Rita Moyo, is a 26-years-old citizen of Zimbabwe who is working to end teenage pregnancy and early child marriage in rural communities in Zimbabwe even in the face of cultural acceptance. In this interview with Project Inspire Africa,Rita tells her story.
Can we meet you?
My name is Rita Moyo, a 26-years-old citizen of Zimbabwe. I love reading and I am a lover of history and economics.
Tell us briefly your childhood experience
I grew up under an extended family setup in Midlands Province of Zimbabwe in a place called Silobela where small scale farming was prevalent.
What’s your educational background?
I hold a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Namibia, a National Certificate in leadership, a Certificate in Basic Counseling, Intellectual Property, and Sexual Reproductive Health Rights. I attended my primary school at Totololo Primary school which was 2.5km away from our farm so we had to walk every day either winter or summer. I then proceeded from High School to a mission school named Loreto High school, where l then stayed in a hostel. My experience at the mission school led to the desire for making a social impact because l joined a Christian group called Youth Catholic Services(YCS) and from there l knew what l aspired to be though l didn't know the term.
What are your contributions towards making your country a better place?
l am the co-founder of Lotus Development Trust Zimbabwe. We have focused our operations in the Mindlands Province where I grew up, raising awareness about the issues relating to sexual reproductive health rights in the community, aimed at reducing teenage pregnancy. We are also rising up to the challenge of mental health crisis among youth people. We have and are still building online communities that create safe spaces for youths to talk about mental health. Our awareness campaigns, seminars and youth entrepreneurship programs have directly reached 1000 young people and we hope to do more. We have also provided face-to-face counselling to at least 24 youths on reproductive health. Our volunteers have been trained professionally in the areas we work in.
What steps did you take to bring your vision to fruition?
Every good thing starts with a vision and then a team. I started by sharing my vision with others, setting up a volunteer’s team and testing our ideas to see their results.
What motivated you to do what you are doing?
My childhood experience is the main source of my motivation. At a teenager, I saw a lot of my schoolmates drop out of school because of pregnancy and this made me want to do something to change the narrative and that is how I began my advocacy on sexual reproductive health. Child marriage was also common and justified on the grounds of religion.
What has been your major challenge since you began your nonprofit?
As an organization our biggest challenge has been cultural beliefs. The next is limitations placed on our work as a result of lack of funding.
How have you been able to raise money to implement your ideas?
Our funding at the moment come from personal income. We are looking forward to get donors to see the power in what we are doing and give us an opportunity to do more.
Could you share with us one or two experience(s) you have had in the course of your campaign that has impacted on you?
In the process of doing what I do, I have seen girls who were forced into early marriage. I have worked with some of these girls and succeeded in getting them back to school.
What are your prospects in the next 5 or 10 years?
To secure funding, create sustainable ways of implementing projects which will lead to reduction in teenage pregnancy.
What do you think is the major cause of unemployment in Africa, and how can we get over this?
The rot in the leadership of the Continent spills over to every facet. Our leaders need to redefine what it truly means to lead people selflessly and until this is achieved, the issue of unemployment may never be addressed.
If you had an opportunity to speak to presidents in Africa, what would be your message?
Give young people the opportunity to dream big and implement those ideas. Our Continent should not become a toxic ground for talent.
Thank you for sharing your story with us
It is my pleasure!
Follow Busaosowo Foundation:
bofinitiatives@gmail.com
This is so touching write up and we'll educative I'm inspired
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