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Zimbabwean women have for years proved that when given the baton, they can run the mile and finish the race without looking back.

Many have reaped fruits of their hard work in their areas of expertise proving that the sky is not the limit.

With the Constitution of Zimbabwe specifically providing for gender equality, the rights of women and men to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social spheres, females have grabbed every opportunity that has come their way.

Yesterday, Zimbabwe joined the world to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2022. This years’ theme for IWD and Women History Month is: “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”.

The Herald takes a look at 20 Zimbabwean women who have done remarkably well in their areas of work. Many others are not on this list, but doing great work which communities salute daily.

First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa: Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa is the Angel of Hope Foundation founder and patron. Passionately known as Amai, the First Lady is a champion of the needs of the vulnerable in society.

Even prior to becoming the First Lady, she has footprints demonstrating a passion for the needs of the vulnerable.

She was instrumental in the establishment of women’s banks in Silobela, Zhombe, Kwekwe, Chirumanzu-Zibagwe, Mvuma and all constituencies in the Midlands Province.

She encouraged women empowerment through ownership of livestock and handicrafts (sewing knitting and clay pot moulding), tiling of rural homes as a way of promoting good hygiene, women in cross -border trading as a means of self- sustenance.

As founder and patron of the Angel of Hope Foundation she has spearheaded philanthropic work spreading its wings to the most marginalised communities and advocating for the preservation of their culture, for example reaching out to communities bordering Zimbabwe and Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia and Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Through her Foundation, the First Lady has visited communities and institutions donating foodstuffs, bed linen, stationery, ICT and medical equipment, and initiating comprehensive self-help projects like fish ponds, nutrition gardens, orchards and free-range chicken rearing.

In recognition of her selfless work towards women and children’s health, the First Lady was appointed as Ministry of Health and Child Care’s Ambassador for Maternal and Child health. She has done a lot of work and list is endless.

Air Lieutenant Gamuchirai Maria Mbigi: The history-making female officer graduate was for the first time in the history of the Air Force of Zimbabwe awarded a Sword of Honour, an award for exceptional performance in flight training last year. She attributes this achievement to sheer hard work, commitment and remaining focused on what is at hand.

Air Lieutenant Gamuchirai Maria Mbigi

Hazel Mandaza: The 17-year-old is Zimbabwe’s child President for 2021-2022.

The first child President who has disability and broken through barriers. She is proving to the nation that disability is not inability. She is also a founder of the non-profit making organisation called Young Open Minds Zimbabwe, which moulds young people to think outside the box.

Loice Matanda-Moyo: The High Court judge is the current chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, a role she assumed in March 2019. Without fear or favour, she has worked at the helm of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to fight corruption, resulting in the arrest and prosecution of some high profile people.

Dr Junior Mutsvangwa: A clinical microbiologist (PhD) with over 15 years’ experience in laboratory diagnostics, biomedical research, surveys, capacity building and health systems strengthening, Dr Junior Mutsvangwa, who is also a certified monitoring and evaluation (M&E) expert for TB and HIV activities is proof that the sky is not even the limit for women with ambition and goals.

Dr Mutsvangwa has been working silently in the HIV field at a not-for-profit private research organisation, the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI). Her work at BRTI is captivating. She has served in various capacities, initially as Laboratory Manager, then Head of laboratories (HOL), currently Senior Research Scientist (SRS)/Principal Investigator (PI) cum Technical Lead.

Dr Nyaradzo Mgodi: Dr Nyaradzo Mavis Mgodi is a senior researcher at the University of Zimbabwe Clinical Trials Research Centre (UZ-CTRC). Dr Mgodi, (MBChB, MMed) has over 10 years of experience leading and conducting clinical trials for HIV prevention in women of reproductive age in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, eSwatini, Tanzania and Uganda.

An HIV Prevention Trials Network Executive Committee member Scientific and ethics reviewer, Dr Mgodi is also a Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe’s National Health Research Development Committee Board member — Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe.

Dr Mgodi has published several peer reviewed articles in scientific journals and serves as a deputy editor for two scientific journals.

She is the Deputy Editor — Journal of the International AIDS Society and also an Associate Editor — Frontiers in Global Reproductive Health — HIV and STIs.

Her work in biomedical science has been recognised globally through various awards that include the Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy — 2016; UNESCO L’Oréal Women in Science Award nominee — 2018.

Dr Matifadza Hlatshwayo: Zimbabwean-born and raised, Dr Matifadza Hlatshwayo-Davis, was on October 20 2021 sworn in as the Health Director for the city of St Louis, Missouri in the United States.

Taking over from current Commissioner of Health, Dr Fredrick Echols, who had previously occupied the role in an acting capacity, Dr Hlatshwayo-Davis is the first black female physician to ever hold the role of Health Director for St Louis.

The St Louis County Government found itself greatly affected financially by the Covid-19 pandemic, and although the local government had planned to use federal stimulus to aid in the overwhelming deficits towards public health and safety, the need to mitigate growing disquiet over the pandemic the need for action was a necessity.

In the midst of these concerns, Dr Hlatshwayo-Davis, a specialist physician in the study of infectious diseases, stepped up to the challenge.

Mildred Chiri: Mrs Mildred Chiri was appointed as Comptroller and Auditor-General on February 24, 2004. She joined the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General as an Audit Assistant in 1983 rising through the ranks to the position of Comptroller and Auditor General. She has managed to clear a backlog of the annual Comptroller and Auditor General’s reports which had lagged behind since the year 2000. Above all, she has fearlessly audited all Government departments and parastatals.

