Zimbabwe

Tafadzwa has six years of experience in the nonprofit sector. He holds an MSc International Relations degree from the University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe, and a BSc in Media and Society Studies from the Midlands State University in Zimbabwe. He is a YALI Regional Leadership Center Southern Africa alumnus. Tafadzwa is an Operations Manager at Bayethe Development Institute, an SRHR and economic empowerment organization in Zimbabwe. He is a transformational leader and social change agent who believes in turning his vision into reality through strategic alliances and coordinated action. He is responsible for initiating and developing clear, concise proposals, grant writing, and implementing fundraising activities, donor cultivation, and stewardship. He has managed to raise US$ 800,000 from 2017 to date on advancement of SRHR access for young people, economic empowerment of LBTQI people, and child rights programming. He researches, writes, and edits time-sensitive program documents, budgets, activity reports, and cultivates relationships, including communicating with relevant local partners, stakeholders, and donors. Among the various duties in this portfolio is working in concert with the finance and administration team to oversee grant management, draft budgets, and disbursement of funds, including monitoring budgets and expenditures. Tafadzwa worked for the Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children (ZNCWC), a child rights coordinating and umbrella body in Zimbabwe as an Advocacy and Communications Officer. He organized and coordinated child rights actors and led successful advocacy and lobbying activities, chief among them establishment of the Parliament Caucus on Child Rights in 2020.

Tafadzwa has six years of experience in the nonprofit sector. He holds an MSc International Relations degree from the University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe, and a BSc in Media and Society Studies from the Midlands State University in Zimbabwe. He is a YALI Regional Leadership Center Southern Africa alumnus. Tafadzwa is an Operations Manager at Bayethe Development Institute, an SRHR and economic empowerment organization in Zimbabwe. He is a transformational leader and social change agent who believes in turning his vision into reality through strategic alliances and coordinated action. He is responsible for initiating and developing clear, concise proposals, grant writing, and implementing fundraising activities, donor cultivation, and stewardship. He has managed to raise US$ 800,000 from 2017 to date on advancement of SRHR access for young people, economic empowerment of LBTQI people, and child rights programming. He researches, writes, and edits time-sensitive program documents, budgets, activity reports, and cultivates relationships, including communicating with relevant local partners, stakeholders, and donors. Among the various duties in this portfolio is working in concert with the finance and administration team to oversee grant management, draft budgets, and disbursement of funds, including monitoring budgets and expenditures. Tafadzwa worked for the Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children (ZNCWC), a child rights coordinating and umbrella body in Zimbabwe as an Advocacy and Communications Officer. He organized and coordinated child rights actors and led successful advocacy and lobbying activities, chief among them establishment of the Parliament Caucus on Child Rights in 2020.

Host Organization: One to World

Role at Host Organization: As a Fundraising Fellow, Tafadzwa will help implement strategies to meet the organization’s annual fundraising goals, working closely with One To World’s Executive Director, Director of Development, consultants, and Board of Directors. The Fellow will support all functions of the Development department, including gift processing, management of donor data, special events planning and execution, cultivation and stewardship of donors, and private grant prospecting, writing, and reporting. Tafadzwa is a vital piece of a small team that generates revenue to support the organization’s direct services for K-12 youth and international scholars, and will contribute to meeting a fundraising goal of almost $1 million a year.

Blondie Ndebele has a decade of experience in the field of journalism and the non-profit sector. She holds a Master of Science Degree in International Relations from the University of Zimbabwe and a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Journalism and Media Studies from the National University of Science and Technology. As Communications and Marketing Fellow with Global Fund for Children, Blondie provides a wide range of content creation, editorial, digital media, and design support to the organization’s global Communications and Marketing Team. She also contributes to tangible communications and marketing efforts that grow and engage Global Fund for Children’s audience, amplifies partner and youth voices, and shares the organization’s work, impact, and learning. Her work in the community development sector has helped her develop skills in leadership, advocacy, project management, community engagement, relationship building, facilitation, research, and documentation. As a practitioner of communication for development, Blondie has strived to provide stakeholders with unlimited access to information on a wide range of issues and amplify voices of vulnerable groups. She has constantly provided vital information for communities to make informed decisions on social-economic and political issues. Blondie was inspired by her passion for equitable growth and development to undertake voluntary work with entities that assist orphans and other vulnerable groups. She has also contributed immensely in addressing issues that include children’s rights, justice for women, inclusion of people with disabilities and environmental justice in rural communities.

