September 2021
Meet Rotarian Collin Mtangi
PR: Tell us how you came to know about Rotary and how many years have you been a member.
Rtn: I have always known of the Rotary Club but did not think of it too seriously. However during our Borrowdale Methodist Mens Fellowship meeting after Cyclone Idai, I was very emotional about provisions /assistance to be rendered to the victims but to me church bureaucracy was stagnating progress. It was after this meeting that Adv. Nyangulu invited me to the Rotary Club of Harare Central to hear more of what the Club intended doing towards Cyclone Idai victims and that if I so wish to become a member. After a number meetings it was as an eye opener to its activities and decided to become part of the Rotary family, This I did and the rest is history. So kudus to my father Adv. Nyangulu because it is a worthy club to be a member of.
PR: Can you tell us briefly about yourself.
Rtn: My date of birth is 1st Dec 1954. A real international senior citizen!!! I am married to Eleanor Thokozile and had been blessed with three boys of which the first born passed on. I a m a full member of the Borrowdale Methodist Church of Zimbabwe (Whisiri) , a member of the Mens Fellowship of the same church. I am an ex banker, started with Barclays then ended with then Stanchart Merchant Bank after which I became an entrepreneur founding Cottel Enterprises a family company with interests in the following sectors: trading, water engineering, health, energy specifically solar and hydro and small scale cattle ranching.
PR: Can you share with us what motivates you.
Rtn: Giving a helping hand to others especially those less privileged than me motivates me tremendously.
PR: Which projects have you attended and been involved in and how were you impacted?
IPP: Delivery of water pump accessories and tree planting at Triashill, handover of schoolbooks in Shamva.
PR: Would you recommend Rotary and why?
Rtn: I highly recommend Rotary Club to anyone who also thinks of putting a smile to the needy and less privileged. Love is at the epicentre of Rotary Club’s activities.
Meet the first Harare
Central Female Rotarian, Past Assistant Governor Nyepudzayi
PR: Tell us how you came to know about Rotary and how many years have you been a member?
PAG: Mr. Alan Young (who is now with Dawn Rotary Club) invited PAG Vanani and the next thing I was a Rotary Ann. This is over 20 years ago. PAG Vanani became President of The Rotary Club of Harare Central and a year after his presidency I was inducted as the first Rotary female member of the Club.
PR: Can you tell us briefly about yourself? (To cover this, family, profession, committee you are in, why you joined that committee)
PAG: I was born in Mutoko near Nyadire Mission where I did my primary and secondary school at Nyamuzuwe Mission finishing in 1968. I won an American Field Service International Scholarship and went to Oregon in 1969 -1970. In 1970 I left USA for the United Kingdom and became both a State Registered Nurse and Certified Midwife in 4 years. I went into academic field and held a diploma In Management, Finance and Manpower Studies up to Masters and Doctorate levels over time.
I have worked in Government, Private Sector as an Executive Level in Banking, and I am also an Entrepreneur in The Hospitality Industry. I am a keen Organic Gardner, a Chorister at Church and a very active Women/Gender equality promoter as Chair of Women in Management, Business Development Trust (WIMBD Trust) and a Gender Commissioner with The Zimbabwe Gender Commission. I am mother of 6 children (4 daughters, 2 sons, sadly my first son is late and have 6 grandchildren with the 7th on the way, happily married to PAG Vanani and we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2019. I am in Fellowship and Fund-raising, and Foundation Committees because money is the engine of Projects and I love fun.
PR: Can you share with us what motivates you?
PAG: Seeing lives change for the better. Getting up and doing something to make this world a better place motivates me. Building something from scratch to something big and beautiful. Rotary helps me to do just that – Changing Lives.
PR: Which projects have you attended and been involved in and how were you impacted?
PAG: Wheelchair handovers, Society of the Destitute Aged (SODA) in Highfields (Old People’s Home), Homefield (mentally challenged people’s home), Christmas luncheons and many others including Discon and International Conventions.
