Linda

Linda was born in the rural Kwekwe District of Zimbabwe. Raised by a single mother, Linda thought her education would come to an end after primary school. Her family simply could not afford the fees and supplies required for secondary school. Like millions of girls across sub-Saharan Africa, with education out of her reach, Linda faced a lifetime of poverty and menial labor.

It was then that CAMFED stepped in to provide all-round support allowing Linda to continue at school. She was provided with fees, books, uniform, shoes and sanitary pads as well as emotional support from a CAMFED-trained Teacher Mentor. Linda thrived in secondary education, demonstrating early promise as a leader. At the age of just 13, she was elected as a Junior Parliamentarian, representing a constituency of about 25 secondary schools on various platforms in her province and beyond.

After finishing school, Linda joined the CAMFED Association (CAMA) – the network of young women supported through education by CAMFED. They commit to mentoring each other and working together to ensure no girl is excluded from education. Linda is an active leader in the CAMFED Association and has volunteered her time teaching Mathematics and forming study groups at her local school to help students pass their exams.

When Linda had her first contact with a computer at the age of 19, she realised how access to IT could transform the lives of other rural girls like her. With support from CAMFED and the Mastercard Foundation, Linda gained a scholarship to study at Ashesi University in Ghana, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science in 2018.

Now Linda is working as the IT Officer at CAMFED Zimbabwe. As one of the first CAMFED Association members in the field of Information Technology, Linda is working to establish gender balance in technology by empowering other young women to be technologically competent. 

Linda is a role model for younger girls. She is pictured with a CAMFED Secondary Scholar at an event celebrating the arrival of 3,000 school bicycles for vulnerable children.

Being the first CAMA (CAMFED Association) member to have such a position is something I’m really proud of.

Linda has established a reputation as a role model for younger girls and as the go-to person for CAMFED Association members who need advice and mentorship in pursuing a career in Computer Science. Already one of her mentees is pursuing a Diploma in Computer Engineering. Linda looks forward to advancing her career and steering more young women into tech leadership.

I’ve helped a lot of CAMA (CAMFED Association) members in applying for vacancies in IT at schools and colleges, and I’m hoping to reach many more and get them into the tech world.

In November 2018, Linda travelled to Lusaka, Zambia for the CAMFED Association regional leadership summit, where she shared her expertise with members from across CAMFED’s five countries of operation. Whilst there, she also attended a special event organized by The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, to celebrate the power of youth leadership. She was one of 70 CAMFED Association members to warmly welcome the organization’s President, The Duke of Sussex, to the event.

In May 2019, Linda was one of 14 Association leaders co-hosting CAMFED’s inaugural “Education Changes Everything” Gala in New York City, introducing the power of the CAMFED Association to nearly 600 guests. Watch the video here.