“I wish all women who have made it in life can show us their scars so that we don’t feel ashamed of bleeding around them.”
She started off as a simple artisanal miner, in Kwekwe. Her sheer will to succeed and resilience has seen her rise against all odds. Now, she has had the opportunity of addressing more than 40 Ambassadors from across the African region. She has presented on international platforms on trans-boundary impacts of nuclear weapons. She has participated at the first meeting of state parties at the United Nations on the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna Austria. This is the story of 32 year old Edwick Madzimure, a woman who has refused to let the environment she grew up in define and limit her.
I grew up in Globe and Phoenix mine. My father was a miner but in 2002 Globe and Phoenix mine closed down. To make ends meet my mother had to look for employment and started working as a maid, we sold fish and we also did artisanal mining as a family.
After writing my O’levels l worked as a Cleaner at a panel beating company because l wanted to help my parents raise funds for my A’level studies. I was able yo successfully complete my studies and while waiting for my A’level results l did temporary teaching in primary schools and ran a flea market in Kwekwe city.
When my A level results came out l managed to get a place at Midlands State University to study History and International Studies.
l did my studies while also doing part-time teaching, cross boarder trading in order to pay for my fees.
Upon getting my degree one of the schools where l was doing part-time teaching flighted a permanent teaching post. l had an interview at the District offices and passed the interview. This is how l became a teacher.
But l didn’t stop there, the following year l proceeded to do my Master’s degree in Development Studies. When l graduated in 2015 l started writing research papers for conferences, that’s how my journey in civil society started. In 2019 l enrolled with the university of Pretoria for my PhD but because of Covid 19 traveling restrictions l decided to apply in Zimbabwe and l got placement in 2021.
She has not only made it academically but she remembers to give back to her community. In 2016, she became part of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).
l had a passion to help women achieve their dreams through giving them insights on how they can change the status quo by empowering themselves. WILPF runs grassroots awareness programs on environmental management, climate change adaptation, women empowerment. We seek to challenge negative masculinities in mining communities through gender based violence stigmatisation programs as well as HIV prevention and mitigation programs in Kwekwe rural district.
We have done trainings on biomass digester plants as part of climate adaptation and mitigation programs.
We did the trainings in five wards in partnership with Environmental Management Agency, Ministry of Women Affairs and Mlezu Agricultural College. After the trainings we did, the Zibagwe Rural District Council provided funds for the construction of a community bio gas digester plant. We also purchased phones for women in craftwork as an alternative livelihood due to the failure of rainfed Agriculture. Now these women have access to online markets. Additionally, we conducted a life skills training program for victims of domestic violence in Kwekwe. We noted that the biggest challenges that women face is lack of financial support to grow their local businesses.
Patriarchy affects the meaningful participation of women in economic and political spaces with gender based violence also being a huge challenge. It has been exacerbated by digital technology with the trolling and shaming of women who are doing well now very common. The climate crisis is also a serious challenge affecting women because most grassroots women rely on rain fed agriculture for income generation and for food.
We want to strengthen our administrative systems, so that we are able to offer services such as counseling to young people and women. We also want to establish a non profit business whose income will be used to help young girls and boys get access to education and help victims of domestic violence to start off after ending abusive relationships.
Edwick has indeed broken new ground and is determined to not let anything stop her as she rises to her fullest potential.
l am also into humanitarian disarmament research majoring in nuclear weapons, militarism and social justice. Last year l attended cop 27 and I was among the few activists who were able to advocate against militarism as it directly contributes to green house gas emissions and increases violent conflicts.I also attended the Stockholm +50 Summit in Sweden where l gave an incite on the gendered impacts of climate change. We have very few women in the field because our society believes anything to do with militaries is for men but women and children bear the brunt of war and conflict.
It is important for us to do research in such areas such that we can carry out informed advocacy. Throughout my journey I have realised that if you wait for someone to empower you, you may find yourself waiting forever, start where you are, use what you have to achieve your goal.