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Faith “Chihera” Taruvinga

Lifestyle Writer
There was an excellent turn-out for the Afro Jumbo Trust’s inaugural fundraising dinner and fashion show held in Harare on Wednesday.

The event themed “Dinner Under the Stars” was held in support of the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority’s Extension and Interpretation Department, in particular mobility.

The starlit night was hosted at the scenic headquarters of the Authority and the atmosphere was simply electric with guests anxious to see the night’s events unfold. Guests enjoyed a great meal and a show from live bands filling the evening air with the sounds of smooth afro-jazz and RnB, not to mention the comic styles of famed stand-up comedian Samantha “Gonyeti” Kureya.

The dinner was attended South Africa-based philanthropist Jethro Mpofu and superstar DJ Mroza who were in support of the move to educate and support conservation in Africa.

The acclaimed Afro Jumbo Trust founder and fashion designer Thembani Mubochwa gave guests a fashion show to remember, from his “Afroju” line, with beautiful pieces ranging from haute couture, evening and casual wear. The pieces were, to the delight of many, to be auctioned after the event.

Thembani Mubochwa

The night took an exciting turn as partners of the Trust as well as guests began to pledge motorbikes and thousands of dollars towards the cause. The Extension and Interpretation Department is tasked with the role of raising awareness in communities on critical conservation matters and empowering them with knowledge to deal with issues such human-wildlife conflict.

The Afro Jumbo Trust is a coming together of young black Zimbabweans seeking to make a mark in nature conservation in Zimbabwe. It was established after the realisation that young people need to be more aware of the vast inheritance that this country offers them and their responsibility to receive the baton from those that have come before them, as they become the custodians of this inheritance for future generations.

The Afro Jumbo Trust was founded by Fashion Designer Thembani Mubochwa who is also the National Elephant Ambassador and Ambassador for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. The vision is to see more young Zimbabweans heeding the call to get involved in conservation.

Mubochwa said he was happy with the success of the dinner. “This is the beginning of great things that the Trust intends to do. We will have a number of campaigns across the region and we are happy with the support we got from South Africa at this event. It is our dream to take it to other nations and preach the word about the African jumbo. We thank everyone that came to support this cause,” he said.

One of the organisers Faith “Chihera” Taruvinga was also impressed with the way the dinner was a success. “The event came at a time when we are doing a lot as Afro Jumbo to spread message about conservation of elephants and wildlife. I am happy with the way the event went. It had respected delegates and it shows that our mission will go beyond our expectations,” she said.