Professional Documents
Culture Documents
AGV Vol5 August 2023 Web
AGV Vol5 August 2023 Web
5
CONTENTS
VOLUME 5 AUGUST2023
05 NOT MY VOTE
RUDO L MUDZINGWA
10 Thinking Green
GUGULETHU M DUBE 12 Embrace Your Beauty
LANGELIHLE T NDLOVU
15 Her Strength
SISASENKOSI NCUBE 17 Bridging the Gap
BLESSED TAPIWA 21 The World Cups
KIMBERLY MALIMA
27 Home
KUDZAISHE CHIBAYA
24 Girl Get up
intwasa
3
PHATHISA M MANGENA
www.amplify.co.zw
Editorial
Election fever is upon us and as we grapple with the
excitement of voting for the first time for most of us, we
also delve into our business.
We continue to explre issues affecting us - like how
many young girls will not participate in the election and
the lack of representation of women. In this issue we
explore how thinking green can make our world better
. Let me not kill your excitement with spoilers and leave
you to dive into these issues and more
Happy reading y'all
xoxo
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe InstantVisuals.africa; Artwork from Sahiwl Baghat, freepik.com, okayAfrica.com. Magazine
+263 29 226 3928 design and Layout by Isaiah Daniels & Co & Prime Creations
admin@intwasa.co.zw
www.intwasa.co.zw
4 intwasa
NOT MY VOTE
x
by
RUDO LINDA
MUDZINGWA
T
he media coverage of the 2023 harmonized elections has done nothing
to point out the gaps in our aspiring leaders’ ideological viewpoints.
Fair and fine, we have heard about employment, roads, health care,
inflation and pension funds, all of which are important issues, but what
have we heard about gender issues? Why does this even matter?
W
hile the polls have been swayed this been promised jobs and affordable education
way and that way, up to the depths for decades, and while we do not have that yet,
of Pfungwe, girls and women's rights they at least know we need it and want it. That
have been successfully relegated to the other level of recognition that absents itself when it
category, into the box that houses all things comes to our rights and freedoms is the core
insignificant and underserving of governance business of this warning message. One can go
focus and attention. This is the summary of the ahead and rightly announce that tough times
2023 harmonized elections as far as gender is await us ahead, tough times for girls.
concerned.
It is easy to turn to the ruling party and point
With millions of campaign funds at the fingers, to judge and accuse, while hurting and
disposal of the many aspiring candidates, it is a hating. All of which is justified by the way. One
bit alarming to note how none of the campaigns would think, however, that any opposition in that
aggressively pushed for girls' rights and race would lean towards the disenfranchised
emancipation, despite the fact they constitute minorities, of which women and girls constitute
a great deal of the pool of voters. Not to say that a heart breaking majority. But, if opposition also
all that matters is getting votes, but the citizens runs with other things that do not speak directly
should get concerned when the candidates do to that injustice, who cares about the rights of
not even care enough to lie to them. We have girls and women?
intwasa
5
www.amplify.co.zw
...only 17% of
people aged
between 18 and
25 registered to
vote. Of that 17%,
most were not
even sure about
who to vote for
For all those who were born after 1999, the mothers’ hands while queuing for mealie meal
infamous ama-2K, a normal Zimbabwe does and USAID cooking oil. The 2Ks remember their
not exist. We do not know of a stable economy sisters who got pregnant because of ten-rand
and a functional government system that takes notes, not because they envied the finer things
care of its people. What we do know however in life, but because they needed to eat, never
is that in 2008 buying ompabanga after school mind the need to obtain clothing and sanitary
was a nightmare. They cost only billions in the wear. What then, does it mean, when our
morning and trillions after school. And for a existence is forgotten?
long time, we thought the school tuck shops
were secretly running anti- sugar campaigns.
But when the MaNdlos and Dubes seemed to According to the pre election opinion survey
be in on it, that is when we knew something was conducted and published by the Public Policy
terribly wrong. Children under the age of ten research institute of Zimbabwe, only 17% of
do not know economic policy and the Oxford people aged between 18 and 25 registered
definition of inflation, but they know what the to vote. Of that 17%, most were not even sure
effects feel and look like. So when Dube started about who to vote for. Further investigation
fondling girls for sweets after school, and when revealed that the interests of the voters were
MaNgwe gave extra barley to her favourites not represented, neither did the contesting
during feeding times, they adapted. That is the parties appeal to said interests.
world ama-2Ks have been brought up in.
