Women Voices of Dissent Poetry Series 4: Not Yet
If you are reading this, you are probably a big part of the reason that Her Zimbabwe exists today.
In whatever way that you have contributed – be it via your participation in our discussions and events, dropping by our offices or through providing words of encouragement – I would like to sincerely thank you. Through your kind gestures, time and support, you have kept Her Zimbabwe going in uncertain times and on unsteady paths. And in so doing, you have also kept me afloat and inspired.
It is of utmost importance for me to acknowledge you, for today I write to inform you that I will be leaving Her Zimbabwe, very shortly, at the end of May. This is a personal decision I have come to after much thought and reflection; it is a decision that feels right for me, and one that I sense is also right for Her Zimbabwe’s growth beyond me.
A couple of weeks ago, Her Zimbabwe turned four. And in the build up to the actual anniversary, Facebook‘s notifications constantly reminded me of memories from days just before and after the launch of this platform when many of you shared in that initial excitement of birthing this idea.
It hasn’t ceased to amaze me (and it probably never will) just how many people put their energies together behind something that only existed through vague description; something that required you to have a great amount of faith in me. It’s a lesson I take with me and one that I hope that you will continue to apply to other people’s lives; that great magic can happen where passion and conviction meet.
And I hope that today, all these years later, your faith in the Her Zimbabwe dream still feels well-invested. It should, because what was once just an idea has since birthed much more. Today, Her Zimbabwe is many different things including a space where people share, learn, debate, agree and dissent. It is also an organisation with an office and staff and stringers across the country (and some, even beyond Zimbabwe’s borders), creating opportunities for employment and professional growth in a very challenging environment.
In this short time, Her Zimbabwe has been embraced by so many spaces and has built important friendships and partnerships that very literally span the globe. You have been essential to this process. And you will continue to be as Her Zimbabwe continues to grow.
Decisions like this are never easy to make, but I leave with new knowledge, experiences and important life lessons.
And I can never say thank you enough for your contributions to this journey.
About the author
Fungai is a creative whose areas of passion are the written word (journalism and poetry), photography and new media. She is also the Founder and Managing Editor of Her Zimbabwe and describes herself as being on a continuous journey to self-discovery. She blogs at fungaineni.wordpress.com
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Wow! I am impressed. She came, she saw, she conquered!
Having Mixed feelings
Not sure what to say, your departure from HerZimbabwe certainly comes as a surprise. Kudos for the great work. Four years feels like a short time, but then again, it takes great leadership to start something and let go of the reigns while it is still doing well. All the best in your next endeavor. I know you’ll succeed at whatever you plan to do next.