It’s always satisfying to come across Zimbabweans doing great things and effecting change in foreign lands. Tapiwa Guzha, the Zimbabwean scientist/ice cream whizz, is no exception.
Tapiwa Guzha is one of the many Zimbabweans that have ventured beyond our borders seeking greener pastures. He moved to South Africa at the age of 18 to further his education. He specialized in molecular biology and he studied all the way to PhD level. Tapiwa stumbled into the ice cream business. His interest was piqued when he watched episodes of Masterchef where liquid nitrogen was used by contestants to make ice-cream.
Being a scientist himself, Tapiwa was familiar with liquid nitrogen. He tried using it to make his own ice cream and BOOM! Tapi Tapi was born. Tapiwa has since opened an ice cream parlor and he has churned over 600 unique flavors. I won’t lie, some of the flavors sound weird and somewhat unappealing. The top four flavors I personally find weird are masawu, okra, baobab (mauyu) and Matemba (kapenta) and toffee.
Why are we celebrating by the way?
While it’s good that we have so many Zimbabweans doing great in neighboring countries and abroad, one may feel conflicted as to whether the news is good or bad. I think the fact that there are so many people doing well out there AFTER leaving, is a bad reflection of this country. How long will people keep leaving searching for better?
Another much celebrated Zimbabwean is James Manyika, first Senior Vice President of Technology and Society at the Google. Need I mention the 6 Zimbabwean females that won elections in the UK in their respective districts? While we have reason to celebrate because they represent us well, we have to ask ourselves why else we are celebrating. Most of these people leave Zimbabwe looking for better livelihoods and opportunities. Rarely is it because they have excelled here at home and are taking their expertise beyond our borders.
Motivated but mindful
While Tapiwa Guzha represents us because he is Zimbabwean, his achievements are not necessarily our achievements. The same can be said for many other Zimbabweans out there doing well for themselves. Meaning there is an ice cream palour/stand in Cape Town run by Zimbabwean Tapiwa Guzha. However, we do not have an ice cream palour in Zimbabwe that churns out 600 flavors inspired by African tastes and cultures.
While we may be motivated by stories of Zimbabweans doing well for themselves, we need to also be mindful of what it means for us and the environment we live in.