Chiedza Mahere: Social media is the cornerstone of entrepreneurship
“Downtown Harare evokes people’s emotions”, says fashion blogger and rising #MotherlandMogul Chiedza Mahere. Chiedza is the woman behind Diary of a Smurf Dinkie. Despite the fact that she started blogging without a solid plan, Chiedza is the Zimbabwean International Women’s Award (ZIWA) Blogger of the Year 2016. It’s no secret that at SLA, we love Beyoncé but Chiedza Mahere’s actual person is Solange. Believe it or not, Solange inspired Chiedza to start her blog and establish her brand. Diary of a Smurf Dinkie is a thrifter’s heaven, through the blog Chiedza reveals the (affordable!) fashion gems that can be found in Harare, Zimbabwe. Using social media, Chiedza has expanded her website to include a store and is now making moves to become a stylist. And guess what’s also really cool? Chiedza works for/with her boyfriend! Of course, she shared tips from her experience below. Tell me about yourself and what you love… I am Chiedza Mahere, I am 26. I love fashion, clothes, I love shopping and I love to see people happy. Clothes reflect what a person’s feeling on that day. On a gloomy day you’ll see me wearing all black. Then on a happy day you’ll see me wearing all sorts of colours because it evokes my emotions. It happens lots, it’s just that people hardly notice what’s really going on. Clothes were made for feeling. Tell us about what inspired your blog You know Solange Knowles? That’s my actual person! After listening to her first album 5 years back, I introduced her to everyone I knew. They’d ask, “Who is she and what’s she all about? Oh, Beyoncé’s sister!” She was never just Solange. I felt a deep connection to Solange not only because I loved her music and had a passion for fashion just like her but because I could relate. I was always Tari’s sister, so I understood exactly how she must have felt. Everyone had been telling me to start a blog but I just wasn’t ready. I didn’t feel comfortable, I was a size 16 then, much bigger than I am now. I didn’t like the idea of having something made just for me because I couldn’t fit in the sizes the clothes came in. It wasn’t until I listened to Solange’s second album that I thought, she really is growing. People were starting to identify her as an individual and not just as Beyoncé’s sister anymore. She was breaking the mould and I wanted the same thing. It was time for my blog. During a discussion with Zash, my boyfriend, he told me different clothes reminded him of the city, —downtown to be exact. Downtown Harare evokes people’s emotions, it makes them think their parents would have worn jeans like this; their grandmother probably would have worn a dress just like this and been in this exact place. So I decided I’d mix designer pieces like a Haus of Stone dress with thrifted shoes or a thrifted belt. We did our first photo-shoot in the city, I had no idea it would be that big, everyone loved it. I decided that Diary of Smurf Dinkie is only going to be in the city, it doesn’t matter which city just downtown. I can’t wait to do a shoot in downtown Cape Town. People neglect the downtown part of their cities, Zash and I want to show that downtown a beautiful place. [bctt tweet=”@smurfdinkie believes downtown Harare evokes people’s emotions, even in fashion” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is does blogging mean to you? Blogging’s like a little magazine you can draw inspiration from but you don’t have to buy because it’s online. Blogging helps me express who I am, how down to earth I am and how I want to inspire women to be confident in their own skin. I don’t do the typical upper class look, I like old school clothes because I want you to feel like you aren’t pressured to be something you’re not or wear something that you can’t afford especially because we are young. My blog shows that you can go to Mbare, Avondale Flea Market and get a top for 50c and a dress for $5. My blog lets you know about the joys of thrifting, what’s hot at the moment and about what people are working on so that you discover local fashion designers in Zimbabwe and support them. How did you fall in love with thrifting? During our time in Botswana, my mom and I went to the mall one day, I didn’t feel like going into Mr. Price so I went straight into the second hand store next door. As I walked into the store, I saw a real pretty dress, similar to one I had when I was 6. This dress was orange and had daisies on it, my mom used to call me Daisy because she said the daisy was almost like the sun. My name “Chiedza” which means light, represented the sunshine I brought into her life. The dress was only 10pula, I was 11 years old at the time and and I fell in love with thrifting then. When we moved back to Zimbabwe, my mom’s friend asked me if I wanted to tag along, she was going to Mbare. I didn’t know what that was because I hadn’t grown up here, she told me it was a ‘musika’, a market where they sold everything from building material to clothes, I was so excited. We got there and I went punk, I was so excited to find a pair of original Calvin Klein jeans. You get all these cool things that no one else is going to be wearing. [bctt tweet=”Through Diary of a Smurf Dinkie, Chiedza Mahere highlights Zimbabwean fashion designers ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] So your love for thrifting yielded a blog and you recently won a Zimbabwean International Women’s Award (ZIWA) for Blogger of the year. How does that make you feel and why do you think you won? I don’t