6 intwasa
www.amplify.co.zw
We do know that democracy is our armor, our express their grievances, they reserve the right to
bullet and our sword to fight these. But whose abstain from shambolic democratic processes.
democracy is it? The aim, the whole point of democracy is rule by
the people. It embodies fairness, representation,
For purposes of scope of AGVTDA, this article
upholding rights, inclusion and shared power.
will focus on girls aged between 18 and 21. Of
If we were to take that definition however, it
the total number of eligible voters, most girls
would mean that Zimbabwe is not a democracy.
did not register to vote. Democratic rights be
Because girls' rights aren't fundamental or
damned, until we give them the time of day to
inalienable, rather, they are considered as elections? How many were voted in? Of the two
the petty disgruntlements of entitled people giants in the race, which one of them prioritized
- women. Girls' rights are reduced to silly, gender equality through equity? Let us assume
weightless and definitely logic deficit tag lines. that a new party won, judging by the gender
aggregation of their candidates in Bulawayo
It is therefore not surprising that as the spirit
(because Bulawayo is an all opposition city), if
of the elections covered the tea pot, when it
that were to be multiplied by ten (number of
boiled and spilt over, the remaining residue
provinces in Zimbabwe), would gender equality
was a mixture of sweaty men and their crowned
be achieved? If the ZANU PF candidates had
princes. Yes, we know that this was not a
won all provinces, would gender equality be
regular election. We are aware of the fact that
achieved? If prof. Madhuku had won, would
there are some Zimbabweans who want a new
gender equality be achieved? Why does this
government in power, but we also know that on
matter anyway?
all sides of the pitch, girls' rights are missing. How
many female candidates were fielded for the
intwasa
7
assuming that
more girls had
registered to vote,
they still would have
voted into office
people who do not
represent their
interests as far as
gender issues are
concerned,
#EnoughIsEnough
#DemocracyForAll
#GirlsWithVoices
8 intwasa
intwasa
9
www.amplify.co.zw
Thinking
Green by
GUGULETHU M
DUBE
W
hat would it take to save our planet? Alumni and Fundi Trust working hand in hand
That was the first question the with Centre for Talent Development.
facilitator asked at the start of the
Throughout the project we got to be mentored
Youth Art-preneurship project. Recently I took
by great talented minds such as Coach Ronny
part in a project that aimed to raise awareness
J - a life coach based in the USA. Seeing the
on environmental protection through art.
attraction, the project was gaining I realized
Throughout the project I was challenged to
just how many people want to protect the
come up with sustainable solutions on how to
environment but just don’t know how to. This
promote environmental protection as a young
goes to show just how much little knowledge is
female artist.
out there on environmental protection methods.
The participants of the project were a few The poor flow of information on environmental
artists from the city of Bulawayo working in protection shows how relaxed the majority of
collaboration with like-minded youths from the human race is about the degradation of
New Orleans, USA. The project being aided our earth. We can no longer go on as if after
by the Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund for U.S exhausting this planet we will get another one.
There is no planet B.
10 intwasa
www.amplify.co.zw
We can no longer go on
as if after exhausting
this planet we will get
another one. There is
no planet B.
intwasa
11
www.amplify.co.zw
Embrace Your
Beauty by
LANGELIHLE T
NDLOVU
Body shaming is an issue that now happens frequently especially among adolescents in this
modern era. Studies show that body shaming can lead to serious mental challenges such as
mood disorders, anxiety or even depression. This also contributes to how a person behaves
around other people and how they socialize. Body shaming results negatively to an individual
as it destroys a person's self-esteem.
Social media has been a push factor on how want to look like women on social media as it
people especially girls and women view portrays the “perfect” way a girl should look as
themselves and how they “should” look, seen in most reality shows, magazines, music
with magazines and social media platforms videos, movies etc. Girls no longer know how
like Instagram, Twitter and even Facebook they should look. It is often said how you look on
portraying "how women should look". The media the outside is less valuable than how you look on
has also had a negative impact on adolescent the inside but is this true with all the magazines,
girls as they tend to hate how they look and televisions showing women with the “perfect”
12 intwasa
www.amplify.co.zw
skin tone, “perfect” body type, “perfect” hair Nowadays people view beauty depending on
and “perfect” everything? How do we know the size of the breasts, thighs, curves, butt or on
that it is alright not to look flawless, that being the fair complexion on women which is why some
beautiful is not about how you look? women buy enlarging products and bleaching
creams to enhance their beauty so they can
The age-old adage of “beauty is pain” has never also be considered beautiful. I do believe that
been truer than it is today. Many adolescent girls all body types are beautiful! Society and media
now want to live up to the standard of society dictate how a lady should look to be considered
and media. These unrealistic expectations of as beautiful, this is wrong. It is our nature to
beauty have been going on and on for decades worry which is why we constantly worry. We
resulting in women and girls losing their identity. worry about family, work, school, money but
We now watch movies, follow celebrities, even most importantly about our appearance. Quite
act and dress like them as a source of escapism; obvious, when you worry about how you look or
to be lost in the lives of those celebrities. Some how your thighs and arms are, how your breasts
even go for surgeries only to appear “beautiful”. are too small or too big, how dark your skin
Some take enlarging products whilst some is, how chubby your cheeks are, how big your
take weight lose products to change their tummy is or how thin or long your legs are unlike
appearance. But is beauty defined by your body the people on social media. You DON'T need
type? to pressure yourself or bow down to societal
intwasa
13
www.amplify.co.zw
14 intwasa
www.amplify.co.zw
Her
Strength
by
SISASENKOSI
NCUBE
B
efore l indoctrinate let me disinfect say she is not, a heroin herself. She is imbokodo
my words and enlighten the lost. From that has molded her beloved into strong leaders
her childhood to her womanhood, she of tomorrow.
