BY NATHAN GUMA
WHEN Valerie Chingonzo was still in university, she noticed a troubling trend as graduates were continually being produced, yet many struggled to find employment.
To her, the situation highlighted a deeper issue beyond the lack of jobs.
She realised that many young people were leaving university without the personal and professional skills needed to navigate the competitive job market.
This realisation pushed her to create Valbeaut Image Consultancy, an initiative focused on teaching girls soft skills, promoting self-confidence and helping them become competitive in the modern world.
Last year, she was selected for the Mandela Washington Fellowship, a programme under the US Department of State, and placed at Louisiana State University under the Civic Engagement track.
Now she plans to expand the initiative by establishing a charm school, a training programme that teaches personal development and social skills such as etiquette, communication, confidence, grooming and professional behaviour.
“The charm school I look forward to establishing will be a physical representation of all the dreams, prophecies and mandate to empower girls in Zimbabwe and Africa through the training of soft skills,” she says.
The planned school will also offer classes and training designed to encourage women to take on leadership roles in society, business, and politics.
Motivation
Chingonzo says her own experiences convinced her that technical knowledge alone is not enough to succeed in today’s fast-paced world.
“Academics alone, or a lack thereof, will limit your chance of reaching your highest potential and being the best version of yourself. My life and journey have been a testament to this. So far, my soft skills have propelled me to greater heights than my academic skills. Actually, it is the combination of the two,” she says.
Among the key soft skills she focuses on are confidence, self-esteem, communication, self-awareness and addressing childhood or background challenges that may affect young women.
“When a young girl is confident, knows who she is and lives in her authentic self, nothing can stop her as a woman. If she can speak up and stand up for herself, and hone the skill of communicating and articulating herself, then the world will be her playground.
“There is so much power in addressing and healing from outstanding childhood experiences such as daddy issues, mothering, rejection, oppression and abuse. That woman becomes unstoppable.”
Rural and Urban Confidence Gap
Research also highlights disparities affecting women in different environments.
Data from a 2020 Afrobarometer survey indicates that rural women are less likely than their urban counterparts to have secure employment.
Another survey covering 34 African countries also revealed significant economic gaps between rural and urban women. It showed that women in rural areas are less likely to have formal schooling or participate in the labour market and often have limited internet access, factors that restrict economic opportunities.
Chingonzo says these realities make it even more important to equip girls with skills that help them navigate broader social and economic spaces.
“An urban and educated woman is seen to be more confident than a rural girl with limited education,” she says. “The latter might be confident in the domestic sphere but not in the larger world. Girls from Western countries appear to be more confident and ‘free’, for lack of a better word.”
How has she been teaching self-confidence
Through her trainings, Chingonzo has been teaching students, both male and female, the importance of self-acceptance and personal confidence.
“If you feel beautiful and look healthy, it automatically raises your self-esteem,” she says. “My book, Kingdom Beauty Regime, emphasises this and encourages women and girls to love themselves from the inside out. The trainings I conduct under Valbeautimage are centred on this. I have worked with over 2,000 students in schools, both male and female.”
She also draws on her own life experiences to help young people cope with social and economic pressures.
“Social and economic pressure is a real reality, especially these days when we get to see it or compare ourselves with each other. However, my faith and family have kept me grounded. I have been through a lot of rejection.
“I have put in a lot of work, but at times I feel like life has moved really slowly, or that I could be more successful at this point. But I now fully understand that I am a gem and, as a beautiful but rare product, I need to go from the raw stage to the refining and finally the polished stage.”
Despite the challenges, Chingonzo says her journey strengthened her resolve to help young women overcome barriers and realise their potential.
“My journey has taught me that every challenge shapes you. If young girls can learn to believe in themselves early, they can overcome any obstacle and build the future they want.”
