My name is Denzel Takudzwa, a 2022-2023 student at Uncommon.org and that’s a picture from the recent Uncommon 5 Year Celebration.
Can you guess which person I am??
Today, I took over the Uncommon.org mailing list. My goal was to share my story with all of our supporters – so I’m happy to share it here on our blog as well.
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Ok so growing up, I’ve always been overly passionate for everything art and technology. And I always dreamed and prayed for an opportunity where I could express myself in that space.
In my head, I kept saying, “When I’m 19, I’m going to apply for a scholarship and go to the UK to study Graphic Design and Software Development.”
But of course that didn’t happen. Life’s not that easy, lol.
When it all seemed as if I had to give up on my dream and choose a different path in life, I met Beaven, a 2021 Uncommon Bootcamp Cohort alumnus, who introduced me to Uncommon.org.
And I’ll be honest, it sounded too good to be true. But, I signed up for it anyway… And I got accepted.
I packed my stuff and hit the road from Kwekwe, a small city in the Midlands of Zimbabwe. Since then, I’ve never looked back. I was enrolled in the bootcamp at the Mufakose Hub, and the experience there has just been phenomenal!
I’d never thought it possible, that all that I’d dreamed about doing after high school, could be done.
I didn’t even have to go to the UK for it. And better yet, I didn’t have to pay!
Thanks to the team at Uncommon, I received my first job offer just 3 months into the bootcamp. At the age of 20.
And things have only looked up ever since!
While I still hope to graduate with Uncommon, I also can’t wait to get started at my first job!
I chose to take this opportunity because I can see the potential for growth at the company I’m joining. I want to see how far I can go, how far I can push myself. I want to increase my creativity and efficiency.
I wasn’t really planning on starting to work this soon but I just told myself, “why not?”
I’m not working to earn, I’m working to learn.
But…it’s great to get paid while I’m doing it!
For all that Uncommon has done for my life so far, I can only be grateful. For their provision, drive, motivation, and commitment to bettering our lives, I am determined to learn as much as I can so I can give back to the students that will follow in my footsteps.
So thank you Uncommon.
And thank YOU reader, for giving me an opportunity and being a part of my uncommon journey.