Name: Pardingtone Nhundu
Organization: Careers Zimbabwe
Role: Founder
Other Interests: Reading | Classic music|
Achievements:
– Started the first ever career focused non-profit in Zimbabwe
– Received merit award for an exemplary career center from National Career Development Association, USA.
– Have written four career books for high school, tertiary, on the job training and for teachers.
– Started the first ever career magazine in Zimbabwe called Career Insider.
When one starts an NGO, the focus is on getting funding more than anything else. However, for me the funding did not come and I ended up having to self-fund in order to start my social enterprise. To self-fund though, I had to find employment and work for a local from which I later resigned for some reasons.
Then when things got really tough, I had to decide on whether to go back job hunting or fundraise, find revenue streams for my enterprise. I made the choice to go ahead and chase my purpose at the risk of running out of my savings and without knowing when I will get while at the same time responsibilities at home did not go on halt. I had to choose what my idea meant and be honest with who I am. From that time, the key lessons I took that have propelled me to greater lengths include, planning a zero budget first ever, National Career Week.
