The ICWT UK Series is now an annual event

By Trevor Ncube

I am ecstatic to report that the first #icwtUKSeries was such a groundbreaking project so much so that we have decided that it will now be an annual event.

Philip Mataranyika and the entire Nyaradzo Group team see tremendous value in what we do and we love their branding savviness. Nyaradzo profoundly understand what we are doing with In Conversation With Trevor (ICWT) and we love it. We don’t take for granted the huge investment they have put into the series.

The two weeks spent in the United Kingdom were precious. Philip and his team were gracious to the point of spoiling us. We felt at home, so far away from home. Sahwira, indeed!

We recorded 16 quality episodes largely with Zimbabweans doing amazing things in the UK. I cannot wait to share all the powerful episodes with you all. I sat down with Dr. Jimmy Muchechetere, a medical doctor turned banker, creatives, entrepreneurs, managers, and leaders. Our youngest guest was Chipo Mapondera, a creative technologist and software developer, who is using AI to build immersive projects.

The only non-Zimbabwean guest is Ciaran McSharry, former First Bank (Zimbabwe) CEO, and now the chairman of a fintech start-up, Jamboo Digital Financial Services. Jamboo was co-founded by two enterprising young Zimbabweans, Innocent Chinyama and Takwana Tyaranani. It is an exciting project with so much global potential. Similar fintech start-ups such as Nubank and Monzo Bank are valued at US$50 billion and US$5.2 billion respectively.

Eglet Mtengwa-Nyabvure flew all the way from The Netherlands to share her amazing story of this telecommunications engineer, who has become a fashion designer. And she once failed hugely and has learnt from that humbling failure.

Being in the diaspora is not a bed of roses, which is why I was blown away by what these compatriots are doing in foreign lands. Next week I will write on why none of us must never think they are better in life just because of their geographic location, namely diaspora versus home in Zimbabwe. Having lived in South Africa for 18 years, I get the temptation to compare, but we shouldn’t. Never!

Our YouTube Channel currently stands at 9.3 million views and 64K subscribers. Only 40.2% of our viewers are in Zimbabwe, with the rest in other countries. Our content has a huge presence on TikTok(4,3million), Instagram(8,3million), and Facebook(2,5million). We are excited about this growth, and the UK Series confirms the quality of the brand we have built over the past 5 years.

I am grateful for the sterling work and support from the Hstv team led by Olga Muteiwa, Blessed Mhlanga, and Robert Mwamvani. A big thank you to the ever polite, courteous, and smiling Lordwick Mushawa, the Nyaradzo UK and Europe Managing Director.

Peter Vowles, the cool, affable, and accessible British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, is part of the UK Series and might be joining us for the #icwtUKSeries2025. That would be so much fun!

Why do we do what we do? – Because we know that our stories contain so much, particularly when shared authentically and beyond the headlines and the sensational. We look forward to the #icwtUKSeries2025. In the interim, remember to Subscribe, Like, and Share our YouTube content.

Trevor Ncube is Chairman of Alpha Media Holdings and host of In Conversation With Trevor. This is an excerpt from the weekly Newsletter .
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In Conversation With Trevor

In Conversation with Electah Kudzayi Vambe

Electah Kudzayi Vambe ,Creative Singer, Songwriter, Cultural Ambassador & Teacher shares her passion for using her love for music to teach Shona to children in the diaspora. Watch her episode here…
here..

Audience Responses

Electah Kudzayi Vambe, our community had this to say:

@dumisanib7:

“My mind is so full of ideas, but l need a particular place to fulfill them……”, l love this statement because it emphasize much on breaking barriers or going beyond the limitations to achieve your goals. Overall, thank you so much for this interview, it’s quite inspirational..

@simbaichizzy:

Good going Elle. Good work connecting diasporan kids to their roots….keep it up

@eventwristbandszimbabweeve3703:

Really enjoyed this interview. You can tell she really enjoys what she does!.

Coming Next: In Conversation with Lordwick Mushawa

Don’t miss the next episode with Managing Director of Nyaradzo UK Lordwick Mushawa In Conversation with Trevor.

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