Host Organization: Global Fund for Children

Role at Host Organization: As the Communications & Marketing Fellow, Blondie will meaningfully contribute to tangible communications and marketing efforts that grow and engage Global Fund for Children’s audience; amplify partner and youth voices; and share the organization’s work, impact, and learning. The Fellow will end the Fellowship with a published portfolio and professional experience and skill sets in communications, digital marketing, public relations, thought leadership, international development, philanthropy, children’s issues, and the day-to-day operations of a nonprofit organization.

Debra Nhokwara is a media professional with four years of experience in communication and social development. Debra holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism and Media Studies from the National University of Science and Technology (ZW). She was awarded a Chevening Scholarship and completed her Masters in Gender and Media at the University of Sussex. During her tenure at Nhimbe Trust, she helped in developing and implementing COVID-19 Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) policy framework and a CCI portal to support artists and cultural professionals during the pandemic. She served as a Production Assistant for Bulawayo Arts Festival 2020 and the Amavuso Project. As aCommunication and Information Consultant at Transparency International-Zimbabwe (Bulawayo Region) she trained 30 citizen journalists new writing and investigative journalism skills. She was the editor of Hayibo S’khangele (We are Watching), a newsletter used as an advocacy tool to report corruption cases in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe. Debra is an experienced Public Relations Officer skilled in crisis management, project management, advertising, managing digital campaigns, planning digital marketing strategies, designing marketing material, and creating social media content. She is proud to have worked at Mike Hamilton Public Relations Consultants and at 143 Communications. Debra is passionate about women’s issues and she is part of project that manufactures reusable pads for disadvantaged women. Recently, she published a podcast called Shadow Pandemics Behind COVID-19 to raise awareness on child sexual harassment during the pandemic.

Host Organization: The Hunger Project

Role at Host Organization: At The Hunger Project, Debra will be serving as the Global Communications Fellow. Debra will work in partnership with fellow Hunger Project communicators to develop robust content and strategies that elevate the voices of individuals engaged in programs in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. The role will sit within the Global Communications team and work closely with members of the communications, program and fundraising teams to ensure The Hunger Project’s brand, messages and impact are compelling, understandable, accurate and widely accessible. Ultimately, this position drives toward the mission of ending hunger by equipping our global team with the resources needed to expand our global movement of partners, supporters, advocates and investors.

Tendai Precious Chimuka has over eleven years’ experience working in the nonprofit sector and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Library and Information Science from the National University of Science and Technology (Zimbabwe) and a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the Midlands State University (Zimbabwe). Most recently, Tendai worked as a Business Development Coordinator for Grassroot Soccer Zimbabwe for three and a half years. Her main responsibilities included cultivating and strengthening relationships with local partners, donors, government, and multi-lateral agencies as well as maintaining a pipeline of new opportunities, and supporting proposal development for donors. Tendai also worked as a District Coordinator under the USAID-funded Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) program where she coordinated project activities implemented directly by FHI360, and SAfAIDS and, other local partners. Previously, Tendai gained experience in project management across areas of human and child rights, sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender, HIV and AIDS and youth empowerment in her roles as Resource Centre Assistant, Program Assistant, and Junior Program Officer – all at SAfAIDS. Tendai enjoys focusing on the topics of youth empowerment, sexual reproductive health and rights, as well as gender equality.

Host Organization: Elton John AIDS Foundation

Role at Host Organization: At EJAF, Tendai will be serving as the Grants Fellow. Tendai will help develop and manage a portfolio of grants in fulfilment of the Foundation’s strategy for reaching key communites. EJAF reaches those globaly who are disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS.

