Our Story

Today, I will tell you about our organization, the history driving this cause and why the work we are doing here is so important.

The idea of forming Amantombazana started when I was undertaking post graduate work researching on women NGO leadership in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe, where I was born and raised. In my research, I discovered that most girls and women living under patriarchal societies often encounter hurdles that are unique to their environments. Girls and women in Zimbabwe lag behind in education and leadership positions because they face discrimination by gender dating back to the colonial era.

During colonial rule, women were without capacity to make their own decisions or establish businesses without male intervention and leadership. These challenges are, unfortunately, still prevalent throughout Zimbabwe notably in Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, South and Midlands' provinces, collective referred to as Matabeleland.

“The women NGO leaders studied indicated that there were deliberate efforts by the government to channel donor funds towards other provinces other than Matabeleland.”

Soon after attaining black majority rule in 1980, these provinces were exposed to a period of brutal campaigns predominantly targeted to the minority Ndebele tribe. The violence was very controlled. International media was barred from entering the country.  The brutality, nicknamed Gukurahunde (removing the chaff), the tribal cleansing of the Ndebele tribe, was little known outside of Zimbabwe, and included extreme human rights violations especially on women and girls. 

Women and girls were abused and the levels of atrocities did not capture enough global recognition for an intervention to occur before thousands of lives were lost. It is estimated that over 20,000 people were killed during the Matabeleland massacres. Women and girls were the most vulnerable group as they remained in their homesteads while men and male youth ran away to neighboring countries.

The prolonged violence resulted in the shortage of basic needs in Matabeleland as businesses, schools and health facilities closed.

I further discovered through the study that Matabeleland lacked behind in international development funding because of a tendency by the government then to have donors and international development agencies to be stationed in Harare, the country’s capital. The women NGO leaders studied indicated that there were deliberate efforts by the government to channel donor funds towards other provinces other than Matabeleland.

I am empathetic to the girls and women in Matabeleland because whilst women elsewhere have made great strides in breaking the glass ceiling, women and girls in Matabeleland still lag behind in education opportunities and the rights to work. I strongly believe that part of the solution is to educate the less privileged girls who are the most vulnerable to discrimination and exploitation. 

I appeal to you to partner with me to alleviate the suffering of girls and women by giving to or partnering with our organization. Please join me in our fight for our girls and women.