PR: Would you recommend Rotary and why?
PAG: Yes, as it is a very fulfilling adventure of life of loving and giving to others. As Rotarians we get back much more from God’s blessings for what we do, “whatever you do for the lesser ones of you, you do it for me” says The Lord.
Meet Rotarian Florence Jambwa
PR: Tell us how you came to know about Rotary and how many years have you been a member
Rtn: I came to know about Rotary through my Aunt Rose Mukogo who is a member of the Rotary Club of Highlands in 2008. We had travelled together to South Africa at the height of the economic meltdown of 2008 to buy some groceries. She subsequently invited me to her club and I became a Rotarian in 2009. So I have been a Rotarian for 10 years.
PR: Can you tell us briefly about yourself
Rtn: I am a mother of a 25 year old boy Anesu, who is finishing up his degree in Computer Science. I am a lawyer of 26 years working experience. I studied at the university of Zimbabwe. And during the course of my career I did an MBA with ESAMI and currently I am doing my dissertation in International Business Law with the Robert Kennedy College in collaboration with with the University of Cumbria. I have worked for the Government and it’s parastatals the last being with ZIMRA at the end of May 2019. Since then, I have taken a break from the profession and hopefully in the future I will rejoin. In the meantime, I am pursuing my other passion which is crafting of various things. I hope to excel in this in the coming year.
I am in the Administration Committee and as you know, I transferred this Rotary year from Highlands. I felt it important to start from this Committee as it is the heartbeat of the Club. So far I have enjoyed being there.
PR: Can you share with us what motivates you.
Rtn: I am motivated by the word of God in the first instance because it reaches me selflessness and humility. I am also motivated and inspired by my parents particularly the sacrifices they endured to raise and educate me together with my siblings. Their great deeds are beyond description.
PR: Which projects have you attended and been involved in and how were you impacted?
Rtn: As I have mentioned that I have transferred in this Rotary year from the Rotary Club of Highlands, I am still yet to attend projects within my new club Harare Central.
PR: Would you recommend Rotary and why?
Rtn: I always wear my Rotary pin whenever I wear a jacket, to advertise Rotary, and whenever I have a chance I talk Rotary. One of my friends will soon be inducted into Rotary.
Meet Rotarian Byron
Chigiji
PR: Tell us how you came to know about Rotary and how many years have you been a member.
Rtn: Rotary was introduced to me by Past President Edith Chari whom I consider a sister and a friend. I am new in the family as I was inducted on 31 October 2019.
PR: Can you tell us briefly about yourself
Rtn: I was born on 19 July 1978 in rural Zvimba, in Mashonaland West Province. I attended Goredema Primary School in Zvimba and Hanke Adventist Secondary School in Shurugwi. After my O Levels I enrolled at Nyadire Teachers College in Mutoko. Before I started my lectures as a trainee teacher my cousin and I held discussions on not wanting to engage in careers chosen by our parents! I therefore only lasted 5 days at the teachers training college! I enrolled at a college for a diploma in marketing and was employed by Export Leaf Tobacco (BAT) as a leaf checker. I then joined Intercontinental Leaf Tobacco as a Tobacco Buyer. My career has been with various companies in the tobacco industry. I am currently a Director for Premium Leaf Zimbabwe. In addition I am an entrepreneur with businesses in transportation and farming. I am a father of 2 handsome sons Iphile Anesu and Inhle Tavonga Chigiji.
PR: Can you share with us what motivates you.
Rtn: It comes from making a difference in the community through helping others who are less privileged. It also comes from passion on anything that l do.
PR: Which projects have you attended and been involved in and how were you impacted?
Rtn: We visited Rotarian Collin’s Clinic project in Chivi and l realized that we need to plough back into our communities always. After that I went to my former primary school and asked how I could contribute to the school. They had a fencing project which I have undertaken to do in phases.
PR: Would you recommend Rotary and why?
Rtn: Yes, I would as I have seen less privileged communities benefitting from the work being done through Rotary.