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Canditar Chapanduka, Chronicle Reporter
FOR most women, marriage is the stuff of their dreams, a way to confirm that they are indeed women, a badge that they display with pride, but for some it can be a nightmare. For Brenda Ndlovu, a teenage mother , the union was stressful.

After many years of inertia, Brenda who got married at 19 after falling pregnant, decided to quit her marriage and go back to school and achieve her dreams.

She does not regret that brave decision as she is  now an entrepreneur with a degree, working  at Skyz Metro as a presenter and a producer.

Her experiences have made her become more determined to transform other people’s lives through an organisation that she founded.

“I fell pregnant when I was 18. Marriage was not easy and it became harder when the father of the children lost his job at a time when I had just given birth to my second child.

“I started planting tomatoes in the yard at our home and I also became a cross border trader so that I could sell them to get funds that helped sustain the family.

“When I became a cross-border trader I had corporate executive clients because I managed to market my products to them and they would always place orders and business went very well.

“I realised my potential. I felt since childhood that I wanted to make a difference and make an impact to the world. I had to quit marriage because at that time I had not discovered my identity as an individual , and so I went back to school so that I could pursue my dreams and using my gift professionally.

“I then left the marriage that I had been in for years and went back to school. I went back to Form Three and I was attending night school at Mpopoma High. I failed twice because of the pressure that I had from looking after my children and the business I was running, but I did not have the option to quit regardless of my age but I kept on being focused on reaching my destiny,” said Brenda.

She passed on her third attempt and went on to further her studies at Species College where she enrolled for Secretarial Studies. After that she studied for a Degree in International Relations.

“I got my degree in Harare and things were not easy because I could go for a week eating bread and Mazoe Crush only, but I was not discouraged because I really knew what I wanted. I became an intern at the Embassy of Romania before moving back to Bulawayo.

“The internship opened more job opportunities for me because soon after leaving the internship I got a temporary job for 1 and a half years at Mhlahlandlela as a Personal Assistant for the Former  Acting Provincial Medical Director in the Ministry of Health in Bulawayo Province.”

After leaving the Ministry of Health, Brenda found herself knocking on the Skyz Metro doors.
“After the contract ended, I heard that Skyz-Metro was looking for independent radio producers. I am currently hosting a programme on Skyz Metro named ‘I rise with Brenda’. I named the programme ‘I rise’ because I believe in other people regardless of their backgrounds because of the way I rose and changed my life.

“My aim is to inspire, encourage, and motivate a disheartened person out there who once dreamt of becoming someone in society and under various circumstances gave up and became content with their current situation. The program’s purpose is to encourage people to reach their maximum potential. So far, I have invited more than 40 people in less than a year who have shared their life stories, traumas, challenges, and experiences. These people’s experiences have touched the lives of many, and lives have been transformed through the Radio Show.

“My programme has managed to raise a lot of people who are making it in life at different ages from different backgrounds. I see people going back to school at the age of 50, taking degrees and driver’s licences among many other achievements they get.

It feels great to me when they call me back and thank me for helping them to get hope of improving their lives.”
Brenda’s exploits have not gone unnoticed. She has won awards and has been invited to preside over important events.

“I won a Megafest Southern Region Business Award and got the Gold Award Winner in the Category of the Outstanding Business Personality of the year 2022. I am a keynote speaker and I have spoken in various events such as AWICOM Women in Construction and Manufacturing and the Youth Connect Centre Bulawayo Entrepreneurs’ dinner in 2022 just to name but a few.

“What I can encourage other people and especially young people is ensuring that , one must DO THINGS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME to avoid regrets and unnecessary stress. Second chances don’t happen to many and they are not easy at all. I managed to get all that I have today because of determination, hard work, perseverance and of course the support of my family, especially my parents and siblings and as a well as spiritual guidance from my Pastors. I am a woman who does not believe in being ordinary. Always go the extra mile and believe in yourself that there is Nothing you CAN NOT DO. I’m a Director of Ceremonies for various  events, and I founded Brenda Blessings Trust which I use to transform the lives of young people through the resounding Word of God.

“I am also a producer of amasi with a soon-coming brand called Amasi ka MaHarts. I am a busy woman that seeks to look for more opportunities ,said Brenda.–@NomqheleC