Cro s s i n g
T H E P OW E R
BRIDGE
The Ziwa Team: #ThePowerBr idge was an intimate empower ment and net wor k ing event which saw 100
guests come together to get up close and personal with some of the past ZIWA winners and nominees
S i nce i t s i n ce p ti o n i n 2013, th e Z i m b abwe I nter nat ional Wom en’s Award s (ZIWA) h a s
soug ht to b e mo re th a n a n awa rds show. ZIWA has always wanted to go a step fu r t h e r
and lay a long-lasting foundation to grow a philosophy that ever y Zimbabwean woman
could identify with - one of excellence, tenacit y, boldness, innovation, generosit y and
f a c i l i t at i o n o f t h e p ro gre s s o f o u r co m m u n i t i e s w h e re ve r we a re a ro u n d t h e wo r l d.
ZIWA hosted their annual event as #ThePowerBr idge on S aturday the 28th of O c tober,
2 0 1 7 at Win s t an l ey Ho u se i n Lei cester.
I Am ThePowerBridge. The
event was hosted by Tafadz wa
Mushipe, a vibrant and dynamic
T V p ro du cer and pres enter at
Made in Birmingham T V whose
broadcasting career actually
star ted in Zimbabwe. Opening
the event was 10-year-old
Alicia Jonathan who recited
a self-penned poem on what
#ThePowerBridge meant to
h e r - ‘ I A m T h e Po w e r B r i d g e .’
Dalia Majongwe then sang
some songs written for the
day wh il s t pl ay ing the m bira,
b e fo re aw a rd - w i n n i n g Pu b l i c
Health Specialist/African
Af f a i r s A n a l ys t D o rc a s G w a t a
g ave a k ey no te s peec h .
We must applaud and
apprec iate o u r co ntr ib ut i o n s.
Dorcas, who is also the
b l o g g e r b e h i n d Tr i b a l S a n d s,
challenged the audience to
applaud and appreciate the
good that has come out of
the African continent and
Z i m b a bwe i n p a r t i c u l a r. S h e
gave the example of the
mental health project ‘ The
Fr i e n d s h i p B e n c h’ w h i c h w a s
c reated in Zim babwe a n d i s a
method of supporting those
w i t h m e nt a l h e a l t h p ro b l e m s
and one that the UK and
other western countries could
utilise. Many themes were
d raw n o ut i n t h e s ub s e q ue nt
QnA moderated by the host.
Th e s e i n c l u d e d h ow t h o s e i n
the diaspora can contribute to
Z i m b a b w e w i t h o u t fo s t e r i n g
co - dependenc y. S ocial issues
such as parenting and mar ital
challenges in the diaspora
we re a l s o a d d re s s e d.
Be bold and pursue your
dreams. After a 3-course lunch,
the programme then featured
discussions between the
guests and 4 panels comprising
of previous ZIWA winners and
nominees as well as rising
s t a r s i n o u r co m m u n i t y. Th e
f i r s t p a n e l wa s ‘ Yo un g, G i f te d
& Z i m b a b w e a n ,’ f o l l o w e d b y
‘Healthcare for Modern Times,
‘ Wo m e n Pu s h i n g B o u n d a r i e s’
and ‘Passion.Creativit y.Work ’ .
of all those who are driven
a n d m o t i vate d l i k e we a re to
highlight the achievements
of Zimbabwean women
and the way in which these
achievements work for our
collective good - men and
women, boys and gir ls. As our
host Tafadz wa Mushipe stated
- ‘ Yo u a re ZI WA ! ’
Yo u a re Z I WA . Th e Z I WA Te a m
a re gra te f u l to a l l t h o s e w h o w w w.z iwa awa rd s.com
a t t e n d e d a n d e n g a g e d s o From Lef t: Kudzai - ar tist, past ZIWA
f u l l y i n t h e e v e n t t h i s y e a r. Winner , N icola - inter ior designer,
‘ We k n o w t h a t Z I WA w o u l d ZIWA Panel M ember, Clar issa- PO at
n o t ex i s t w i t h o ut t h e s up p o r t Zim Law yers for Human R ights