Wenslus Murape
Mashudu Netsianda
WHAT began with gruelling pre dawn shifts collecting refuse on the streets of Harare has evolved into a remarkable leadership journey for a woman who refused to let humble beginnings define her destiny.
Today, Ms Promise Makoni (54) is the executive director of the Mwenezi Development Training Centre (MDTC), a rural development institution based in Neshuro, Masvingo Province, where she is helping transform livelihoods and strengthen communities through practical empowerment programmes.
MDTC, which operates in Mwenezi, Chiredzi, Beitbridge and Masvingo districts, runs diversified community development and humanitarian initiatives funded by various development partners.
Long before leadership meetings, strategic plans and development interventions became part of her daily routine, Ms Makoni wore municipal overalls, reported for duty before sunrise and worked as a refuse collector for Harare City Council.
Despite the job being physically demanding, exhausting, often humiliating and seldom acknowledged, Ms Makoni never viewed it as the final chapter of her story.
“After completing my A Level studies at Mufakose High School, my parents could not afford to send me to university. I then secured a job at Harare City Council as a refuse collector in 1993,” she said.
At the time, Harare City Council offered bursaries to employees seeking further education — an opportunity Ms Makoni seized with unwavering determination.
She enrolled at Harare Polytechnic, studying under difficult circumstances while maintaining her demanding municipal duties.
While many rested after work, she spent her evenings immersed in her studies, gradually building the academic foundation that would open doors many assumed were closed to her.
Balancing work, study and family life required more than discipline — it demanded deep emotional resilience.
Throughout that challenging period, one constant pillar remained: her husband’s support.
“I applied for a bursary to study horticulture and enrolled at Harare Polytechnic, where I completed a two year diploma in 1998. I knew where I was, but I also knew where I wanted to go,” she said, reflecting on years that tested both her strength and her dignity.
At every difficult stage, her husband served as both encourager and partner.
“When financial pressures mounted, my husband stood beside me. When fatigue threatened my resolve, he reminded me why I had started. He never allowed me to think small. Whenever I felt like giving up, he kept reminding me that our present situation did not define our future.”
That support became the quiet force behind her transformation. After completing her diploma, Ms Makoni left Harare City Council and furthered her education by enrolling for a one year course in technical and vocational education in Gweru.
She later joined Agritex as an agricultural extension officer, marking her first major step into technical development work.
In 2003, she moved to the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) and was deployed to Chisumbanje as a trainee section manager — a role that honed her leadership skills and expanded her professional influence.
She was later promoted to substantive training section manager. Ms Makoni’s major breakthrough came in 2006 when she joined MDTC as a community and development training officer, leading programmes focused on agriculture, vocational skills and community livelihoods.
Colleagues quickly recognised her rare blend of discipline, humility and lived experience. Unlike leaders formed solely by academic theory, Ms Makoni carried with her the memory of physical labour, hardship and survival — a perspective that informed every decision she made.
That grounding set her apart when she was promoted to executive director in 2018.
“It is a challenging position, but over time, I have developed confidence and resilience. When the opportunity arose, I applied for the vacant post of executive director, went through interviews and was successful,” she said.
Under her stewardship, MDTC has expanded its practical empowerment programmes, equipping women, youths and vulnerable households with skills that directly strengthen livelihoods.
“My message to fellow women, especially as we conclude women’s month, is that they must remain focused, determined and committed to shaping their own destiny through hard work. We should never allow fear to become a stumbling block in our journey to success. Confidence begins with you. As women, we must inspire one another to chase our dreams, realise our potential and fully utilise our capacity.”
A mother of four, Ms Makoni is also a part time lecturer in development studies at a local university and a farmer specialising in horticultural production.
Although her office walls now display strategic development plans, she has never forgotten the streets that taught her endurance.
“I always tell women that beginnings do not determine endings. Coming from a poor background and cleaning the streets did not stop me from pursuing my dream. Where you start should never imprison your imagination. Success becomes lighter when someone believes in you even before the world notices you,” said Ms Makoni.
From lifting refuse bins in Harare to directing development programmes in one of the country’s driest districts, her rise reflects perseverance shaped by purpose.
Perhaps what makes her story most remarkable is that hardship did not harden her — it refined her. Today, every programme launched under her leadership carries echoes of a woman who once woke before dawn to perform work few admired, all while quietly carrying dreams too large to be buried by circumstance.
Online Reporter