Biography

Prior to being tapped by the KSAL programme, I was studying for a Master’s of Philosophy in Animal Science at the University of Zimbabwe. I was majoring in Animal Nutrition, having commenced my studies in mid- 2002. The entire degree program required research work and involved a lot of travelling between research sites and the university campus. This was happening during the time when inflation started creeping into our economy, resulting in a huge strain on my study budget. Towards the end of 2003, I started searching for additional funding that would enable me to complete data collection and my thesis. In 2004, I had just completed collecting my field data when I applied and qualified for the KSAL Dissertation Award. This intervention came at a time when my resources were becoming very thin and quite stretched. However, I immediately learned that the KSAL intervention was not just about funding. There was the extra bonus of being groomed to be a thought leader who should also be able to ploughback into communities. I started attending the KSAL thought leadership training sessions during the period that I was preparing my thesis. One big inspiration and push that our team got from Prof Mbigi was to strive to be published authors. I was inspired and so managed to pluck two chapters from the thesis I was developing and get them published in international scientific journals. When I completed my Master’s degree, I felt the urge to leave life as an academic and become an entrepreneur. I was employed as a junior Animal Nutrition & Production lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe for a brief five months. In February 2006, I left teaching to join the Stockfeeds Division of National Foods Limited (NFL), a public company listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. I joined NFL as the Regional Animal Nutritionist, responsible for developing recipes for the company's three feed mills. The Stockfeeds Division produces feed for poultry, pig, cattle, horses, game, fish, dogs, sheep, goats, ostrich and crocodiles. In October 2008, I was promoted to head the Sales & Marketing Department, responsible for leading and guiding the Division's sales and marketing team countrywide. I still hold the same position, where I lead a team of 22 sales and marketing people of different genders, ethnic and racial groups. At the family level, my spouse and I have established a family business within the public transport sector. The business is now one year old, growing steadily and we are not looking back. I am also currently negotiating with the intention of buying a stake in a smaller animal feed manufacturing company in Zimbabwe.