The Sunday Mail
Tafadzwa Kadani Bridge Reporter
“One of the greatest values of mentors is the ability to see ahead what others cannot see and to help them navigate a course to their destination,” -John C. Maxwell. Today in Zimbabwe we have very great and influential people that are products of mentorship. Who again are now doing the same thing that got them where they are now-mentoring!
People such as Nicholas Vingirai who is the founder of Intermarket Holdings, Nigel Chanakira the Chief Executive Officer of Success Motivation Institute, Milton Kamwendo and Douglas Mamvura among others are example of the fruits of mentorship.
A person/individual is the average of who they surround themselves with, who-and what- they choose to listen to. Modern day teenagers-and people in general- suffer from identity crisis, herein referred to as ICC. Success in life is a culmination of various factors.
These factors range from having self-esteem, to confidence and sense of purpose, vision, and-most importantly-having the right company that will encourage and propel you to greater heights.
Mentoring is a term generally used to describe a relationship between a less experienced individual, called a mentee or protégé, and a more experienced individual known as a mentor.
Students from various schools and tertiary institutions last week attended an intellectual empowerment session which was facilitated by LeVision Consulting Africa.
Some of the students that attended the session include Nyasha Chikawa a form three student, Panashe Munyoro a upper six student, Philip Chigiya a medicine student and Bridget Makoto a Peace and Governance student.
The empowerment session started off with a visit to Cyrex Business which has its head office in Eastlea. The business is involved in fledgling design and print and it is owned by a young couple.
Speaking to The Bridge LeVision Director and Founder Mr Tonderai Mandaza said this was meant to inspire the students and entrepreneurs before they were taught on how to start their own businesses.
“The motive was to inspire the mentees and demonstrate that even though things were tough in the country, there are others who are converting the existing problems into business solutions and actually making a profit,” said Mr Mandaza.
The mentoring session was based on five foundational habits of entrepreneurs which are waking up early, focus, problem solving and sense of initiative, diligence and effective goal setting and visioning.
The aim of LeVision as a non-profit making organisation is to provide systematic mentoring opportunities for selected individuals committed to personal development in character, personal vision and leadership.
Mentorship is important in any person’s life, and even in the bible there if full testimony that through mentorship great men and women are bred.
Mentorship helps with development of personal vision, development of a healthy self-esteem, personal motivation and direction, develops assertiveness in a person and – last but not least- helps with self-managements which consequently lead to academic and financial success.
Young people today are struggling with the turbulent phase of their life as well as the turbulence of our times, and without necessary support and encouragement from structured mentorship and coaching this may be an uphill task.
Mentors can help young people avoid negative behaviors and achieve success.
For example, 59 percent of mentored young people earn better grades, 27 percent of mentored young people are less likely to begin using alcohol.
In addition to the above, young people with mentors have increased likelihood of going to college, better attitudes toward school, increased social and emotional development, and improved self-esteem.
Clearly against this background an urgent need exists for systematic and structured initiatives for life coaching and mentoring, and it will be an investment to a young person.
So the big question to you is who is mentoring you?
Students, YOU CAN SEND YOUR ARTICLES THROUGH E-MAIL, FACEBOOK, WHATSAPP or TEXT Just app Charles Mushinga on 0772936678 or send your articles, pictures, poetry, art . . . to Charles Mushinga at [email protected] or [email protected] or follow Charles Mushinga on Facebook or @charlesmushinga on Twitter. You can also post articles to The Sunday Mail Bridge, PO Box 396, Harare or call 0772936678.
