Zimbabwe: Empowering the marginalized: how heather Makore mobilised communities for gender justice”

Growing up in the deeply patriarchal villages of Mutoko, Heather M. Makore’s life began in an environment where girls were taught to shrink themselves. She remembers clearly how gender stereotypes shaped every corner of rural life “family, church, school, economy, and politics were all spaces where girls were taught to know their place.” These early experiences planted in her a determination to rewrite not just her own story, but the stories of thousands of rural women who had been silenced for generations. 

As a young girl who often watched opportunities pass her by, Makore later found empowerment through participating in women-centered NGO activities. These programmes helped her rebuild the confidence patriarchy tried to strip away. “I wanted to give rural women what I needed when I was a girl someone who believed they deserved more,” she reflects. 

When she rose to become a Councillor in the male-dominated Mutoko Rural District Council, she walked straight into structures that had never been designed with women in mind. She witnessed systemic and cultural barriers that kept women away from leadership and decision-making. She refused to accept this. “From Zero to Hero,” she says with a smile one of her favorite phrases to describe the journey. 

Her leadership sparked deliberate transformation within the institution. She pushed for the establishment of a Gender Management Committee, championed gender-responsive budgeting, and advocated for gender-awareness training for council staff. This resulted in increased funding for programs supporting women’s health, education, and livelihoods. Makore proudly notes, “Today Mutoko Rural District Council has 10 female councillors. That did not happen by chance. It happened because we demanded it.” 

Her activism extended far beyond policy. She became a practical solution-builder for daily challenges rural girls and women face. Makore launched menstrual hygiene initiatives after noticing that “many girls were missing school because they had no sanitary pads.” She facilitated legal information sessions to help community members understand their rights in cases of domestic violence and land disputes. She organised cancer screening campaigns, women leadership trainings, and commemorations for Rural Women’s Day and the 16 Days of Activism Against GBV. 

Women in her community testify that this change is real. One of them, known as Gindagadzi, summed it up simply: “Simuka mukadzi simuka”— “Wake up woman, wake up.” Another community member echoed: “From rags to riches.” 

At home, the transformation has been just as profound. Her husband, once unsure about women empowerment, is now her strongest supporter. She shares that “my husband funded some of my leadership trainings and women empowerment programs. His mindset changed as mine evolved.” Her family now openly discusses gender roles, celebrates women’s education, and embraces shared responsibility. 

The leadership ripple effect continues to grow. Makore mobilised women to participate in budget consultations, leading to the adoption of the 3-by-2 project model, which ensures one priority strictly for women’s development. Under this model, women in Ward 16 received a poultry project supported through the pass-on pig scheme. 

Her leadership also enabled partnerships with organisations like WIPSU, AWLN, and women’s microfinance institutions providing business loans, entrepreneurship training, and leadership development. These programs have strengthened women’s economic independence and political participation. 

The evidence of her impact is visible across Mutoko: gardens cultivated by women, leadership workshops, mobile one-stop centres for legal and health services, and women entering political spaces with courage and clarity. Community members, young girls, and even male counterparts now view her as a beacon of transformation—a living symbol of what is possible when women rise. 

Makore’s journey is living proof that one woman can ignite a movement. Her story is not simply one of personal success—it is a testimony of resilience, courage, and the unstoppable force of empowered women. As she often declares, *“From Zero to Hero”—*and she continues to rise, carrying her community with her. 

By: Heather Makore