Compiled by Sibonginkosi Mapedza.
20 October 2022
My journey started soon after I finished my A level studies in 2018 when I had a chance to join Childline Zimbabwe Youth Network which is based in Chiredzi. I had the privilege to get involved in Child Rights issues and to interact with youths from different parts of the country at workshops and conferences.
However, in 2019 I had to enroll for a bachelors’ degree at a local university. I was in a dilemma on which programme to pursue between Social work and Environmental Studies. Since I was in Form 3, I was very passionate about Geography and Environmental studies, and it was one of the subject areas which was interesting for me. Through my volunteerism and interactions with peers at Childline, I came to the realization that there are better opportunities in the Social Work field compared to Environmental studies. I loved the programs we were doing as youths; organizing awareness campaigns, roadshows, clean up campaigns among others. Through guidance and interactions with various leaders who were and are still in the environmental space, I later learn that there was a lot for me in the discourse. I also realized that I could still focus on both the child rights issues, and climate change and environmental issues at once. This saw me enrolling for Geography and Environmental Studies.
In 2019 during my first year at Midlands State University (MSU), I joined the Midlands State University Environmental Society an environmental club. I had a chance to participate and fully appreciate environmental issues. In that same year, I had a chance to participate in a workshop which was being hosted by Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) and that’s when I decided to join ZELA Youth Network. I had a chance to participate on several events, conferences, and workshops, which I believe have been very influential in my growth, both personally and professionally.
Through attending ZELA workshops and conferences, I had a chance to openly express my views and learn from fellow youths, an experience which I believe to have helped greatly in improving my confidence levels. I also had a chance to be invited to participate in other climate change and environment related workshops which were hosted by other organizations like Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (YETT). Through the widened experiences and exposure, I also got new opportunities in the environmental discourse. I had a chance to attend a Climate Change and Social Justice Winter school which was organized by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES). I also had a chance to participate in the Social Accountability Monitoring training which was facilitated by Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD). Apart from all this, I was able to convince Africans Rising to support me to train young people in Chiredzi on Environmental Rights and Corporate Accountability. All this was enhanced by the experiences I had as a ZELA youth network member. Recently I managed to secure a spot to be one of the young leaders who are to undergo a five-month Youth Leadership Training which again is facilitated by FES, again I give credit to ZELA for enhancing my communication skills which were quite essential during the application processes and the interviews.
I encourage all young people to follow their passion, do what you like best, and network. Seek guidance in areas where you do not understand. Experts in fields are always there are always there to help. Above all, share your views and learn from others!