Rebecca Kanoerera Munyuki: Leaders lead from within, regardless of their position
[bctt tweet=”@RebeccaKano is a woman who simply refused to accept average” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You know the famous Shakespeare quote: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them”? I am obsessed with hearing stories of how those who achieved greatness did it. Rebecca Kanoerera Munyuki is a great example of a woman who simply refused to accept average. She resolved that if it was possible to achieve greatness, she was going to be one of the ones who achieved it. I sat down with her to chat about her inspiring journey. You truly have humble beginnings. You started as a childcare giver, to working as a call centre agent, and then working for an international company. During your time at IBM South Africa, you held various management and key leadership roles. You ran their ‘Deal Hub’, then moved to marketing, covering multiple software technologies for Middle East, Africa and Turkey. Not to mention you served as chairperson for IBM Women in South Africa network group. What went into realising your personal greatness? Firstly, it is important to say that I actually don’t have to have it all figured out. Sometimes I stumbled into success. That’s not to say that I didn’t prepare and bravely accepted the opportunities that came and continue to come my way. This is what worked for me. If I had to give three keys of what got me here I would say: While you are figuring things out, make sure you stick with things and finish with excellence. You never know where opportunities come from. Mentors anchored me. You need people to encourage you and keep you accountable. Look for tangible models of how to get where you want to go. Even if you think you are doing something that no-one has done before. There is always someone out there who can model, if not your exact career path, at least a set of skills you will need to get there. This is why I am so insistent on women and Africans telling their stories. There is always something that someone can learn from you. [bctt tweet=”There is always someone out there who can model a set of skills you will need ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When I left Zimbabwe and spent some years in America, I certainly didn’t know I’d be where I am now. Studying ICT was never in my plan. I always tell people not to ‘despise the day of small beginnings’ (which is from verse from the Bible and a useful thing to remember). One thing I admire about your journey is: it wasn’t linear. We see you now as a woman who has been successful in the tech space, but tech wasn’t your background. How did you chart a course in a space that I feel can be very exclusive? Keeping an open mind has been critical for my development. Thinking of your career opportunities in silo’s can limit you. After working for a bit, I realised that I wanted to enter the tech space. When I decided this, I didn’t only look for jobs in tech. I also seized opportunities that were tech-adjacent. For example if you want to work in tech, don’t just apply to traditional IT firms. Consider companies that may have a tech department and try get in there. [bctt tweet=” Thinking of your career opportunities in silo’s can limit you.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You told me the story of a time when you were up for promotion. What should have been a great moment became a nightmare. Approval was held back because someone preferred a different candidate. After going through reviews and interviews, you were appointed. Your career journey was obviously not smooth sailing. How did you handle workplace opposition, and not take it personally. Also how do you continue to work with people who may have been difficult or who doubted your capabilities for a role? I have a philosophy for the companies I work for: They are my client and I am theirs. Ultimately I need to contribute to the success of the business results. In leadership and collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders, find a way to work towards a common goal no matter how diverse we may all be. While I can’t convince everyone to like me or believe in me, I make it a point to deliver. Also, in my case it was important to keep perspective. While there were people against me, I had mentors, team members and senior leaders who were incredibly supportive. [bctt tweet=”I have a philosophy for the companies I work for: They are my client and I am theirs” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Recognize the difference between potential and being capable. Potential is an intangible measure of the capacity you have inside to do a certain thing. Capability is usually measured by the tangible things you have already done. In trying to win people over, don’t just tell them you have potential. Show them why you are capable. Use past accomplishments to show you are capable, even if it’s a big step up. Also have willingness to learn and a teachable attitude. When taking up oversight of a team of people who are potentially hostile, be extremely deliberate in creating a new culture. Have one on one meetings; even if you are the leader, realize you are the new person. Do proper introductions, and get acquainted with the team. Learn the culture first before you change it; only impose ideas once you understand the context. Create systems and protocols to live by; make sure these processes are company standard to cut down on arguments. Never hide issues; Be deliberate in addressing things as and when they come up. Dealing with others’ criticism is tricky, but often we can be our own worst critics, right? You took an unconventional route to get into the tech space. Were there times where you didn’t feel qualified for promotions you received? Oh yes! An example is when I was looking to get into a more senior position, so I