Brighton Musevenzo has five years of experience in the nonprofit sector. He earned a Bachelor of Science Honors in Sociology with the University of Zimbabwe, and a Master in Human Rights, Peace, and Development with Africa University. He holds Post Graduate Executive Certificates in Programme, and Project Monitoring, and Evaluation from the University of Zimbabwe. Previously, Brighton worked with the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Equality, Non-discrimination, and Participation Unit of the Special Procedures Branch in Geneva, Switzerland. He worked with various national, and regional nonprofit organizations in the capacity of research, monitoring, evaluation, and data driven human rights advocacy. Brighton is an alumnus of the World Federation of the United Nations Associations (WFUNA) Human Rights in Action Programme, and was trained in Project Monitoring and Evaluation with the Project Management Institute, Switzerland Chapter. He is passionate about social justice, global diversity, and inclusion, social development impact tracking, economic development, and the impact of climate change on livelihoods in developing countries.

Host Organization: American Red Cross

Role at Host Organization: At American Red Cross, Brighton will be serving as the Design, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Fellow. Brighton will operate in support of the Service to Armed Forces and International Services departments, one of a team of Technical Advisors, as part of the larger Quality, Data and Learning (QDL) business unit. The DMERL team comprises three technical specialists and Atlas Corp Fellows responsible to provide technical support to project teams on all aspects of design, planning, implementation, performance management research, evaluation, knowledge management and learning.

Tapiwa Yemeke holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Zimbabwe. She is the founding Program Coordinator for S.A.L.T Africa, a platform which seeks to embrace Afrocentric solutions to mental health challenges while promoting sustainable development and resilience within African communities. She has gained vast knowledge through working with inmates, communities, and tertiary institutions. She has also gained knowledge on disaster risk management after working with survivors of the tropical cyclone Idai that destroyed eastern parts of Zimbabwe. She is a NOREC alumna and is passionate about human development and improved livelihoods, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. She worked with several grassroot organizations in Zimbabwe promoting women participation in sustainable growth. At a regional level she worked with the LGBTIQ+ communities focusing on provision of legal representation in case of violations as well as sustainable projects to improve livelihoods.

Tinatswe Mhaka (BA) (LLB) is a published author, lawyer, feminist digital storyteller, and activist from Harare, Zimbabwe. Tinatswe is the founder of Feminist Voices Zimbabwe, an organization strengthening gender advocacy and access to justice through documentation and dissemination of information. Tinatswe is passionate about digital media and the mainstreaming of injustices prevalent against women in the global south. Over the last 15 months, Tinatswe has worked at Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association conducting legal aid, research, lobbying, and advocacy, specifically involving women in low-income regions. She is a freelance journalist with Open Parly ZW and has publications on multiple platforms including African Feminism, Zim Juris, Sistah Sistah, and Vutha Magazine. She has previously been a writing resident in the Digital Spaces Storytelling Lab and has carried out writing consultancies for Youth Empowerment Transformation Fund and Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development. Tinatswe is also an author of feminist literature. She has three short stories in Turquoise Heart, a short story anthology about Zimbabwean women, published by Carnelian Heart Publishing in the United Kingdom. Her debut novel The Men I Have Hated is set to be available in February of 2021.

Host Organization: Leonardo

Role at Host Organization: At Leonardo, Tinatswe will serve as the Editorial Fellow: supporting the Editorial Director in development of the organization’s scholarly peer-reviewed publications, including their flagship Leonardo journal and experimental multimedia publications.

Wilfred Mukora is an engineer with a Bachelor of Engineering in Production Engineering from Chinhoyi University of Technology in Zimbabwe. Wilfred also holds a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Moscow State University of Mechanical Engineering in Russia, which he earned as a Rus-Zim Bilateral Scholar. Wilfred has worked in the manufacturing sector for over a year as a Production Engineer at Parracombe Packaging and in the heavy metals industry for two years at Craster International. At Craster International, he investigated the possible re-use of sand used for making moulds during metal casting, which reduced production costs and was adopted by the company. He has since published one conference paper for the Russian Academy of Sciences Mechanical Engineering Research Institute and three articles for LAP LAMBERT on several topics: “Computer Modelling of Corrosion in Heated Metals under Pressure,” “Moulding Sand Management for Improved Properties,” and “Reclamation in Metal Castings and Design of an Electrically Powered Heat Treatment Oven.” Currently, Wilfred serves as a Service Manager at Bison Agro Machinery, where he advocates for mechanization of agriculture to improve food security in his home country. He is also set to start his Ph.D. studies in Mechanical Engineering in 2021. Wilfred’s areas of interest in the nonprofit sector are education and environmental conservation.

