Emelda Vhiriri is a young ,phenomenal woman and an inspiration to youths .She has risen beyond societal expectations and norms to become a respectable young author.
Her Book The Invaluable Woman has been doing well and serves to inspire young women and other older to see their worth.
263Chat caught up with Emelda to unpack her works and what she is working on.
Here are excerpts of the interview
Qn: Who is Emelda Vhiriri?
Ans: Emelda Vhiriri wears so many hats, she is 25 years old. Founding director of an NGO Cultivate Africa, Chairperson of the Young Women’s Forum under Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Author, Musician and a Deaconess.
Qn: What is your specialty?
Ans: For me it’s more of youth development and women’s rights.
Qn: How do you keep up with the busy schedules and responsibilities you hold?
Ans: It’s not about age but principles and who you are and what makes you as a person. For me I have mentors and people i work with, they encourage me and lift me up. There are instances where it’s difficult as a young woman but they encourage me to move on. I find it exciting because i’m all about birthing significance through impacting the next life, so it is about other people more than myself.
Qn: When did your journey begin?
Ans: It has been a journey and lot of events happened when I was in high school. Leadership was from a young age, you know how they say some are born leaders, I believe I was born one and growing into a better one. Practically in started when I was 18 and I was volunteering at organisations that helped young people and women.
Qn: What does Cultivate Africa and Young Women’s Forum focus on?
Ans: Cultivate Africa focuses on cultivating the lives of young people, looking at life skills and youth inclusion. Young women’s forum is under Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe and I volunteer there and it looks at aspects to do with empowering women.
Qn: Tell us about your book ‘The Invaluable Woman’?
Ans: Writing the book was a journey. When you look at the word invaluable, It means priceless. Inspiration came from having conversation with fellow friends and sisters who are in a place of questioning their worth and broken on the inside. It’s a transformation book of the mind, body and spirit.
Qn: At 25 you have managed to grow as a person and entrepreneur, what is the secret?
Ans: It’s really not a secret, a lot people know what to do but haven’t impacted. Do not look at yourself with the man’s eye but it limits you. Look and who you want to be in the future and invest in that person. Basically it’s about principle and discipline.
Qn: What is the inspiration and meaning behind the quote ” Female is nothing but biology”?
Ans: It is inspired by the quote age is nothing but a number, so i thought female is nothing but biology because it is socially constructed to say that a woman can or cannot do ABCD so it can also be de-constructed and break through the glass ceiling.
Qn: How are you willing to make a difference in the lives of Young Zimbabwean women?
Ans: I am always about making things happen and I am willing to continue doing what I have been doing and help them get what they need to get.
Qn: As we have embarked in a new year, what words of encouragement do you have for young people and women for the year 2018?
Ans: It is not about how many goals you set, find specific goals and focus on them. The fewer they are the easier it is to execute productivity so set practical goals for yourself that you can actually tackle. Be a dream chaser and put legs to your dreams.You can be anything.
For the full interview https://www.facebook.com/263Chat/videos/1164490160320425/ click on that link.