Lisa Chiriseri: Some people get offended at my confidence in reaching goals
When you’re a young, black woman trying to make a change in the world, there will be people who don’t take you seriously. If you’re petite and are blessed with that strong melanin that makes you look ten years younger than you are, chances are you’ll be taken even less seriously. This is a problem Lisa Chiriseri has had to deal with often. Lisa is a Zimbabwean social entrepreneur who has run social initiatives since she was in university. Now back in Zimbabwe, she’s running several projects and a start-up. Here, Lisa tells us about her social initiative program – Street Exit Strategies and her energy project for women. Lisa also lets us know why women need to support each other and why she returned to her country to help in the re-building process. Most young Zimbabweans who study abroad don’t come back because of the issues at the homefront. Why did you come back? I had so many reasons to come back home. In my first year schooling abroad, I started a social initiative in Zimbabwe which I ran from school. But I always came home during the holidays to help the team on ground manage it. Secondly, though Zimbabwe wasn’t out of the woods economically at the time I graduated, there were prospects of improvements since we had just dollarized. The economy seemed to be stabilizing and we had the GNU (Government of National Unity). I was determined to be a part of my country’s rebuilding process and I’ve stuck it out for the past 5 years since I returned. How were you able to manage this social initiative in absentia? I believe in the indisputable synergy of a passionate team. When you have committed team members like I had, things tend to go well. Also, while away, with online communication, a good friend literally ran the initiative. Tell us about this social initiative. What was it about? It was called Street Exit Strategies, which is actually the name of my current registered trust, under which I run lots of other projects. It was basically a soup kitchen and rehabilitation centre. We focused on teens and young adults, especially those who were kicked out of homes and centres once they turned 16. So, we focused on rehabilitating them, reconciling them with their families and helping them continue with their O levels and tertiary education. We’ve got several inspiring stories to tell of our efforts. One of the guys we took off the streets and helped through O levels just completed his secondary education. Another is concluding his Master’s program at the University of Western Cape. And oh, there’s still another who just completed his degree in Political Science at the University of Zimbabwe. Do you still run the soup kitchen? We run it on a case by case basis because, in 2013, organizations running soup kitchens reached a collective decision to stop supporting people on the streets. More people just kept cropping up on the streets. Struggling people who had homes starting showing up on the streets looking for support and we needed to be more accountable. It felt like we were forcing people to go to school, forcing them to attend rehab sessions and peer mentorship programs. However, we continued with referrals to drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres and also providing family planning advice. What other projects are you currently involved with? I’m currently working on a gas-related project called Women in Energy. It’s a known fact that for a resource that’s mainly utilized by women, the energy sector is a rather male-dominated industry. Women need heat to cook, and some walk for kilometers to get firewood. Imagine the energy and time wasted! Exposure to fumes from unsafe firewood and paraffin also have adverse health implications. In the rural areas, you find women with gray films over their eyes, cancer of the lungs and other ailments that could have been avoided. I’m out to change that by providing clean, safe and affordable energy sources to these women. As a young girl, did you always know this was something you’d do? I’ve always been passionate about helping the disadvantaged. I didn’t know it was something I’ll be doing full-time. Actually, it only dawned on me recently, when I tried working a full-time consultancy job and I hated it. I realized it wasn’t for me, I simply couldn’t work at something that benefitted someone I didn’t even know, or whose objectives I knew nothing about. I always knew I wanted to help people and I’ve always had a way of balancing several projects at a time. What would you tell that young woman who’s involved in a career she’s not too keen on, but also afraid to venture out? I would say reach out, it’s really surprising how useful people can be if you tell them about your passion. Ask for pointers and referrals, but be very selective on who you talk to about your ideas. When you get the opportunity, introduce yourself and exactly what it is you want to do. Networking is also very important. Who you know is everything! The world has evolved and people are much more open to helping young women. There are organizations, groups, and activities making access to information and networking easy. Take your time, get as much information as possible then confidently step out. There’ll never be a perfect time so you’ve got to start anyway.