has only been discriminated, being torn apart
Her pure heart defines her character. Her
by gender inequality and all the obstacles that
strength is found in her heart, it is like a treasure
came with it.
safely hidden in the sea. It cannot be seen,
She is hard pressed on every side but touched or found but it is never lost. It is in
not crushed, perplexed but not in despair, the ones that keep her going, the people who
persecuted but not abandoned. She is constantly tell her that she can move the mountains, the
being struck down but not destroyed, taken for people who look at her and know her worth, in
granted but still remains strong. She has been the ones that see royalty inside of her, the ones
dearly tormented and tortured but she keeps who see her for who she really is. Her strength
moving, body shamed but she still remains has taught her to become a protector l mean she
intact and walks with her head held high. She is a warrior in disguise, unknowingly she wears
is told that she is worthless but she knows her shield every day. Her strength becomes her
her worth. They say she is not good enough, love, power and wisdom, it is indeed resilient.
characterless, and shameless but she's still Her strength is also inside her mistakes that has
smiling. She has been finger pointed but she driven her to try and try again. Her strength is
does not shed a tear, for her tears have taught not a quitter, but a motivator.
her how to be stronger. She wears her scars as
She can endure it all because she has been
her best attire and her pain as her best make up.
through it all. She becomes light in the darkness.
The dolls and pots they bought her threatened Her strength has given her the power to rise
to define her fate but those toys simply taught and conquer all the challenges in her life. She
her how to love, care and simply share. Day by defines strength, but will never allow herself
day she is a mother, aunt, sister, wife, healer, and to be manipulated into proving herself. She IS
a grandmother but not only that she is home to strength.
peace and kindness. She is everything that they
intwasa
15
"Here's to
strong women,
may we know
them, may we
raise them, may
we be them"
- MANTATHE MLOTSHWA
16 intwasa
BRIDGING THE GAP
www.amplify.co.zw
by
BLESSED
TAPIWA
intwasa
17
www.amplify.co.zw
Girls with disabilities encounter a host To address the above it is essential to foster
of barriers and biases that hinder their full inclusive education by implementing inclusive
participation in society like having limited access policies that promote equal access to education
to education. Many of them encounter barriers in for all girls regardless of disability. This involves
accessing quality education due to inadequate adapting infrastructure providing assistive
infrastructure, lack of specialized support and technologies, and training teachers to support
negative attitudes towards disability which often diverse learning needs. There is also need to
result in exclusion from mainstream educational conduct awareness campaigns to combat
settings. This denies them the opportunity to stigma and foster a supportive environment
develop their full potential and perpetuates a within schools. Educate teachers and students
cycle of marginalization. about disability rights, inclusion and the unique
capabilities of girls with disability.
Social stigma and isolation serve as inclusivity, dispel misconceptions and create a
another barrier; Society’s misconception and more accepting and supportive environment.
stereotypes surrounding disability can lead to
social stigma and isolation for them. Negative Access to comprehensive healthcare is vital
attitudes and lack of awareness create barriers for girls with disabilities in Zimbabwe. However,
to forming meaningful relationships and they often face barriers such as limited
participating in social activities resulting in specialized services, inaccessible facilities and a
feeling of loneliness and exclusion. However lack of awareness among health care providers.
raising awareness about the rights, capabilities To enhance healthcare for these girls, we must
and achievements of girls living with disability promote accessibility through advocating
is vital to challenge societal stereotypes and for the creation of disability friendly health
biases. Advocacy campaigns can promote care facilities with appropriate infrastructure
including ramps, accessible bathrooms and
18 intwasa
www.amplify.co.zw
www.amplify.co.zw
intwasa
19
www.amplify.co.zw
20 intwasa
www.amplify.co.zw
The World
Cups
by
KIMBERLY
MALIMA
I
remember going for netball trials when I enough the previous years or I was just not
was in Grade 6, had never played before informed? Watching netball on TV was the most
but had watched my cousins representing surreal experience ever. Watching in person is
the school so I thought it was easy until more exciting but what tops that excitement
the ball was passed to me and I had to run was the Zimbabwe National Netball Team
around the whole ground because I was qualifying for this year's World Cup hosted
centre. I think my performance was not that by our neighbouring country, South Africa.
