. . . How One Woman Is Rewriting Zimbabwe’s Story, One Summit at a Time
By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
HARARE – For years, Apphia Nyasha Musavengana has watched the world reduce her country to a single story. Economic collapse. Hyperinflation. Political tension. The headlines that travel further than the hope.
But on a recent afternoon, inside a bustling conference hall in Harare, something shifted. Delegates from across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Nigeria filled the room.
Women in sharp blazers and vibrant prints leaned across tables, exchanging WhatsApp numbers and business cards.
A woman from Lusaka was discussing a logistics partnership with a woman from Bulawayo. Another, from Lagos, was taking notes on Zimbabwean agro-processing techniques.
This was the Iconic Africa Summit.
And for Ambassador Musavengana, the 2019 Best Young Entrepreneur Award winner turned founder and president of the Concord for Young Women in Business organization, it was more than an event. It was a weapon against a narrative.
Delectable . . . Ambassador Apphia Musavengana founder and president of Concord for Young Women in Business
“It means everything for Zimbabwe to be recognized as a hub for women in business leadership,” she says, her voice steady and deliberate.
“For too long, many people only associated Zimbabwe with economic challenges. The summit helped showcase another side of our country — resilience, innovation, intelligence and opportunity.”
The Weight of Representation
When Amb Musavengana travels internationally to represent Zimbabwe — whether at leadership forums, business conferences, or diplomatic gatherings — she carries more than a passport. She carries the weight of a nation’s misunderstood identity.
“I carry our resilience, creativity and excellence with pride,” she says. “I always make sure people understand that Zimbabwe is full of talented, hardworking and visionary young people. I tell the story of a nation with potential, innovation and people who continue to rise despite challenges.”
It is not a performance. It is a conviction born from lived experience. Amb Musavengana built Concord for Young Women in Business because she noticed a gap between potential and opportunity. She saw young women with brilliant ideas and no support systems. Instead of waiting for someone else to fix it, she built a platform.
That platform now hosts summits that draw delegates from across the continent. And each summit serves as a quiet, powerful rebuttal to the Zimbabwe that outsiders think they know.
The Moment Pride Became Tangible
Ask Amb Musavengana for her proudest moment, and she does not hesitate.
“Seeing women from different countries exchanging ideas, doing business together and celebrating Zimbabwe as a capable host nation,” she says. “That moment reminded me that African women are powerful when united.”
It was not a speech or a ribbon-cutting. It was the organic hum of collaboration. A Zambian delegate finding common ground with a Zimbabwean manufacturer.
A Nigerian entrepreneur asking about Harare’s real estate market. Small moments that, stitched together, formed a new tapestry.
“We changed the narrative by proving that Zimbabwean women are not waiting to be empowered,” Amb Musavengana says. “They are already leading, building and creating impact across Africa.”
The Myth She Destroys Daily
One of the biggest myths Amb Musavengana fights is not about Zimbabwe’s economy — it is about who gets to lead.
“One myth I have worked hard to destroy is the idea that young women are not serious business leaders,” she says.
“Through Concord, we have proven that young women are capable of building sustainable businesses, leading organizations and contributing meaningfully to the economy. Age and gender should never limit someone’s potential.”
She speaks from evidence. One Concord member joined with only a small idea and very little confidence.
Through mentorship, networking and exposure, she grew her small business into a registered brand that now creates income for others.
“Watching young women transform from uncertain dreamers into confident entrepreneurs is the greatest reward,” Amb Musavengana says.
The Message to the President
Amb Musavengana is diplomatic but direct when asked what she would say to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“Mr President, young women are ready to contribute to Zimbabwe’s growth in a bigger way,” she says.
“What we need is increased access to funding, markets, mentorship and policies that make it easier for women-led businesses to thrive. When you empower a young woman, you empower a family, a community and ultimately the nation.”
It is not a complaint. It is a proposition. She sees young women not as beneficiaries of charity, but as engines of Vision 2030 — Zimbabwe’s national development blueprint.
“Empowering young women directly contributes to Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 because women are economic drivers,” she explains.
“When women are financially empowered, families become stronger, communities develop and the economy grows. Young women bring innovation, creativity and energy into industries. Investing in them is not charity — it is nation-building.”
What Keeps Her Going
The work is not easy. Hosting the Iconic Africa Summit required months of planning, relationship-building, fundraising, coordination and, as Amb Musavengana admits, prayer.
So what keeps her moving on difficult days?
“Purpose,” she says simply. “On difficult days, I remind myself that this work is bigger than me. Every young woman who gains confidence, starts a business or changes her life through Concord reminds me why we started. Impact keeps me moving even when challenges arise.”
She has grown since winning the Best Young Entrepreneur Award in 2019. Back then, she was ambitious and passionate but still learning. Today, she describes herself as more mature, strategic and purpose-driven.
“Leadership has taught me patience, resilience and the importance of serving others,” she says. “I have grown from simply wanting success to wanting impact.”
The Future She Is Building
In ten years, Amb Musavengana envisions Concord as a continental force — with leadership hubs, business incubation centers, mentorship programs and partnerships spanning Africa.
“I want Concord to become a platform that changes generations and creates lasting economic transformation for women,” she says.
For now, she continues to pack conference rooms, change minds, and tell a different story about Zimbabwe — one delegate, one handshake, one shifted narrative at a time.
“When young women in Zimbabwe truly thrive,” she says, “the country will finally unlock its full potential.”
And she intends to be there, keys in hand, when that lock turns.
About Author
