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Entertainment Reporter
This year’s edition of the Zimbabwe Music Awards will be held on October 29 at the Harare International Conference Centre. A number of artistes are vying for accolades and among the top nominees is Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave. She was nominated for three accolades. She is in the running for Best Traditional Gospel Music, Best Collaboration and Best Female Musician awards.

Fungisai is a Christian recording artiste who has 12 albums “Tinokutendai Ishe Vol 1”, “Toita Zvedenga”, “Makomborero”, “Ndiye Jesu”, “Tichamuona”, “Tawananyasha”, “Zvirevo”, “Highway”, “Greatest Hits Vol 1”, “Chandisimudza”, “Wenyasha Ndewenyasha” and “Social facts” to her name having started her professional career in 2001. She has been successful in her music since then and has won various awards and has travelled extensively around Zimbabwe promoting her music and ministering to many people. She has also toured various countries within the region as well as in Europe and the Middle East.

Fungisai is also a social activist and has participated in various campaigns against poverty, hunger, and marginalization of the girl child. She is currently an ambassador under the Global Action Against Poverty Campaign and has recorded a theme song entitled ‘‘Mwanasikana Munhu’’ (The Girl Child Is Equally Important) that advocated for equal opportunities for the girl child in education, employment opportunities, in the home, and in the community.

Fungisai has also been involved in the campaign against the spread of HIV and AIDS. She is a qualified counsellor having graduated with a Certificate in HIV and AIDS related Systemic Family Counselling with the Zimbabwe Institute of Systemic Therapy – Connect and Regional AIDS Training Network-RATN. Her efforts in fighting the spread against HIV and AIDS culminated in her appointment as a board member of the National AIDS Council of Zimbabwe in 2008, a board she currently sits on. She was re-elected to the Board in 2012 after the expiration of the three year term. In 2013, Fungisai was elected the Chairperson of the Board Audit and Finance Committee of the National Aids Council.

In 2012 Fungisai was also chosen as the National Brand Ambassador for the National Blood Services and she has been advocating for more people to become blood donors so that the national blood bank which has been dwindling can be revived. She has participated in various campaigns and done various articles in The Sunday Mail with regards to creating awareness on the issue of donating safe blood.

She has been invited as a guest to various functions to speak on key topical issues that affect the youth as well as society. She has been guest of honour at the World Aids Day Commemorations in Midlands Province, guest of honour at the International Day of the Girl Child Commemorations among various other key functions. She established the Vulnerable Women’s Development Trust in 2012 which was set up to provide disadvantaged women and children with a platform to engage in self sustaining activities as well as assist them with essentials that they require during the time they are unable to provide for themselves. To date the VWD Trust has carried out various campaigns including visits to Female Prisons to donate various items like sanitary wear, pampers, etc to women including those incarcerated with their children who are badly in need of these essentials. Fungisai is the first ever artist to have thrown a prison concert in Zimbabwe.

In 2013 Fungisai was also appointed a Brand Ambassador for Male Circumcision by Population Services International (PSI) Zimbabwe with the major thrust of her role being to encourage women to urge their partners to get circumcised so as to reduce the chances of Cevical cancer in their female partners. She has thus been involved in various print and electronic media campaigns as well as outdoor campaigns with a message to women to encourage their partners to get circumcised. She is also involved with Friends of the Environment, an organisation set up to carry out various environmental initiatives like planting trees and rehabilitating the woodlands; and has participated in their walkerthon prgrammes.

Apart from being a seasoned musician, activist and philanthropist, Fungisai is also a designer who established House of Nasya which supplies women’s wear to church choirs, clubs and individuals in Zimbabwe, the UK, Dubai, South Africa amongst various other places.

Currently, she was appointed to the Information Media Panel of Inquiry as a panellist within the Gender committee.
Fungisai is also the Cultural Heritage Ambassador for the Matendera monument which resembles the Great Zimbabwe Monument. She has been awarded a Christ TV award 2014. She has also been nominated on AFRIMA awards 2014 in the continental category for the Best Inspirational female Artist for her song Gore Rapera.

Fungisai is also a Girl Guide Guider with the Zimbabwe Girl Guides Association who does character building for young girls in schools. She has also earned an acting role in Zimbabwe’s first ever big screen movie, “Chinhoyi 7”.

Fungisai is a holder of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology from the Women’s University of Africa. She also holds a Diploma in Marketing. She is multi-talented and she is married with three children.