Having been raised by a single mother after losing her father when she was a baby and later on experiencing a tragedy that left her with crushes, Sonata Manganda’s narrative is one of resilience and determination.
It is an unfolding story of overcoming the challenges of living with a disability and transforming a personal struggle into a powerful mission.
With an honours degree in film, radio, and television production from the University of Zimbabwe, Manganda shows that disability is not inability as demonstrated by her tenacity to graduate and triumph over feeling out of place and societal disparities against disabled individuals in Zimbabwe.
Manganda is one of the 17 Zimbabweans who attended and graduated from the cohort 25 fellowship courtesy of the Yali RLC-SA under the civic engagement track.
Narrating her journey and childhood struggles growing up, an emotional Manganda paid tribute to her mother for making exceptional sacrifices from her primary school years up until her graduation at the University of Zimbabwe.
“Growing up, I faced many challenges trying to fit into a society that often did not accept me. My mother endured a lot because of my condition, but I am grateful for the support from my mother's side of the family. After my father’s passing, his side of the family turned their backs on us, and to this day, we are not in contact. Even if I were to encounter them, I wouldn’t recognise them because I never knew them," Manganda said.
"Despite the challenges we faced, my mother managed to enroll me in a boarding school at the primary level. I attended Mount Melleray Primary School and later went to St Faith’s High School. The struggle didn’t end there; I passed my high school exams and went on to the University of Zimbabwe, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree.”
Manganda added that her personal experiences have motivated her to advocate for the empowerment and inclusion of persons living with disabilities.
“Today, I advocate for the empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities. My personal experiences and the injustices that both my mother and I faced because of my disability have motivated me to be where I am today,” she said.
Sonata utilises her storytelling skills to advocate for social change whilst focusing on women’s rights and the empowerment of individuals with disabilities like herself.
Her experience working for the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe is testament to her mission of fostering inclusivity and that experience has enabled her to gain hands-on experience in advocacy, programme development, and community engagement. Her role at the organisation deepens her understanding of gender issues including gender-based violence (GBV), which is a recurring problem in Zimbabwe and the importance of intersectionality in social justice movements.
The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe has also afforded her the opportunity to learn about climate change and ways to advocate for strategies to minimise the impact on women and girls and to support initiatives that encourage women’s participation in leadership and political processes.
Her current work allows her to utilise the skills she has amassed as she is currently advocating for the rights of women and girls, providing them with safe spaces to discuss and report issues like GBV and other challenges like sexual harassment.
Through the Disability Youth Advocacy Network — an organisation equips young people with disabilities and women with the skills and resources needed to thrive through business entrepreneurship development and fostering self-sustainability, Sonata promotes human rights approaches to disability, dismantling outdated welfare models and advocating for equal opportunities.
Furthermore, Manganda excels in communication, digital media, project management, voice-over artistry, and graphic design and these skills allow her to engage with diverse audiences and that access allows her to promote social justice.
Through her expertise, she emphasises on the need for equal representation thus allowing her to engage diverse audiences and promote social justice
Strategic outreach programs have been part of the techniques she employs to mobilise young people living with disabilities.
This allows her to foster a culture of inclusion and participation in decision-making processes.
Her dedication to the cause has sometimes led her to sacrifice her personal resources and she believes that additional funding could be instrumental in reaching more youths with disabilities and enhancing their opportunities and impact.
Her story of resilience and determination spells a glimmer of hope for a brighter future as she envisions building a business incubation centre to train young people with disabilities in essential business skills for self-sustainability.
Her commitment to creating a better tomorrow for disabled individuals shows that she is an emerging force advocating for the welfare of the marginalised members of the community.
As she pursues her goals, Manganda remains committed to advocating for disability inclusion and creating impactful narratives that drive social change, striving for a future where all voices are heard and valued.
- This article was first drafted by Atrishya Gondo–a communications graduate intern at TisuMazwi.
- Fungayi Antony Sox is the founder and managing partner at TisuMazwi –a consulting, communications, media, and publishing entity based in Harare. He is also an Alumnus of the YALI Regional Leadership Centre for Southern Africa and writes in his personal capacity. For feedback, he can be reached on +263 776 030 949 or at fungayisox@gmail.com.