In many communities across Zimbabwe, young women’s voices are often silenced by cultural norms, social expectations, and systemic exclusion. But through the strategic work of the Institute for Young Women’s Development (IYWD), these voices are beginning to rise, boldly, confidently, and with purpose. One such voice belongs to Panashe B. Tazviwana, a 24-year-old from Rimuka, Kadoma, whose transformation from silent observer to confident leader captures the essence of IYWD’s strategic outcomes on strengthened representation, participation and feminist leadership .

When the IYWD team first met Panashe, she didn’t want to be seen.
“She actually went into hiding just to avoid joining the training,” recalls Gean Kasukuwere, a young woman from Sanyati who witnessed Panashe’s incredible journey. When the IYWD team first visited Rimuka for a Community Level Training on June 20, 2025, Panashe was not even one of the mobilized participants. In fact, she tried to hide to avoid taking part. But when someone from IYWD asked for water, Panashe’s mother-in-law called her over and that one moment changed everything.

Panashe lives with her mother-in-law in Rimuka. That day, the IYWD training was being held at her homestead, which also functions as a church. When one of the IYWD staff members asked for water and saw Panashe, they recognised she was part of their target group—young women in the community who could benefit from the leadership training. Noticing Panashe’s age and potential, the team gently encouraged her to join. Though shy and hesitant, she eventually took a seat. She didn’t say a word. During introductions, she couldn’t even say her name. But she was there, quietly listening and writing everything down.

And then something began to shift. Over the next two sessions, Panashe returned and slowly started to engage. By the time the IYWD team hosted a monitoring and reflection meeting, Panashe stood up and confidently presented her group’s feedback. She spoke with clarity and courage, stunning the room. No one could believe it was the same young woman who had once hidden in silence.

“I did not have the courage to face anyone on the first day,” Panashe shared. “But after attending the Community Transformative Leadership training, I realised that if others can do it, so can I.”

Panashe’s journey didn’t stop at finding her voice; she took it a step further. Motivated by her newfound confidence and leadership skills, she ran for the position of treasurer at a local school known as Kuredza Primary and won. Today, she continues to informally engage other young women in her community, creating safe spaces to reflect on the issues affecting them from unpaid care work to exclusion from local decision-making, and to explore solutions rooted in solidarity and rights-based action. Her story is a vivid example of the project’s impact on strengthening young women’s confidence, capacity, and opportunity to advocate for the rights of women and girls. Panashe’s journey is a powerful example of feminist leadership in action. Her story shows the importance of investing in young women’s capacity to lead and act, even in spaces where they were previously unseen or unheard. 

Through this transformation, Panashe is not just participating; she is leading and embodying the feminist values at the core of IYWD’s vision. Her newfound confidence and public engagement represent a direct contribution to IYWD’s strategic outcome of increasing young women’s representation and participation in decision-making. By creating inclusive spaces, offering transformative leadership training, and centring young women’s experiences, IYWD is also nurturing feminist leaders who are not only finding their voices but using them to shape their communities.

Panashe’s growth is not an isolated case. She is one of over 500 young women and girls trained under IYWD’s 2024-2025 Community Transformative Leadership Programme, which, since its inception, has reached over 15000 young women and girls in marginalised rural, farming, mining, and resettled communities across Zimbabwe. These young women are discovering their power, asserting their agency, and stepping into leadership in ways that are reshaping community dynamics and challenging patriarchal norms.

Just like Panashe, young women in Mashonaland West, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, and Mashonaland East are stepping into their power through IYWD’s leadership programming. They are organizing, speaking out, and engaging traditional leaders, local authorities, and community members on issues that affect their lives, from access to water and health services to political representation and economic justice.

Panashe’s story also demonstrates how local feminist action drives progress toward national, regional, and global policy commitments. Therefore, her journey is not just a personal win, it reflects progress toward global commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and the African Youth Charter which emphasizes the inclusion of young people, especially young women in leadership and decision-making and calls for the active youth participation in governance.