Shelf
Her Story
Lived experience, told in the first person.
#TBT: Gems from Dr. Nothabo Ncube's Story
Two years ago, we interviewed Dr. Nothabo Ncube and featured her story on our website. Her world was shattered when her mother died when she was just 14. At the funeral, the young teenager made a promise to her mother as she stood over her casket: she would make her mother proud and pursue her dream of becoming a doctor.
How Storyteller Fungai Mettler Managed to Overcome all Odds After the Death of her Parents
Fungai Mettler is a 29-year-old Zimbabwean-born inspirational philanthropist and corporate social entrepreneur who was featured in a book project called 50 Young African Women Achievers.
Get to Know the Dynamic Ladies of Nobuntu
Nobuntu is a five-member, all-female acapella/imbube ensemble from the city of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. Their repertoire is a fusion of traditional Zimbabwean music, mainly rooted in Afro-jazz, gospel and crossover in pure voices with minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as mbira and dance movements.
How Nozizwe Mhlanga's Name Has Moulded Her Work as a Philanthropist
Nozizwe Mhlanga, whose first name translates to “mother of nations,” was born into a family of eight children. Her parents instilled in her the importance of helping the less fortunate - a virtue that would lead to great impact in her community. Here is her story:
TWSC Submission: When Daddy Left
My father, I still remember his face because of the photos they have shown me. He disappeared when I was six years old. I was the only child from my father but my mother had other children. By the time she met my father, she had [five] children. She eventually had 10 children and I was the sixth one. There was no relationship at all with my siblings because they had different f
TWSC Submission: My HIV Status Does Not Define Me
It is not clear how I contracted the sickness because my boyfriend at the time [was] negative. But looking back, I think I might have gotten it from a razor cut [from a blade] that was used to cut my mom's sister who was already bedridden with AIDS.
How Now-Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa Overcame Bullying, Negative Labels and Depression: The Story of Sharon Msiza
“Growing up, I was always a loner," Sharon told The Weight She Carries. "I preferred to be in my bedroom reading a book than to go out and play. But this did not suggest that I did not have any friends nor that I never used to play. One of my brothers made sure I was out and about. 'Don’t you have any friends, Sharon? Please go play and stop being idle,' he would say."
TWSC Submission: Surviving the Loss of Three Stillborn babies and my Uterus
My first pregnancy was when I was 20 years old. I remember I was [doing] my teacher's training school then and in my first year. I carried the pregnancy well, but it was a bit hectic because like any other pregnant woman, I craved some things and hated other things. But eventually everything was fine and labour started normally. My husband was not home but I called him.
Founder of IGNITE Youth Organisation Shares How Personal Journey Inspired Her to Create Mentorship for Youth
Tadzi Madzima was raised by a single mother who was multitasking and had a lot on her plate. Tadzi thought opening up to her mother and seeking advice and direction would be like adding more weight to the heavy burden she already had.
Self-Love Moment: It's not Personal
There is a lot that you don’t have control over. You cannot control how someone treats you, but you can control how you respond. People often mistreat others because they are empty or hurting. It’s not personal, you just happen to be in their path.
How Hanna Stone Went from a Life of Abuse to Finding Love and Happiness
Hanna Stone has lived through devastating abuses that began in childhood. She was born in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1986. She is the eldest of two children and suffered her first loss at age eight.
Grizelda Grootboom Shares her Story of Homelessness, Betrayal and Exploitation
Grizelda Grootboom is at the forefront of the fight against sex trafficking. Whether it is speaking to young women and girls as she signs copies of her book "EXIT!" after a conference or addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York, her commitment to combating sex trafficking is undeniable. It comes from her own experience as a young woman trapped in sex slavery f