Online Reporter
Phillipa Mukome Chinhoi
Youth Interactive writer
“We have a long way to go in Zimbabwe and Africa, but youth are stepping up. With support, creativity, and purpose, we can solve real problems and create sustainable impact.
Kudakwashe comes from a small family of two children, and he is the youngest. “My sister has always ¯ an inspiration to me and a constant source of encouragement. My mother, a dedicated secondary school teacher at Queen Elizabeth, has been my strongest support system. She believed in me from the beginning, even financing my first broiler-keeping project, and has continued to support my journey ever since,” he said.
He began his academic journey at Ruya Adventist High School, where he earned 11 A’s and 4 B’s at Ordinary Level. His hard work earned him a place at USAP Community School, one of the most prestigious A-Level institutions in Zimbabwe. It was there that he was introduced to robotics and software engineering, two disciplines that completely transformed his life.
“Through the Robotics Club, I learned to program Arduino kits and build simple but exciting projects like traffic light simulators. I fell in love with robotics because it allowed me to see my code come to life — transforming logic into real-world action.”
In 2022, Kudakwashe won the Africa Science Buskers Gold Medal with a project that used smoke sensors and LEDs to help schools detect early signs of drug use.
The system would alert authorities when cigarettes or other flammable substances were used on school grounds. “This project was close to my heart, as I had personally seen friends drop out of school due to addiction. I believe youth-led innovation can provide powerful tools to fight this crisis.”
Later that year, Kudakwashe partnered with his friend Tawanashe Makuvanze to create a plastic sorting machine, driven by the plastic waste crisis in Harare. Their project won the Zimbabwe Science Fair Gold Medal, reaffirming that their ideas had value and that youth can offer real solutions for Zimbabwe and beyond.
He said while in Upper Six, he led a solar-powered hydroponic project under the Zayed Sustainability Prize. His team became one of the top 3 finalists in Sub-Saharan Africa and was invited to present in Dubai. “It was an incredible platform that connected me with passionate youth across the continent. I saw first-hand how young people are rising to solve challenges in their communities.”
Currently, Kudakwashe is studying at the African Leadership University (ALU) as a proud MasterCard Foundation Scholar. “I am truly grateful for this opportunity.
ALU is more than a university; it’s a school of entrepreneurship and leadership that is building the next generation of African change makers. I’ve found it to be a place where youth innovation is encouraged, supported, and scaled, and I’m continuously inspired by the community of bold thinkers and builders around me.”
After high school in 2023, Kudakwashe founded his first company, Earthwise Youth Sustainability Group (EYSG). “Our mission is to empower youth to develop sustainable environmental ventures and lead by example. So far, I’ve been involved in three youth-led start-ups: Earthwise Storage, focused on off-grid, solar-powered food preservation; Smartel, a climate-smart hydroponics venture helping urban farmers grow more with less, and EarthSafe Minetrace, our latest innovation, supporting ethical and sustainable small-scale mining in Africa.”
In February 2025, Kudakwashe attended the Africa Mining Indaba in Cape Town, Africa’s largest mining event. “There, I learned from industry leaders and fellow young change makers. I also presented our EarthSafe Minetrace platform, a tool helping small-scale miners access finance by ensuring compliance, traceability, and verified production data. With support from Detamellon, we’re finalising the platform’s development. Its EcoTrace feature tracks minerals from extraction to sale, enabling miners to build credit profiles, qualify for equipment loans, and practice safer, more responsible mining.”
This year, Kudakwashe was also honoured to be selected as one of five Influencers for the 2026 Investing in Mining Indaba. “As part of my campaign, I launched Youth Collar Spotlight, a video podcast showcasing young professionals innovating in Africa’s mining sector. From minetech startups to policy leaders, we’re bringing new voices into the conversation around environmental sustainability, safety, productivity, and compliance.”
Kudakwashe was deeply honoured by the opportunity to share his journey with The Herald Youth Interactive. He hopes his story inspires other young people to believe that innovation, determination, and purpose can lead us away from drugs and hopelessness and toward a brighter future.
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