of colorectal cancer?

There are no absolutes in medicine. However, one of the leading colorectal cancer specialists in the UK during my years of training, Professor

The three main symptoms are: • Persistence blood in stools 35

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire • Persistent change in bowel habit like more constipation or loose stools and mucus in the stools • Persistent lower abdominal pain or bloating Now most people with these symptoms will not have colorectal cancer. There are other more common causes like piles or a change in diet. However, the key thing is that if any of these symptoms are persistent for more than four weeks after trying simple treatments and with no other cause, they need to be investigated fully by a doctor. If they go away and come back, they need to be checked out again. How is colorectal cancer treated? First in many countries, including Zimbabwe and South Africa screening is available for people over 60 years old. A kit is sent to their home that allows them to post a stool sample to test for the presence of blood. The main ways to treat colorectal cancer are with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of these. If colorectal cancer is caught early, it can be treated with surgery which takes away the cancer. In these cases, there is a high chance of cure. After taking out the cancer, a pathologist looks at it under a microscope and does additional tests. If there are signs that there is a high risk of the cancer coming back, chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy may be given to mop up any can-

cer cells invisible to the eye that are left behind after surgery. Even then, the cancer may still come back but the chances of that happening are lower. There are some people who develop colorectal cancer that has already spread to other organs such as the liver and lungs. They can only be treated with chemotherapy and in these cases, the cancer is not curable. Patson Dzamara, my brother and Chadwick Boseman were young men busy living their lives, unknowingly building great legacies. Their deaths and those of countless others can add to those legacies by educating more on this disease and as Professor Kerr says in his article, “lead people like me to recognize that we need to do more to understand the biology of this disease, and how we can improve and personalize things like screening at a younger age for African-Americans.” We know death is a certainty for us all. However, it must always make us take a pause, reflect and maybe adjust the way we live a little. I hope that the vacuum left by the departure of our kings is filled with a resolve to live as magnanimously and purposefully as they did. In the process may we make the journey for those who follow, a little lighter and a little easier. Read about the impact of Patson’s death by Zoe Flood and Nicole Sobecki here: https:// mg.co.za/africa/2020-08-28-remembering-patson-dzamara/ 36

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Education

Photo Credit: Frank Dejongh/UNICEF

y Godwin Chireka godwin@houseofmutapa.com

Education is a basic human right. Governments and allied stakeholders across the world had achieved significant milestones in having all learners in school before the COVID19 pandemic hit. Due to its disruptive nature, the rallying call of leaving no learner behind is now going to be difficult to implement. In this article, we will take the reader through the impact of the pandemic on education and the role played by innovation in making education accessible to learners. No End in Sight Experts have had a tough time advising governments on reopening schools. In South Africa for example, many schools that opened have closed as cases of COVID-19 soared once kids were sent back to school. Several educators have died as a result of the infection. In Zimbabwe, after six months of closure, schools are set to reopen at the end of September 2020, with priority being given to students taking exams. However, in other countries many governments have remained silent on the time frame for reopening as it is a complex question with far reaching ramifications. Governments are finding themselves between a rock and a hard place as they try to keep deaths at a minimum yet save the rest of

the educational year. The Gap Between the Rich and Poor Widens Even More The pandemic has exposed vulnerable populations as they have been left out of innovative learning interventions. Alternatives to face to face learning are resource intensive. Furthermore, it’s not possible to improvise gadgets such as tablets, computers and radios. Either you have one or you don’t. Then there are communities in Zimbabwe that are still dealing with the wide-reaching ramifications of Cyclone Idai, when along comes COVID-19. Schools and homes which were destroyed by the storm are still being built and the pandemic has tipped an already precarious situation over the edge. How can newly-built and temporary structures support distant and innovative learning? After the pandemic, it is not an exaggeration to assert that many kids from poor backgrounds would have fallen behind and many may not get back into the school system. Time Lost There is a real risk that after this year, the system will not have the capacity for their students. There will be new learners that need to start while on the other end, learners won’t necessarily progress and move on to create vacancies. The result is a logistical nightmare for policymakers as there won’t be sufficient school places to accommodate all learners. In addition, it’s unlikely that there will be enough teachers to cater for an 38

HOUSE OF MUTAPA Striving To Inspire increase in the number of learners. Massive recruitment drives will be needed. It’s important to note that the effects of the pandemic on the economy means a smaller tax base to drive government programs and so the question of how to pay for extra resources in education comes up.

This would be the most obvious replacement for live lessons and has certainly been implemented by some schools using a range of different platforms. This innovation has not gathered enough traction as it remains elitist and beyond the reach of many. Southern Africa has the highest data and Wi-Fi costs in the world, and this has deterred many from fully adopting this method.

Aversion to Change Many educational systems, especially those on our continent had already been grappling with implementing change prior to COVID-19. Change was an academic and abstract entity divorced from the immediate environs of many educational institutions and as such many did not take time to effect these changes. The approach where the teacher stands in front of the class and dishes out information for learners to soak up were and remain commonplace. Efforts to upskill teachers in the use of technology and pedagogical techniques have been spurned or at best accepted in a lukewarm manner. Though professional development sessions are offered, not many schools have adopted learner-centred approaches to teaching. The pandemic however forced schools to adopt some sort of change. Innovative methods of teaching are no longer just nice to have but a must have. Let’s look at what some of these innovations have been.

What’s the Way Forward? This is difficult to determine as there appears to be no end in sight. However, what that means is that innovation and flexible approaches to lesson delivery are crucial. I suggest the following approaches: Crash Programs to Gain Lost Ground If all innovations do not reach learners, schools should be ready with crash programs to cover lost ground. To help with this, the learning day can be extended when schools reopen. Planning is of paramount importance. Sustainable Private-Public Partnerships The private sector has been slow to support public school initiatives that cushion disadvantaged learners. What can they do? School Wi-Fi packages can be subsidized so that internet access is not a function of one’s social standing. Wi-Fi providers can also prioritize remote areas like Uzumba, Maramba and Pfungwa. It is unacceptable that in so many areas of a small country like Zimbabwe, O’Level students can profess ignorance about the internet.

Innovations in Learning WhatsApp Lessons The popular WhatsApp platform has been harnessed in an innovative manner to offer stop gap measures for learners. It has the advantages of being cheap and easy to access for many learners. Many teachers and schools created groups allowing them to disseminate lessons to the most remote parts of the country.

Offline Solutions Schools should offer these to make remote learning possible where online access is impossible. Along the same vein, gadgets such as flash drives can be utilized where learners have access to laptops but no internet.

Radio Lessons Countries in the SADC region including Zimbabwe in particular have utilised radio lessons in some areas.

It’s important that as we move to a new normal, governments and educational bodies adjust adeptly and quickly to this change. Appropriate and long-lasting provisions for education in this new climate need to be put into place. Most importantly, the already marginalised must not be pushed to the fringes further just because of their economic status. Innovation and progressive thinking is required to ensure that everyone is prepared for an unknown future.

Lesson Packages Some schools have provided hardcopy learner packages with learning material and assessments. When one package is completed and returned, another is sent out to the learner. This has been a cost-effective and smart move as it bypasses the use of the internet. Online Lessons 39