impressive because I became a substitute the My favourite game was the one where they
whole time and I don't reminisce playing during avenged their loss against Barbados and beat
competitions. In secondary school, the patron them 75 - 48 to finish in the 13th position. The
for netball was one of the most feared teachers, head coach Lloyd Makunde still has a lot of work
I mean those teachers who just lash out insults to do with the team though because there is
and are excused so I ended up sticking to room for improvement and who knows maybe
drum majorettes. Nonetheless I never stopped one day we will lift the cup. And of course, all
loving netball, I just watched from the sides and the necessary financial support is needed to get
became the biggest cheer leader. us there
Funny how I did not know that there was a The women's Soccer World Cup ended
Netball World Cup until now. Was it not hyped on Sunday the 20th of August where Spain
intwasa
21
www.amplify.co.zw
emerged as the world best champions against though they were eliminated in the round of 16.
England just like I had predicted, maybe I should It was the same fate for Nigeria and Morocco.
start betting because I seem to be good at Zambia also tried their best but Spain just had
predicting finals. With soccer, I just reprimanded to show off and eliminate the team in the group
the inner me to not to embarrass myself. There stages with a score of 5 - 0. Banyana Banyana
was no way I could run around the whole pitch kept us on our seats, some of us biting our nails
when I couldn't catch my breath after finishing because we did not know what was going to
100 metre races and being a goalkeeper when I be the final score in their game against Italy
failed to catch the ball during netball trials. I just but they emerged victorious and the 3 - 2 score
focused on perfecting my cheerleading skills sent them into the last 16. The Netherlands did
and learning the praise songs, best decision the most in South Africa's last game, sending
I have ever made. There's nothing as good as Banyana Banyana back home with a score of 2
criticising, cheering and complaining after - 0 but we are proud of all African nations who
losing or winning because it somehow becomes represented us.
your loss or victory even if you were not running
The number of "2ks" who played in this
around the pitch for 90 mins plus and sitting
tournament was impressive, my favourite
comfortable at the shade and drinking cold
being Linda Caicedo from Columbia, an
water or juice, that was me at high school.
18-year-old who scored a magnificent goal
What made this soccer world cup stand out which contributed to Germany's first ever loss
for me was the number of girls and women who in group stages. Young women and girls are
were following up on the games, posting about doing the most out there and it is inspiring
the victories, their favourites and just hyping it and empowering at the same time as they are
up. Four African nations qualified, South Africa proving to other girls that anything is possible
played well and proved to us why they deserved and age is not a barrier in sports, talent is what
to win the Women's Africa cup of nations matters.
22 intwasa
INFO SHARING
SESSION WITH
MANTATHE MLOTSHWA
www.amplify.co.zw
Girl
Get Up
by
PHATHISA M
MANGENA
S
o, a Sunday ago whilst I was at
church, I was asked to stand and
pray for the offering. Praying is
something that I do every day
but never did I ever think that
one day I would be standing in
front of a crowd praying for something as
important as the church offering. Little me,
scared as I was, I just walked down the aisle
and held the mic, nervous like never before.
In my mind I was trying to figure out what
kind of words I was going to say. I looked
at the crowd and was welcomed by these
pretty smiles, if you were there to see it you
would have sworn that God had replaced
the congregation with His angels. I battled
with my mind so it could produce the ideal
words that were just going to entice the
angels so they can vouch for me to the Man
Above so my place in Heaven would be a
guaranteed thing.
24 intwasa
www.amplify.co.zw
Now that I think of this whole scenario I've around punishing students or called out any
realized that it's something that has to do with student for doing what was not allowed but it's
my spiritual life but it so much related to other how she turned the school's pavements into a
areas of my life too. One thing that I had to runaway by her elegant walk. What I want to
learn from this other life coach is that for people point out is that, we noticed her, we noticed
to believe in what you are saying, you have to the way she walked because she carried herself
believe in it yourself. The way that you walk in a way that seemed to be different from
has everything to do with what defines you everyone else in the room. Her majestic walk
and who you are. Are you the kind of person made everyone want to fix their neck ties and
that when you walk into a room, everyone just make sure that their braids were tied perfectly
stops and pays attention to you without even into a neat bun. She commanded it without
having to utter a single word? Are you the kind saying a word.
that demands attention by simply standing
For people to believe in everything that you
at the door and saying nothing? Do you leave
say, they first have to believe in the person that
their jaws dropped?
you have presented in front of them. When I
During my high school years, there was was asked to pray, true that I was nervous
this teacher who always managed to stay in because the whole responsibility of having to
everyone's mouths. She was not the kind to go relay the thanks giving to God was placed on
intwasa
25
www.amplify.co.zw
26 intwasa
www.amplify.co.zw
Home by
KUDZAISHE
CHIBAYA
intwasa
27