Special thank you to Uncommon.org Board Member, Lionel Marumahoko, for inviting the illustrious Dr. Mboweni, Chief Executive Officer of Econet Wireless – Zimbabwe’s most prolific technology company – for a town hall at our Mufakose Innovation Hub in Harare.
Dr. Mboweni met with Uncommon students to share his story and learn more about the magic happening in Mufakose and across all of our six Innovation Hubs.
It was a truly transformative experience for all involved; the day beginning with a tour of the Uncommon.org facilities where students showcased the design, development and digital marketing projects they’re working on – some for clients around the world.
In return, Dr. Mboweni shared his inspiring life journey which began as a radiant youth from the humble Joseph village in Mwenezi. As a child, Dr. Mboweni dreamed of driving airplanes. Today, he drives one of Africa’s brightest telecom giants.
The CEO of the largest tech company in the country drilled down on the importance of continuously striving for excellence daily, despite one’s present challenges. Our students were encouraged to shift their mindsets to realize the massive opportunities to create value and wealth in Zimbabwe and the globe by providing solutions that speak directly to the world’s gravest challenges.
Dr. Mboweni emphasized the importance of understanding oneself and where your strengths and talents lie, planning your journey in detail, setting your priorities and working towards them.
Our students were blessed with a life changing opportunity to join Dr. Mboweni’s Personal Career Strategic Plan group, where he mentors future leaders for success. Dr. Mboweni’s uncommon journey and inspirational talk left everyone in awe of the humble leader.
After the talk, the Uncommon.org WhatsApp groups were buzzing for hours. Here are a few quotes from our students and team members who had the privilege of meeting, speaking with, and listening to Dr. Mboweni:
“I was touched! I think what got to me most was that he comes from a background we can all relate to. We finally got to know him as more than just the CEO of a listed telecoms and technology giant. He started from humble beginnings just like us and he faced challenges just like us. We humanized him and we learned a great deal from his experiences. It’s beyond words!”
“That man is one of the best motivators out there!! I felt truly touched.”
“Thank you to Uncommon for affording us this great opportunity. Today’s guest was a pure inspiration and a story we could relate to. Knowing there is a Dr. Mboweni out there and meeting him was such an honor. I know a lot of people were impacted today, and we all went away with something that we will use to grow ourselves in the future.”
“Dr. Mboweni is carrying the light to drive a generation!!!”
“It was a surreal moment meeting one of the most important people in the country! I do not know how to express my gratitude to all the people who made this happen. Thank you so much!!”
“Having someone really appreciate and understand what you do is unmatched, especially when it comes from the CEO of one of the biggest brands in the region. What we are doing matters!!”
“The best way to learn is through stories, especially the ones we can relate to. Today was just an awesome day.”
“Today was really an amazing day for me! Thank you so much Uncommon for granting us such a wonderful opportunity to meet the CEO of a big company like Econet. We are now confident to meet and network with very influential people. Indeed it was a great honor.”
“It was an insightful event, we learned a lot – an eye opener to us all. Wow! To the CEO of Econet Zimbabwe, you made our year!”
“I got to open the gate for the CEO of the largest technology company in the country and he said my name more times than I can count. The feeling is just WOW…”