admin
Delta Milayo Ndou #digitaldialogue
Blogging opened up many doors for us as we received international awards, fellowships and even scholarships to undertake postgraduate studies abroad. We started with the talent we had, to reach for those erstwhile lofty dreams that had been beyond our grasp.
For some people, gaining aptitude in digital skills can seem rather daunting even though many basic skills can be self-taught.
One way of gaining digital competency is to simply do or share what you love — digitally.
Connect what you are talented in with a technology that allows you to express it, enhance it or display it.
Technology should not be a source of consternation when it can be an enabler and facilitator of progress.
Whatever you are good at, whatever you have a talent for — you can leverage technology to get the most out of it by way of exposure, building a loyal following, be able to monetise it and make a career out of doing what you love.
My first discovery of the power of technology was when I started blogging at the insistence of my friends.
My talent is writing and my passion revolves around social justice activism.
When I couldn’t get dedicated space to have my opinions published in the newspaper that I worked for back in 2008, I was very frustrated.
My friends suggested that I say my bit through blogging.
I created my blog in November of 2009 and taught myself how to upload posts, edit them and change the template (or design) of my free WordPress blog.
I often think my friends and I literally blogged our way out of obscurity and disadvantage.
I say disadvantage to emphasise that sometimes access to the Internet and digital literacy can make all the difference regarding whether you succeed or fail at realising a dream that seems out of your reach.
It seemed surreal to me at the time. That I could sit in my bedroom in the heart of Emakhandeni after a long day at work and then type out my thoughts on various issues, post them on a blog and have them republished by others.
Blogging gave us voices that went beyond the confines of our geographical locations, it gave our ideas wings that soared above the borders of our country and gave us massive fans that valued our work.
Blogging opened up many doors for us as we received international awards, fellowships and even scholarships to undertake postgraduate studies abroad. We started with the talent we had, to reach for those erstwhile lofty dreams that had been beyond our grasp.
Food bloggers and an appetite
for success
Many people who have regular and affordable access to Internet take it for granted and never see the value it can add to their lives.
The more stupid people use the Internet to inflict harm on others through cyber-bullying, online harassment, cruel memes and fabricating stories.
There are however, inspirational online users such as one UK-based Zimbabwean who loves cooking and decided to share posts of her dishes.
She eventually grew a huge following and attracted the attention of cooking a TV show that invited her to feature on it — all from doing what she loved and sharing it online.
Today talented and tech savvy Zimbabweans within the country are using the Internet to showcase their skills with positive and awe-inspiring results.
Food bloggers like Rumbi Shoko (locally-based) of the Zimbo Kitchen fame have amassed impressive numbers of followers online by converting her passion for cooking into an inspiring nutritional journey and a sellable idea.
She sells her cookbooks packaged as PDFs (by self-publishing she avoids incurring costs of publishing hard copies) and she takes payment via mobile money (for ease and convenience).
It means she can earn a living from the comfort of her home by simply connecting her talent to technology.
She can cook from home, take pictures of the food, post on Facebook, type her recipes, format them into PDF files, market them via social media as budget-friendly cooking manuals and receive payment electronically.
It is not rocket science, it is someone letting their passion lead the way to opportunity, enterprise and revenue.
Other food bloggers like Ivy’s Kitchenette, whose Instagram account (a_taste_of_zimbabwe) has over 21 000 followers and the likes of Harriet of the “EverydayHarriet” blog have also created waves with their culinary skills.
Whilst foolish people preoccupy themselves with posting nonsense and squandering opportunities that access can afford them, there are others who are discerning enough to use online spaces to showcase their talents.
Let your passion lead the way
Years back, a colleague had a friend who was unemployed who would walk from his home in Matshobana into town every weekend to use the Internet at our workplace.
His friend (my colleague), would keep him company because he couldn’t be on the premises or use company equipment except on the sly. This went on for months. That guy, who couldn’t afford the kombi fare, would wake up religiously every Saturday and walk to our offices, gain access via his friend and spend hours on the Internet looking for opportunities and sending applications everywhere.
His perseverance paid off when he got accepted for a fellowship in South Africa and he was so impressed that they hired him.
I met him years later in the UK when he was part of a panel at a leadership convention. He had nothing except passion and he was smart enough to know accessing the Internet could help him meet opportunities.
Another inspiring example is of a guy I went to college with who set up a YouTube channel — TV Yangu. I never could understand what he was trying to accomplish — it seemed like a pet project to me. But I have, thankfully, lived long enough to see the triumphant success of his passionate investment in video content and my scepticism has turned into admiration for what can be achieved when someone connects talent or skill to a technology.
Recently, this former college mate was on a panel at a high-level technology conference in the USA as an expert discussant on technology in the African context.
From photographers in the mould of Steven Chikosi, KB Mpofu, and Ralph Chikambi — Zimbabweans online are showcasing impressive talents in their respective areas of expertise with David Zinyama and the likes of Babusi Nyoni reigning supreme in graphic design skills.
Plus size model and popular social media personality — Rutendo Mutsamwira, known as “Towering Goddess” or Rutendo Denise, has in the past attributed her success to the power of social media.
In a blog she wrote in 2014, Rutendo recalls being “broke, broken and with no guarantee of graduation in sight” in her final year of an undergraduate degree in South Africa following a rough financial patch.
She did not own a laptop and had to contend with using her brother’s laptop, which was old and eventually broke down.
She then took to spending as much time as she could at the university’s media labs to access the Internet and in 2013 when the “Microsoft 4 Afrika initiative” was launched, she was one of the first interns — and came to finally own a laptop.
Whilst her peers who had gadgets readily available spent time online downloading their favourite TV shows, she decided she would use the opportunity to not just watch shows but to also “enlarge her sphere of influence virtually”.
Space does not allow me to name them all, but I would be remiss if I did not mention the comedians who have harnessed Facebook to shoot to fame such as Baba Tencen, whilst political activists like William Mutumanje (who goes by Acie Lumumba) has shown how political activism and self-branding can be aided by video content.
Suffice to say there are many remarkable Zimbabweans who keep proving time and time again that there are opportunities to be grasped by connecting one’s talent to a technology that suits their purpose.
Whatever your talent is, get connected and let passion lead the way.
Remember, for many of these people, the digital skills they possess are self-taught.
Delta is Head of Digital Services at Zimpapers and a PhD scholar researching on digital media, disruptive technologies and journalistic practice. Follow her on Twitter: @deltandou
Online Reporter