Groomed for leadership
THE year 2007 saw me joining the Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe Chapter (MISA Zimbabwe) as a research and information Intern. Among other things, my duties entailed media monitoring so as to assist in the drafting of media alerts and communiqués on media violations, event management and co-ordination, website management, reports compilation and attending media related court cases.
It goes without saying that my one-year internship saw me developing a keen interest and indepth appreciation of freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom issues.
Life at MISA Zimbabwe
When I look back, I fondly remember many notable events that occurred during my internship period. However, if I am asked to pick the most memorable ones, the first one would be the time when I was seconded to work as an assistant at a Media Centre which MISA Zimbabwe established in 2008.
The Media Centre was established to provide a safe space for journalists as they covered the 2008 election story. The 2008 election was one of the most controversial and highly contested elections which culminated in the formation of the inclusive Government in 2009.
As such, working under the Media Centre manager, I got to see first-hand how journalists played
a leading role in telling the Zimbabwe election story - not only to Zimbabweans, but the world over.
My second memorable event was when my then supervisor sent me on a solo assignment to conduct press club discussions in Mutare and Masvingo. I remember travelling with the late MISA Driver, Sekuru Zaru (May His Dear Soul Rest in Peace), to these two events in awe that my supervisor had confidence in my abilities to deliver on these two assignments.
I chose to specifically mention the Media Centre experience and the field trip because these two assignments instilled in me a sense of discipline and continuously wanting to do my best and not disappoint those who had confidence in my abilities - even as an Intern.
Looking back, at that time, I did not realise that this was part of MISA Zimbabwe’s grooming processes for tomorrow’s leaders.
I, however , have to say that not all was rosy during the internship period. Whereas we were privileged to get transport and meal allowances, this was, however, quickly eroded by inflation because at the time that I undertook my internship (20072008), Zimbabwe was witnessing one of its worst hyper-inflation periods.
As a team of about three interns, we would continuously find ourselves having to write requests for allowance reviews to the MISA Zimbabwe finance officer to ensure we had enough transport resources to report for duty.
Work life
The experience gained during my time at MISA Zimbabwe adequately capacitated me with lobby and advocacy skills which later on encompassed the bulk of my work, when a few months after completing my first degree in Journalism and Media Studies, I was to join the Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS).
Working at ZACRAS, initially as the advocacy and information officer, and later as national cocoordinator, did not pose many challenges. I already possessed the relevant skills for the job as a result of my internship period.
The numerous Press Club discussions that we organised and attended at the Quill Club in Harare and the various interactions with journalists, came in handy as I was already acquainted with some of the people that I was to then work with at ZACRAS.
It has been more than a decade since I left MISA Zimbabwe. However, the values and principles instilled in me during my time at MISA will forever remain with me. As a wife and mother of two (a girl and a boy),I sometimes reminisce about how far I have come since the days at MISA.
I am, however, grateful that my MISA memories are always kept fresh as I continue to interact and work with former MISA colleagues.
As I conclude this article, I can only but smile as I reminisce about my time at MISA Zimbabwe. MISA Zimbabwe has groomed several interns who now occupy different influential positions in Zimbabwe and abroad.
We may now be scattered across the country and the world, however, we never forget the MISA Zimbabwe influence and how it shaped us to be the persons we are today.
We shall forever remain “MISA babies”.
Happy 25th Anniversary MISA Zimbabwe.
Like fine wine, may you continue to mature with age!