Nyamayaro seeks to transform the world

By The Standard | Oct. 18, 2017

Testimonies Media Group (TMG) has become the brand builder of choice and many organisations, religious groups and corporates in Zimbabwe owe their strength and traction in their respective sectors to the good work being done by the fast-fledging media group.

TMG has been in existence since 2015 and the organisation’s founder and ceo Mercyline Mutarisi-Nyamayaro believes it is their season to carve an indelible niche in the industry.

“Our core value is to transform and inspire lives globally, as we share testimonies about the Christian faith voice in every sphere and impact people of all ages. We have many subsidiary projects within our brand, with Testimonies Magazine being the face of the brand,” said Mutarisi-Nyamayaro.

Mutarisi-Nyamayaro is not your everyday woman. While most women have indeed awaken to the need for self-emancipation and the relentless pursuit of dreams, there is a certain hunger that she exudes and her strides to date are testimony of where passion and drive can take you.

The work she does with TMG covers various business interests among them printing and publishing, advertising and marketing, brand development as well as community development.

Speaking to The Standard Style recently, Mutarisi-Nyamayaro said she was in the game to stay and in spite of challenges, their brand was growing from strength to strength, especially the flagship project, Testimonies Magazine.

“Testimonies Magazine is a non-denominational Christian publication which covers cross-cutting issues ranging from Christianity, business, humanitarian work, community development, health, fashion, children, love and relationships,” she said.

“Our main anchor is on testimonies; be they personal, corporate or ecclesiastic so that through them, we inspire positive change in the communities.”

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In a largely polarised media environment, Mutarisi-Nyamayaro said the magazine endeavours to unite today’s church, which has been divided along the lines of denominationalism and other factors.

The publication, which is distributed locally, regionally and internationally, reaches out to both Christians and non- Christians by publishing insightful, analytical, educative, entertaining and well-researched articles with a Christian orientation, but touching on various topical issues that build humanity and promote a culture of excellence.

“Beyond profiling testimonies, we also celebrate success and unravel stories of change by development players and corporate players. We strongly believe that people believe what they read and hear, hence we try as much as we can to spread a message of hope,” the TMG boss said.

Testimonies Media also has a soft spot for disadvantaged and marginalised communities, whose plight is unpacked for the activation of the philanthropic consciousness. To that end, they have done extensive work with Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) working towards the reintegration and rehabilitation of inmates. They are also the publishers of the ZPCS magazine and they work with various development organisations profiling their stories of change from around Zimbabwe.

Another interesting twist to TMG work is a radio programme titled TMG Community Issues, which will see the organisation partnering local and international development players for a radio programme that will profile humanitarian challenges and other impact stories in the local development sector.

“The radio programme will air on Star FM starting this week and we will be partnering local and international humanitarian organisations that work in disadvantaged communities so that we contribute to the promotion of strong and resilient communities that are able to deal with their everyday challenges. The radio programme is our own way of giving back to the community and input towards a better Zimbabwe for all,” she said.

While most businesspeople attribute their success to personal drive, Mutarisi-Nyamayaro said she owed her success to the teaching she got from religious leader, Apostle Tavonga Vutabwashe of Heartfelt International Ministries.

“I attended Apostle Vutabwashe’s first mentorship lesson and I was touched to an extent that I could not wait for the second session. It was during these mentorship lessons that I grasped the business acumen. At one time, our class was asked by Apostle Vutabwashe to make at least $1 000 each in one week as an assignment and everybody in the mentorship class raised that money,” she said with a smile of satisfaction

Testimonies Media Group also boasts of a clothing label called Testimonies, something Mutarisi-Nyamayaro said was ideal for promoting self-worth among citizens. The deliberate focus on glorifying the Christian good according to her, is to create peace in the world.

“When bad things happen in this world, they are reported at the speed of lightning — talk of natural disasters, accidents, hunger, civil conflicts, or other catastrophes. The devil is making sure that the media is always bombarded with things that keep our senses off the testimonial Word that can edify and win souls for God’s kingdom. However, the devil himself is a victim of testimonies. ‘And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony,’ [Revelations 12:11],” she said.

“If we resist the negatives of this world and focus on the positives that God is doing in our lives, we create a better world akin to the Garden of Eden. A world free from crime, disease, violence, hunger and poverty, you name it.”

Mutarisi-Nyamayaro said their clients and advertisers’ faith in the TMG group continued to carry the day for them and encouraged Zimbabweans from all walks of life to pursue their dreams.

“Also worthy of mention are our valued clients and corporates who advertise their products through our magazine and we will not make individual mention of them because they are many but we value their support,” she said.

“Our success as TMG has its roots in them. Without their support, we would not have been here.”