Online Reporter
Trust Freddy
Feature Writer
IT is often said that nothing great in the world will ever be accomplished without passion.
Indeed, no matter how well-paying a profession could be, without that internal fire, true achievement remains elusive.
This is the reality for Arnold Tawanda Milos, a 35-year-old man whose life journey reads like a movie script – a story of parental sacrifice, academic excellence, and the ultimate courage to follow a heart that beat for the gym rather than the courtroom.
Today, Arnold is a celebrated fitness trainer in Dubai, but his journey from the staff quarters of Harare Remand Prison to the skyscrapers of the United Arab Emirates is a masterclass in staying true to one’s calling.
From the Prison Camp to the Lecture Hall
Born in Zimbabwe, Arnold’s early life was defined by the discipline of the uniformed forces.
He grew up living in the camp at Harare Remand Prison, where his father served as an officer for the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Service (ZPCS).
His education was a journey through various Zimbabwean schools, beginning at Chikurubi Primary School and Tomlinson Depot Primary School.
He later moved to the rural heartlands for his secondary studies at Mhondoro-Ngezi High School where he did his secondary studies.
Upon completion, he relocated to South Africa, where he sat for his Matric and eventually embarked on a path many Zimbabwean parents dream of: a law degree.
By the time his father retired from the service in 2011, the family had established a new home in Kambuzuma.
Throughout his university years in South Africa, Kambuzuma became Arnold’s sanctuary during semester holidays — a place where the expectations of a legal career began to weigh heavily against his growing love for the gym.
In 2016, Arnold graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Walter Sisulu University.
Yet, while he had the credentials of an advocate, he had the soul of an athlete.
“I just felt that it was not my thing,” he admits. “Growing up, I was very passionate about fitness training and I eventually saw my life in the gym.”
When he voiced his desire to pursue fitness training, the domestic reaction was swift.
His mother “fumed” at the idea of her son abandoning a legal career after the family had invested so heavily in his education.
“My mother was like, ‘What? After all these sacrifices, you want to enrol for fitness training?’ And she gave me a firm no.”
To honour their sacrifice, Arnold took a compromise path, earning a Master of Social Science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2019.
But passion is a persistent ghost.
Once the Master’s was secured, Arnold finally stopped running.
He enrolled in a fitness diploma and shelved his legal certificates.
In 2021, Arnold made a bold move and flew to Dubai on a 60-day visa.
The transition was gruelling.
What began as days of searching for a foothold in the UAE’s competitive market turned into months.
“I had almost given up,” Arnold reflects. “The thought of going back home after my parents had forked out so much to invest in my education and going back home empty-handed – it was not making sense.”
The breakthrough finally came in September 2021, when he landed a job as a gym coach.
“I got excited and my salary was around US$1 000 and I had to send some goodies back home,” he says. “My mom was happy that I was now working.”
Arnold’s dedication quickly saw him rise above the role of a standard instructor.
His dream was to work at an academy where he could share his knowledge, and soon, opportunity knocked.
“Luckily, I got another offer at another gym and that gym had an academy for fitness. So I ended up having two jobs, at the gym and at the fitness academy,” he explains.
This new chapter allowed him to merge his academic background with his physical passion.
At the academy, his role expanded into teaching, where he guided aspiring trainers through both the rigorous theory and the hands-on practical of fitness science.
This dual role – working as a high-level coach while educating at the academy – became a lucrative and fulfilling career that far eclipsed his early days in the desert.
Today, Arnold is a household name in Dubai’s fitness circles and a successful entrepreneur.
In 2023, he co-founded Ownega Travel Agent with his friend Edmore Tatenda Chitambo, a firm that has already helped over 250 people relocate and find legitimate employment.
“When I chose to come to Dubai, I was following my friend Tatenda, who was already working there. He helped me with accommodation and food. We noticed that several Zimbabweans were arriving, but ending up stranded, so we decided to start a travel agency to ensure no one else gets stranded.
“The response has been overwhelming. We already have an office in Harare, and we will soon open another in Bulawayo because demand there is very high.”
Their company was also recognised during last year’s awards hosted by CEOs network in Victoria Falls.
Despite his international success and a new life with his South African wife and their twins, Anold remains a “Kambuzuma boy” at heart.
“I eventually got married in 2024, and I no longer regret shelving my degrees because my life is now a bit more stable.
“I am always thankful to my parents, my business partner Tatenda, and my friends Clyton Mundenguma, Victor Ndangwa, and Shelton Milos, my little brother, for being supportive.”
Whenever he returns from Dubai, he spends his time with his parents in the suburb that saw him grow.
His commitment to home is also seen through his “giving back” initiatives, including donating textbooks in Mhondoro (2024) and providing school shoes and bags for 200 students in Norton (2025).
“It should be a life lesson because in life you should just follow your passion; it’s not always about being a doctor or a lawyer. My parents later accepted it.”