Thembelihle Terry-Lynne Zulu: Every woman needs a big sister
The idea of women helping other women, benefits both parties and demonstrates just how powerful every woman can be with the right support. Thembelihle Terry-Lynne Zulu, through Girl Grandeur Zimbabwe which she co-founded, is going the extra mile to encourage women to pursue their dreams. Here is what she is doing to support other women. How have you used your personal challenges to inspire other young women? Women shouldn’t be shamed for sharing their pains, struggles and life experiences. No woman deserves to be slammed or termed ‘attention-seeking’ or ‘too sensitive’ for sharing her story. Our stories need to be told because in them is the hope for survival for every woman. My life’s journey epitomizes, to a great extent, the challenges faced by the African girl child. I have been through most of the issues plaguing young women, from abuse to pregnancy, and everything else in between. I once wrote on my personal blog, “I went through some mistakes so that you don’t have too.” Walking young women through their ordeals is a mutual healing process as it helps me as much as it does them. Tell us more about Girl Grandeur Zimbabwe, how did it come to be? As the first of five girls, I considered it my duty to help my sisters make the right life choices. Gradually, this mentoring circle grew to include their friends. Our goal is to help every woman, especially the young ones access safe and comfortable adult counsel. We need them to be able to do this without the fear of being judged or unduly reprimanded. To address this, Girl Grandeur Zimbabwe has a mentorship program for business newbies, as well as a Big Sister program for the little girls. In addition, to debunk the myth that women are naturally unable to work together, we created a platform that has some semblance of a sisterhood. Here, women come together in an informal setting to discuss issues relevant to them, share opportunities, advertise their businesses and have meaningful debates about womanhood in Zimbabwe. How does a social club in Zimbabwe function? Girl Grandeur Zimbabwe may not be the first social club for Zimbabwean women, but our approach is the first of its kind. We have branched out into various income generating programs and it’s a constant learning process. The club is accessible to every young woman in Zimbabwe, subscription fees are affordable and within reach. Our structure includes a board, a committee, and ordinary members. Our diversity reveals the implicit beauty of our differences and we are determined to do much more. How do you provide support when needed? Through our several social media platforms, we invite Girl Grandeur Zimbabwe members to contribute to planned projects or offer free services. For example, one of our members in Harare identified a pregnant homeless woman who needed help. To alleviate her plight, we brainstormed on possible support solutions. Our growing membership increases the need to incorporate a wide range of issues facing every woman. We work closely with other NGOs while monitoring progress through the appropriate authorities. As a co-founder, what advice will you give any woman looking to start a business with someone else? When starting out, it’s easy to go for people who are within your reach and that’s usually kith or kin. In getting the right hands, be drawn to people who are not only passionate about your vision but who have proved that they can deliver results. You won’t always end up with the ones you started out with and you need to be okay with that. Appreciate small beginnings and don’t mess with the growing process. Among other things, Girl Grandeur aspires to bridge the generational gap between mothers and daughters. How can young modern women overcome this gap? A friend once suffered vaginal thrush but couldn’t tell her mother for fear of receiving retribution. There’s no gainsaying the fact that mothers need to create more time for their daughters. These days, more women work as hard and long as most men. And so, inadvertently abandon the formative training of their children to maids, nannies, the media, peers and even Google. Some parents have been distracted by the cash-stretched times but good parenting isn’t just about money. Making time for your children is paramount – you can’t put a price tag on a thing like that. Tell us about your relationship with your mother, was there any tension? How was it resolved? When is there never any tension between mothers and daughters?! As a young girl, I didn’t understand half of the policies she’d put in place. As cliché as this sounds, as I grew older, I began to understand why she did what she did. Now, I understand that she didn’t ‘hate’ me but had to curb some of my rebellious tendencies. Open and honest communication is key to the mother-daughter relationship. I strongly believe that when a child understands the reason(s) for a reprimand or punishment, he/she is more unlikely to repeat offense. What do you love best about your mother? I consider my mother a warrior! A warrior who never let societal beliefs stop my sisters and I from finding our identities and flourishing in them. In retrospect, she understood that everything I did was in preparation for who I was to become. Never did she ask me to be who I was not. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Why we need to start empowering girls
A number of African cultures traditionally sideline girls leaving few opportunities for us to talk about the prevention of abuse. While some African governments have introduced laws aimed at protecting girls, protection alone is insufficient. We need the platform to show who we are and what we can do without being viewed as “just girls”. Over the years, more women locally and internationally have responded positively to the upliftment of girls by taking on higher positions of authority in society and government, and pushing for change. Successful women respond to criticism by proving that life is not about being at home and raising the kids, but there is so much more we can do out there to change the political and economic situations all over. This stresses the need for us, as sisters to stand up and act. Surely in a world where girls outnumber boys by 52 to 48 percent, the scales of authority should tip in our favour? We can’t have patriarchy controlling us from all corners. The situation in Zimbabwe Where I’m from, we are slowly