“A few weeks away from being broke, unemployed… and no plan.” It’s been 3 months since I last posted on LinkedIn… and the drama 😭 . I graduated from Uncommon.org with a Digital Marketing certificate, then completed a 3-month internship just a month after graduation. Then the so-called "reality" struck in. I was back home: ❗ No data. ❗ No internet. ❗ No job. Just a skill I had gained… but no immediate way to use it. Meanwhile, others had secured permanent roles from their internships. It felt overwhelming. After a full year of learning, I found myself broke, unemployed, and questioning what was next. For a moment, I almost settled. Then, a month later… everything changed. Uncommon.org reached out with a job offer, one that paid 3x more than what I almost settled for, with better working conditions and real growth potential. And that’s when it clicked. When I first started at Uncommon.org, I was uncertain. I had never heard of the skills they were teaching, and I didn’t know if they could truly provide a living. As a single mom, choosing to spend a year learning instead of earning felt like a huge risk. But a year later, I understood: *If I hadn’t taken that risk… *If I hadn’t invested in building my skills… *If I hadn't chosen to be broke and learning... The least would have felt like the most. Skill-building isn’t a waste of time. That period of zero income, endless tutorials, and late nights spent learning is the future of higher income, steady profits, and plenty of time to sleep. Every successful entrepreneur, every big company, every leader echoes the same truth. If you want more, you have to give more, you have to risk more. Invest in yourself first. Proud to be part of the Uncommon.org team. 🎉

Uncommon - Uncommon describes something rare, unusual, or not frequently seen, occurring below normal expectations. It also refers to something exceptional or remarkable in degree. And true to this exact definition is Uncommon.org. What a rarity to come across an organisation that embodies the essence of being both exceptional and an anomaly in serving children and young adults through technology and coding. To see the limitless capacity of the human spirit, to experience the road less travelled, and to see how adversity inspires change, is to experience Uncommon and the quiet but powerful force that is so evident in the people (those serving and being served), the work, and the impact. Uncommon is truly a living testimony of having a heart for community. Uncommon.org is an example of the immense impact that can occur when you carry out community-based innovations. The Uncommon team are addressing local needs, fostering ownership, creating employment opportunities and catering to the communities that are often forgotten. Take the time to check out the work they are doing and support them in any way you can. Finally, thank you J. Peter Kazickas, Michelle Gwatiringa, Walter Gombarume, Uncommon.org team for this truly incredible experience!

Inspiration vs Implementation I’ve spent a lot of time lately obsessing over how design systems power the apps we use every day. It was so refreshing to step back from the "Double Diamond" research phase and finally get into the weeds of building out actual UI components in Figma. I’m happy to share that I’ve officially completed my Introduction to Design Systems certification through Uxcel! 🏅 It’s been an intense couple of days learning how to keep things scalable and—most importantly—consistent. Consistency, consistency, consistency... 🤣 Huge thanks to my instructors, Vanessa Mudzipurwa and Kirsty Matyukira at Uncommon.org, for the constant support and for always pushing me to keep building. On to the next sprint! #Uncommon #KuwadzanaHUB #DesignSystems #ProductDesign #Figma

Hello LinkedIn 👋 I’m Steven Dzvukamanja, currently studying digital skills at Uncommon.org and I’m truly grateful for this opportunity to grow in tech. So far I’ve learned Scratch, WoofJS, and Artificial Intelligence, and now we are doing product design. I’m also proud to be volunteering in my local community, teaching young people coding and giving back what I’ve learned through Scratch. A sincere thank you to our founder J. Peter Kazickas Kazickas for creating this opportunity for us to learn and grow. Looking forward to learning, connecting, and building in the tech space. #Digital learning #Gratitude #ProductDesign #AI

Grateful for the journey and the growth. As I reflect on my experience with Uncommon.org , I’m reminded of powerful Shona(words) saying: "Natsa kwaunobva, kwaunoenda husiku.” Where you come from shapes where you’re going. The foundation built, the lessons learned and the community experienced here continue to guide my path forward. Thank you for being part of my story. Walter Gombarume Beyond Bechani Lovemore Kugarahuswa Leo Mazive Uncommon.org #GiveToGain #CareerGrowth #PersonalDevelopment #IWD2026