Senator Monica Mutsvangwa:  Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa is the first female Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services in independent Zimbabwe. A former freedom fighter who joined the war as a young girl, Minister Mutsvangwa has always been an ardent advocate of women empowerment. She is a holder of a degree in Marketing (City University in New York, United States) obtained in 1990 and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (Baruch College in the US) attained in 2005. She has previously served as Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare and was in 2013 elected the chairperson of Women Parliamentary Caucus. As Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Senator Mutsvangwa has advocated for gender equity in newsrooms and in management. We celebrate her sterling work as a mother, a grandmother, a minister, a businesswoman and a farmer.

Minister Mutsvangwa

Viriginia Muwanigwa: Virginia Muwanigwa is the Chief Executive Officer at Zimbabwe Gender Commission and has a deep understanding of resilience-building from a women’s rights and feminist perspective. She has an extensive network consisting of individuals working in government, civil society organisations, media and more.

Muwanigwa a veteran in the women’s movement who has invested over 20 years of her life passionately advocating for women’s rights.

She has worked in various organisations including the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers (Africa Regional Office), Intermediate Technology Development Group (now Practical Action), Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network, and ActionAid International Zimbabwe as the Women’s Rights Programme Coordinator.

At the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, she is one of the forces behind the Commission’s sexual harassment awareness campaigns at institutions of higher learning.

Dr Chipo Mtasa: The current TelOne managing director Chipo Mtasa is an accountant by profession. She is the former Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG) chief executive officer, a position she held for about 8 years.  She is known for her works towards the care of the less privileged in society and has made massive donations to the less privileged citizens in Zimbabwe.

Samantha Shingirai Muzoroki: Samantha Shingirai Muzoroki pivoted from being a lawyer to being a chef. During the March 2020 lockdown she made headlines when she founded the Kuchengetana Relief Kitchen- a Kuchengetana Trust initiative to feed the less privileged during very challenging times in Chitungwiza.

Tatenda Mavetera: Tatenda Mavetera is the Mashonaland East Proportional Representation Member of Parliament (ZANU PF). She is also the Young Women for Economic Development national chairperson. Through Young Women for Economic Development Mavetera has been working hard to ensure women rise from the periphery and get involved in economic development. Since 2010 she has been farming and she is a founding member for the Young Farmers Club in Zimbabwe Trust.

Anashe Blessing Murombedzi: Anashe Blessing Murombedzi, a television sports journalist currently working at ZBC  grew up in Hatfield, Harare. Murombedzi pursued her tertiary studies at Ranche House College where she studied Journalism and Media Studies which paved the way for her in the esteemed profession. In 2019 she was voted first princess at Miss Albinism. She was voted Miss Albinism in Zimbabwe. She also starred in the television production “Isithembu”, which gave her the space to exhibit her acting talent. She made her debut on TV in 2014, at 15, as the National Journalism and Media Awards (NJAMA) Child Journalist of the Year, having cut her writing teeth with The Sunday Mail Bridge.

Anashe Murombedzi

Kirsty Coventry: Kirsty Leigh Coventry Seward is the current Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in the Cabinet of Zimbabwe as of September 2018. She is a Zimbabwean politician, former Olympic swimmer and world record holder, and the most decorated Olympian from Africa. She continues to be an inspiration to many Zimbabweans, women in particular.

Minister Coventry

Natsiraishe Maritsa: At the age of 18 years, Natsiraishe Maritsa uses her passion for taekwondo — which she practices from her parent’s yard in Epworth, Harare — to rally young girls and mothers to join hands in the fight against child marriages in the country. After losing friends, classmates and relatives to child marriages and pregnancy, Maritsa founded the Vulnerable Underaged People’s Auditorium initiative to fight against child marriages and pregnancy.

Barbara Rwodzi: Barbara Rwodzi is a Zanu PF Member of Parliament for Chirumhanzu Constituency. Rwodzi is also a successful businesswoman who fits the entrepreneurial model promoted by Zanu PF under President Mnangagwa. She has been CEO of House of BarRue Knitwear, a textile export company with over 700 employees, since 2009. She has also since 2013 been CEO of Machine Electrical Distributors (MED), which distributes construction machinery and fuel transport vehicles.

Pastor Lynn Ndlovu: Hydrocephalus Foundation founder Pastor Lynn Ndlovu has done a lot of work to raise awareness of hydrocephalus, a condition that causes an abnormal build-up of fluid in the ventricles deep within the brain making the head grow big. This year, she partnered with Mpilo Central Hospital to open a ward that provides specialist care for children with hydrocephalus.

Kudakwashe Chiwandire: Rising boxer Kudakwashe “Take Money” Chiwandire, 26, is one of the outstanding local women after she was recently crowned the new World Boxing Council (WBC) interim super bantamweight champion in Zambia. She overcame veteran Zambian boxing star Catherine Phiri by a split decision after 10 gruelling rounds of boxing action at the Government Complex in Lusaka.

Minister Coventry

Donata Katai: Another outstanding Zimbabwean woman is swimming sensation Donata Katai, who demonstrated her potential to become one of the best future swimmers. She clocked a new personal best time in the heats of the women’s 100 backstroke at the Olympic Games in Tokyo last year. Katai, 18, was competing in her first Olympics and finished well ahead of 21-year-old Indian swimmer Maana Patel who finished second.