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Born some 58 years ago in flood-prone Muzarabani, Judith Tsitsi Musvosvi (pictured below), the country director for Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra), had everything against her quest for self-actualisation, but thanks to a strong Christian orientation and loving parents who valued education, she has risen to become a respected player in the human service sector.
With a human development career spanning close to three decades, Musvosvi has seen it all in community development and she believes it is the duty of all to play a part in the emancipation of the marginalised communities.
“I grew up during the war time and beyond the cultural connotations around girl child education, the war situation meant the majority cared little about sending children to school and it was even more difficult for a girl child,” Musvosvi said.
“I am, however, grateful to my father and late mother for their belief in me and unparalleled regard for education which saw me defying odds and growing to attain my dreams.”
A devout Christian and a mother of three achievers, one a business and technology professional, the other a dentist and another a Masters student in Medical Information and Technology, Musvosvi believes in education for all and has reiterated that the girl child must not be left out.
“I am married to Jonathan, a loving husband and pastor, and I thank God that our passion for education has equally transcended to our children who are all accomplished professionals in their fields of study,” she said.
“My wish is for every child regardless of background to have an opportunity to learn and I challenge every citizen to consider adopting at least one disadvantaged child so that they can access quality education.”
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For a woman who has literally spent her entire life in human service , Musvosvi said she was grateful to her mother for instilling in her the attributes of servitude and respect for all regardless of status or background. “My mother had keen interest in people especially the disadvantaged. She was really concerned about people and would give her all to make sure that none lacked or felt left out,” she said.
“Even when she passed on, there were countless testimonies of love and that selflessness inspired me a lot. It is therefore no coincidence that my whole life has been dedicated to service for others in one way or the other.”
In spite of all her accomplishments and her current role as the country director of a leading global organisation with presence in 135 countries, Musvosvi revealed she grew up under difficult circumstances but called on the community to desist from labelling people poor as that has a limiting effect on individual aspirations.
“I am one person who grew up in poverty and I only realised how poor we were when I was in college and my parents were struggling to pay for my fees. I had to work for my fees and I am grateful to God and the support structure that saw me rise above my circumstances,” she said.
“Education is truly transformational and it is my hope that we all fight to ensure quality education for all. Yes, poverty is real, but to me subjective.
There are so many values and ethos that can make someone considered poor way richer than the haves.”
Musvosvi, whose first job was in 1982 when she joined the Local Government and Town Planning ministry in the district administrator’s office in Centenary, believes development work was always going to be her way of life.
“I grew up in peripheral Muzarabani, then moved to Mutare, Buhera, Chinhoyi and later on Solusi for my education, but I always knew that service to others was my calling,” she said.
“When I see the little girls walking barefoot in my forays around rural Zimbabwe, I always see myself in them and my life story has given me the revelation that people can come from anywhere and become anything. You actually become bigger by the depth of where you are coming from and humble beginnings should not be seen as a limiting factor.”
Musvosvi has over the years acquired great expertise from higher learning institutions in Zimbabwe, the United States as well as Kenya and she reckons that experience has influenced her development sector approach both at personal level as well as at organisational level with Adra Zimbabwe.
“I studied International Development at Solusi University, then moved to the US where I worked as a manager for a human service organisation and acquired a Masters in International Development. I then moved to Kenya where I worked as a development officer for Kenya University of Eastern Africa and pursued a public health qualification which is very important in my line of duty,” she said.
“It was during my stint in Kenya that I got hired by Adra International to do a three-year project that focused on South Africa and Zimbabwe. I also worked for organisations like Plan International, Concern Worldwide as well as Island Hospice before undertaking my current position as Adra Zimbabwe country director.”
As she continues with her community development work around Zimbabwe and beyond, Musvosvi says it is important for development players to champion community-driven and community-designed projects if they are to attain sustainability and achieve lasting impact.
“It is very unfortunate that in our line of duty we sometimes get project funding that is already designed in a particular way, but I believe our focus should be on capacity development of existing knowledge and value systems within communities.
“Communities have a lot to offer and the sooner we realise that the better. It is sad that because communities now know what development players want to hear they sometimes play along and give us what we want to hear, but in instances that I have undertaken covert fact-finding missions, I have unearthed very interesting discoveries which we have and will continue sharing with our partners for better and efficient programming.”
Adra Zimbabwe under Musvosvi has implemented life-changing projects around food security and livelihoods, water and sanitation, nutrition, horticulture and the markets, maternal health, disaster management and response as well as general community resilience initiatives and she thanked the organisation’s various partners for the support.
“Through Adra Zimbabwe, we have spearheaded life-changing programmes covering various focus areas like disaster response, food security and livelihoods, water and sanitation, maternal health, horticulture and the markets, small livestock and small grains initiatives, health promotion as well as building of schools and we are really grateful for the partners’ support,” she said.
“Various funding partners and development agencies like World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), United National Children’s Fund (Unicef), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan through Adra Japan, USAid, DIFAD Australia, DFID UK , Austrian government through Austria Development Agency and Adra Austria have all supported our initiatives in a big way,” she said.
Beyond the invaluable support and aid from international development agencies, foreign governments and sister Adra organisations, Musvosvi called on the general Zimbabwean populace to play their part in community development through dedicating their personal resources in service to others.
“While we acknowledge the continued support from international players and agencies, we urge all progressive minds to consider donating the little they can to assist marginalised communities,” she said.
“Zimbabweans are great givers, but the challenge is they give only to their relatives. Let us look beyond family and consider those kids in outlying areas who drop out of school because they have failed to raise ZWL$50 to write their Grade Seven exams. We are all donors and we must rise to the occasion.”
Musvosvi also thanked the Seventh-Day Adventist Church for the continued support to her organisation’s community initiatives highlighting that faith-based organisations were demonstrating amazing reach in their work thanks to their viable nationwide structures.
“Yes, community development is my calling but besides partner support, I would want to acknowledge the support from the Seventh-Day Adventist Church because our power as a faith-based organisation is in the viable nationwide structures,” she said.
“Adra Zimbabwe is the humanitarian and development arm of the church and I am glad to be living my calling through this organisation. We all have a duty to serve and we must play our part regardless of the limitations and environment.” l Feedback: [email protected]