reaching a far yet near destination in total emancipating girls. I say its far because of the mountains and obstacles to be moved and grappled with along the way. The situation of girls in Zimbabwe is a sorry state of oppression disguised as norms heavily imposed on girls. To adjust and adapt to the hostile environment and curve their own space in the world, girls use methods that often diminish their being. Take for instance, the Blesser-Blessee “situationships”, where girls offer men sexual favours in return for their needs being met. It is exploitation, yet it happens because girls don’t see a way out. Then, some of us are criticized for our choices to remain single or childfree, even when it’s our choice to create our own path and not fall into traps created by society. Zimbabwean society even gives unmarried women nicknames such as “Chipo Chiroorwa”, which translates to “get married now or risk becoming ridiculed.” Girls are good for more than marriage I met a young girl from my hometown once, Ruvimbo. She fell pregnant at the age of 14 leading to a loss of parental love, education and deterioration of her physical health. She dropped out of school to look for work and fend for herself and the baby after been chased away from home and forced to elope. The boy, on the other hand, was allowed to continue with his studies. Ruvimbo suffered silently, unable to share her concerns for fear of rejection, stigma and discrimination. Her story brings to light how girls are more often than not, overpowered by societal pressure to get married even when they don’t want to. Many young girls and women out there put on brave smiles that hide sad stories about the detrimental effects that adolescent pregnancy has had on their lives. By succumbing to such pressure, girls are forced to deal with the overwhelming psychological trauma of giving up their dreams, and being forced into parenthood at a young age without necessarily being prepared for it. Stereotypes can be changed We are brought up in a culture that indirectly promotes male chauvinism. Some of us believe that the only way to belong to society is to abide by social standards and chauvinistic rules. The problem is, behind these rules is a false idea that gendered roles, emotions and behaviors are biological. They say it’s natural for men to show superiority, dominance and aggression and for women to be weak and servile. Really? The truth is, these stereotypes can all be changed. Women need to kick start the revolution and increase the volume of voices to prove that we too can be superior and aggressive. Ladies, let’s avoid people that try to belittle us and our ambitions. Small people always do that but the really great people make you feel that you too, can become great. Let’s review our own beliefs, attitudes and stop perpetuating the male chauvinism that limits our opportunities. We all want to see girls doing good for themselves. If each successful woman can hold one girl’s hand, imagine how many of our girls will be at peace.
Ruramiso Mashumba: More young women should consider farming
How many young women farmers do you know? None? Say hi to Ruramiso Mashumba. Ruramiso runs a horticulture farm in Marondera, Zimbabwe where she grows crops for export to the European Union and other African countries. Her passion for farming started as a child and though Ruramiso has worked abroad she returned to Zimbabwe to work on her farm. What’s it like to be a young woman and a farmer? Traditionally farmers have been known to look a certain way, mainly male and above 60 years. So, being known as a young woman farmer is exciting because it changes the status quo and lets people know that, ” Yes you can do it in spite of your current situation”. My father bought a farm when I was in form 2. He used to keep cattle. I went to Watershed college, a school which was next to our farm. Learning at Watershed school exposed me to the possibilities of agriculture. At my school agriculture was quite attractive because you would see the farmers children driving tractors and all so there was some prestige to it. Still, it wasn’t easy. I remember I used to cry a lot because of the struggle, especially the bullying from the boys but I was determined. After school, I got an amazing opportunity to work at a British company for two years then returned back to Zimbabwe to farm. What is the most amazing thing you’ve done as a farmer? To date my most amazing experience was being selected by AGCO Corporation to speak at their Africa summit in Berlin on the upscaling of small scale holders. After my presentation the CEO & President of AGCO gave me an award for influencing and leading women towards mechanised farming in Africa. I have since been able to mechanise my farm with their support. You mentioned your big business idea is to train women in the value of agriculture. Tell us more about that. Last year I held a farmer training at my farm where I invited the local community and stakeholders. I hope to be able to set up a centre where young people and women can learn the basics about agriculture. I believe the future of agriculture lays in the hands of those that are given custody of the land and are responsible to treat it in a way that future generations will benefit from. For example, climate smart agriculture is something that more people should know about. Climate smart agriculture is farming in a sustainable way that makes use of efficient irrigation system and disturbs soil structure only minimally. I’d like to share my ideas with others and encourage knowledge transfer. I am also passionate about indigenous organic grains. One of the crops I grow is a rice variety called Oryza glaberrima. This rice is native to Zimbabwe but is at risk of becoming extinct. Why should more young women be interested in agriculture? More women should start tapping into the vast opportunities in agriculture. Currently in Africa, 70 percent of women are players in agriculture but at primary level. Very few women actually own land and are running successful agribusiness projects. Agriculture is rewarding and it’s not just primary productions. It has many facets to it. In Zimbabwe, there is a lot of opportunity to develop the agriculture sector. We have a lot of underutilised land. Currently we are importing a lot of agricultural produce which we could be growing ourselves. This to me shows enormous potential. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.