The Bayethe Development Institute

In November 2019, I attended an LGBTQI business summit hosted by The Other foundation. On arrival, the first person that I met was Zoe Kamangira from Zimbabwe and we began to discuss the amazing work that she does both in SA and Zimbabwe, through The Bayethe Development Institute.
I felt I needed to share their work and see if we could create strong pan African synergies.

Zoe Kamangira

The Bayethe Development Institute is a Zimbabwe and South Africa registered non-profit organization that empowers marginalized communities with life skills to strengthen their inclusion and participation in all development processes including humanitarian interventions.

Bayethe Development Institute’s work is anchored on five thematic areas targeting primarily youth and key populations:

1. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

2. Economic Empowerment.

3. Arts, Culture and Heritage.

4. Peace Building.

5. Environment and Climate Change

Their vision is to create an inclusive society conducive to sustainable development. Their mission is to equip marginalized communities with knowledge, skills and practical ongoing support for youth-driven positive social change anchored by an environment of hard work, shared values, cooperation, and mutual understanding.

They offer two key programs:

* The Creative Factory Hub.
* The Pink Economy Initiative
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights promotion through awareness-raising, facilitating access to services and advocacy with relevant duty bearers.

THE CREATIVE FACTORY HUB

The Creative factory hub goal is to provide facilities for the promotion and development of the youth LGBTIAQ start-up entrepreneurs and youth-led Creative Arts Associations/Networks/Unions/Guilds through providing an accessible and affordable space for a range of businesses, dialogue, and networking platforms. Its driving force is the need to stimulate diversity, create jobs, developmental programs, and opportunities for LGBTQ/Creative Arts entrepreneurs to be mainstreamed and contribute to the Zimbabwe Social and Economic Transformation.

The Creative Factory Hub responds to and addresses the following parameters: A shared resource that allows entrepreneurs to access:

Desk and Chair.
Broadband Internet.
Tea, Coffee, Water.
Business administration support services.
Business Address.
Advertising Space.
Business Meetings Space.
Networking Opportunities.
Promotion of their business on the Bayethe Development Institute Platforms.
Entrepreneurship Support.
Participation in Entrepreneurship Linking & Learning Events.
Resource center

The Creative Factory Hub provides the LGBTQ/Creative Arts entrepreneurs with working space and access to relevant reference material in their fields of work. The Creative Factory Hub is stocked with reference material, one relating to business, management finance and markets.

To date, The Creative Factory Hub an operational capacity of:

30 Dedicated workstations in-house.
10 Meeting spots for a group of 6-8.
Two outdoor conference zones (Max 100 delegates).
Optional outdoor workstations.
Premium secure working environment.

THE PINK ECONOMY
The Pink Economy initiative is an entrepreneurship development and support project focusing on the youth LGBTQIA community in Zimbabwe. The Pink Economy provides an opportunity for the youth LGBTQIA community to become leaders in their lives and within their communities, and to equip them with skills that foster economic growth through entrepreneurship and advocacy for inclusion into the mainstream economy.

The Pink Economy Objectives are as follows:

To empower young LGBTQIA persons with entrepreneurship skills.
To create a safe space for business dialogue, networking and entrepreneurship support system.
To inspire confidence and provide a platform for the development of leadership skills.
To provide participants with access to business information.

INTIMATE STORE

Intimate Store is a physical and online store licensed to trade in adult sex toys, accessories and provide complementary sexual and reproductive health and rights information and services in Zimbabwe. The motivation for an online store instead of a physical shop is to protect our valued clients by providing a discreet and efficient service from the comfort of their preferences. Intimate Store is inspired by the need to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights through facilitating the discreet purchase of sex toys, sexuality wellness, rights and pleasure information inquiry and psychosocial support on matters of sex and sexuality. For corporate social responsibility, Intimate Store ensures that for everyone Adult product purchased, ONE sanitary pad shall be donated for periodic distribution to girls from marginalized communities. Intimate Store will work closely with Foundations/Trusts & NGOs to campaign, collect and distribute sanitary wear in marginalized communities in Zimbabwe. – http://www.intimate-desire.com

To make contact​ with Zoe:
zoe@bayethe.org
+263 8677 186824

-end

Simba Mudereri becomes a truly Pan African voice.

When I travel to a new country I always like to engage with people that fall into my three passions in life, being Women, Africa, and the arts. So when I visited Botswana a few years back on an activism assignment, I made the best of that opportunity. I was interviewed on a number of radio stations and one being GabzFM. The station is a young and powerful one that has a large demographic and speaks to the young and young at heart of Botswana. One of​ the presenters who I met at an event afterward​, was Simba Mudereri. I was not fortunate enough to have been interviewed by him, but we sat and spoke and exchanged stories, shared our dreams and expressed our passions. It was soon after that that I discovered that this man was not just passionate about the arts, his voice but a man of credibility. An incident occurred where he had the option to turn a blind eye but he took the higher road. He stepped up as a ​gentleman and provided protection and support to me in so many ways.

Simba at his first Waka photo shoot.

Soon after that after watching his career, he soon became a WakaStar. I have watched him travel between Johannesburg and Gaborone on voice over assignments, pushing his dream and believing in his passion and God-given​ talent. I know after booking him for an emcee event, the testimony from the client will exude one of satisfaction at his professionalism and ability to represent any client or brand that he works for.

In 2017, he was the official emcee from the TedX Gaborone conference. He has emceed a number of events from financial institutions, telecommunications, hotel and restaurant etc.
His voice has been heard in South Africa and across Zimbabwe.
He has been interviewed on many platforms​ from Cliffcentral.com, Transafricaradio, ​ and MetroFM with DJ Fresh.

On Cliffcentral he hosted his own podcast, called Random Musings.
He spoke about a dreaded question that many may be familiar with – “When are you getting married?” Simba looks at when is the right time to tie the knot, whether this institution still deserves a place in modern society, and whether or not age plays a factor in a successful marriage. Together with his in-studio guests, Simba provides advice on how to know whether or not you want to marry a particular person, or whether you are simply compatible with them. ​his gguests​included​ myself and Waakstars Kim Jansen​ and Mapumba Cilombo.

He is not only a consumate professional, he is a God fearing brother, and my partner in crime. He is a powerful​ peoples person and makes friends wherever he goes.

This year he made the decision to move back to his home country,Zimbabwe​. Simba knows and sees the need in using his powerful voice and be part of that enigmatic change that is happening in the country. He has joined the ZiFM family. Simba has replaced DJ Munya on the energetic The Rush  on ZiFM Stereo.
He truly lives and understand the Pan African agenda and I know that this journey will bring him challenges but he will definitely create an amazing platform and leave a mark as he did when left Gaborone.

At present Simba travels between Harare, Johannesburg, ​and Gaborone for other emcee, speaking, ​and voice over events.

If you require additional information on his work, bookings and rates, please contact us.
http://www.wakaagency.biz
rosie@wakaagency.biz
Telephone: +27 0102861935