The Sunday News
Nobukhosi Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
ENTREPRENEUR and philantropist Anitta Neshiri, is a change maker from Zimbabwe, who has dedicated her years of life to helping other people through her organisation, Girl Talk Zimbabwe.
The organisation seeks to help young girls become the best version of themselves through mentorship, education and empowerment. Inspired by her role model Oprah Winfrey, Neshiri hoped to embody the strength displayed by her, as she was inspired by the way she speaks, stands for herself and helps others selflessly.
As a young child, Neshiri states that the word ‘difference’ was never in her vocabulary because she noticed everyone was just like her.
“I come from a Christian background family, giving back has always been a part of us and I think that played a role in the person that I am today,” she said.
She holds two degrees, one in Tourism and Hospitality Management and the other in Marketing and Business Management, from the University of South Africa (Unisa). However, she never pursued her career in the tourism industry after failing to get employment.
“l ended up starting my own thing and that is how I became an entrepreneur,” she said.
In October 2020, she launched Girl Talk Zimbabwe, a community driven organisation designed to help young women have confidence and skills to be successful leaders. The organisation’s thrust also revolves around making sure that every woman or girl child,has an opportunity to play their part in the mainstream economy.
“Our curriculum covers a wide range of topics such as diversity and inclusion, body image, sextortion, women’s health and fitness. We also share affairs of the female universe and create a space where the girl child feels free and safe to talk about issues that affect them on a daily basis,” she said.
Girl talk Zimbabwe also spearheads a social responsibility drive to collect and distribute sanitary wear to less privileged girls in Zimbabwe.
“We support girls fight period poverty by providing them with high quality sanitary wear. We mainly target girls at school and those in rural areas who cannot afford to buy pads, hence we are the mother of the biggest pads drive in Zimbabwe,” added Anitta.
Neshiri said it has always been her passion to bring out a positive social impact in communities and her ability to solve problems promptly and the desire to bring out change in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole, inspired her to start the Girl talk program.
“It has been a journey that has challenges here and there but we are pulling through. We have never had a non-successful program or initiative ever since we launched and our brand has grown beyond our expectations, as we are now an internationally recognised organization,” she said.
She recently landed a spot on the 100 most Influential Young Africans list, where she was recognised as one of the young people doing great things in Africa.
“To be honest it feels good and amasing that I am actually doing something great. For me, to land in that position shows the level of my hard work. I believe the influence Girl Talk Zimbabwe has in a girl child’s life is the reason why l got the recognition. I seek to re-imagine social change by identifying ways to maximise the impact Girl talk has to young girls so that I achieve a greater impact. My initiative does not only empower, but also gives unforgettable memories to young girls,” she said.
Confidently, she holds steadfast to the idea that anyone can be a changemaker. With big voices exploding from young bodies, she hopes to see major changes in the world.
“My advice to young people is to always practice resilience, be stubborn when it comes to achieving your goals, be of service to others, demonstrate strength with grace and kindness and always be willing to take calculated risks.”