Tariro Mhute is a communications and development practitioner and social change advocate who is passionate about HIV/AIDS programming, child rights, gender policy, and advocacy. Tariro holds a Master of Science in Development Studies, a Bachelor’s of Science with Honors in Media and Society Studies, and an Executive Certificate in Public Relations. She is currently studying to earn a Diploma in Digital Marketing. She has five years of communications experience in the nonprofit sector and two years in the private sector. As a communications practitioner, Tariro has played a pivotal role in advocating for sustainable development in Zimbabwe while working on projects funded by PEPFAR, USAID Zimbabwe, Pact International, and ActionAid International. Currently, she works for the Organization for Public Health Interventions and Development (OPHID) as a Programs Assistant for the Target, Accelerate, and Sustain Quality Care for HIV Epidemic Control Program funded by PEPFAR/USAID. Tariro has amassed a wide array of professional skills in social media management, desktop publishing, copywriting, editing, and photojournalism, with articles published by USAID International and various platforms. In addition, Tariro is a proud Rotary International Volunteer and Public Relations Chairperson for the Rotary E-Club of Harare. She enjoys interacting with communities regardless of their economic, social, or ethnic class. Most importantly, Tariro has great passion in representing marginalized groups, especially girls, women, orphans, and vulnerable children, for social change.

Debra Nhokwara is a media professional with a strong background in communication and social strategy development. Debra holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Media Studies from the National University of Science and Technology (ZW). Recently, she was awarded a Chevening Scholarship and she is currently studying Gender and Media MA at the University of Sussex. She is an experienced Public Relations Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the media production industry. Debra is skilled in crisis management, search engine optimization (SEO), news writing, and advertising. As an experienced media consultant, Debra conducts digital marketing, social strategy development, and integration using data-based analytics tools. She offers particular expertise in designing marketing material, newsletters and social media content. Debra is proud to have worked with Transparency International Zimbabwe (Bulawayo Region) and Nhimbe Trust in their many advocacy programmes in Matabeleland. She is passionate about issues affecting women. She is involved in a program that visits different communities holding women’s empowerment circles so as to capacitate women on their rights and to address the challenges they face, especially gendered corruption. She is part of Lady Rose Reusable Pads, an organization that manufactures reusable pads for disadvantaged women.

Concillia has 7 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management and Marketing from the University of Cape Town, South Africa and a Bachelor’s of Science in Journalism and Media Studies from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Zimbabwe. She is an events management enthusiast with particular interest in fundraising, as well as managing events that empower vulnerable communities and underrepresented members of society. She currently works as an Alumni Affairs Officer for NUST. She is responsible for the development of an effective relationship with all university alumni, as well as initiating and implementing fundraising activities and events. She develops, supports and promotes alumni strategy, including operations and communications plans. She is also the University Liaison Officer for the Association of African Universities (AAU), a voluntary position which involves bridging the information gap between NUST and the African universities community. Amongst the various duties in this portfolio is organizing events, such as the African University Week, and creating awareness of the goals and mission of AAU to the NUST community. Previously, Concillia worked for Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company, an events management company, where her role comprised of market research. She spearheaded the company’s business development arm through conceptualization and implementation of new events. Through her educational background coupled with work experience, she has balanced expertise within the field of corporate communications, marketing, fundraising, and project and events management. Concillia enjoys conceptualizing fundraising events for the development of our society, especially the education sector.

Host Organization: Atlas Corps

Role at Atlas Corps Concillia will serve as the Training Manager Fellow: planning and managing Atlas Corps’ leadership development program for Fellows, Global Leadership Lab (GLL), comprised of over 200 hours of theoretical and practical experiential learning over the Fellowship year.