A BULAWAYO humanitarian Iris Nozizwe Zemza Mhlanga has been nominated among the 50 most influential women ahead of the African Women Summit next month.
Mhlanga is the founder of the Nozizwe Mother of Nations Trust.
The Africa Women Summit platform was started in 2018 with aim of igniting the spirit of empowerment, collaboration and progress for women across the African continent.
It also aims to tap into women’s immense potential as catalysts for social, economic, and political transformation.
Mhlanga will receive her honours at the summit scheduled for May 8 to 10 this year at the JW Marriot in Nairobi, Kenya.
The event will be held under the theme: Women’s Health: Empowering voices, inspiring change.
Speaking to NewsDay this week, Mhlanga said she was humbled by the recognition of her motherly care to many children.
“I feel honoured, at the same time amazed that I am shortlisted internationally for various awards.
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“I never pictured myself being recognised for something as simple as mothering skills; that’s what it is being a mother to many children,” she said. Mhlanga said she had 20 nominations this year while she has already bagged five awards.
“All the awards will be the icing on the cake, as some of them have prize money or donations towards charitable causes,” she said.
Nozizwe Mother of Nations Trust has been involved in various water projects and skills empowerment programmes while a medical outreach programme is set for July this year.
The projects will also provide medical examinations to vulnerable communities around Bulawayo, Hwange, Victoria Falls, Dete and Binga.
Mhlanga said there was a gap in communities that needed to be filled with medical outreach programmes since most of them are difficult to reach while most organisations avoid them due to logistical challenges.
The trust’s water programmes had initiated projects including drilling of boreholes; setting up water tanks and resuscitation of boreholes at community gardens.
“We are currently setting-up water systems at Sigola Primary School. We also have water tanks to be installed at Ngozi Mine, Samahuru School in Tsholotsho and at Mustard Seed Community Children’s Home,” Mhlanga said.
Mhlanga made it to the 2024 finalists of Women Changing the World global awards making it her third global recognition this year.
