Tererai Trent (b.1965) Zimbabwe Academic & Humanitarian

Tererai was born in Rhodesia ( now Zimbabwe)in 1965. The children in the poor village of Zvipani received little education. The boys received some basic primary education to help them get a job; the girls almost none because they were expected to get married.

Tererai’s father accepted a ‘brideprice’ of a cow and she was married aged just 11. By the age 18 she was the mother of 3 children ( a fourth lost due to poor nourishment). Her husband beat her for wanting an education

In 1991 Jo Luck, who headed a development organization visited her village. Jo asked her about her dreams, she replied to get degrees in America.
Encouraged by her mother she wrote down those dreams, put the paper in a tin and buried it.

In 1998 she moved to Oklahoma with her husband and 5 children.

2001 she had a degree in agriculture education. In 2003 MA degree , husband deported for abuse. Married Mark Trent. 2008 PhD degree- looked at HIV/AIDS programs for women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa.
After each degree she returned to Zimbabwe, unearthed the tin and checked off each goal.

In 2009 her life story featured in Half the Sky by Nicholas and Sherl WuDunn. Excerpt from book published by The New York Times.
Oprah Winfrey ran a segment in an episode.
Oprah sent a crew with Tererai to Zimbabwe to dig up the tin.

In 2009 she founded the Tinagona Foundation, later renamed Tererai Trent International which has funded several schools in Zimbabwe.

In 2011 Oprah revealed Tereria was her all-time favourite guest and donated $1,5 million so she could build a school in her home village.

2015 published children’s book The Girl who Buried her Dreams in a Can

2017 * Awakened Woman: Remembering and Igniting Our Sacred Dreams**
a self help book, was named the Outstanding Literary Work, Instructional at the 49th NAAP Image Awards.

She has helped educate 1000s of children In Zambabwe while inspiring millions around the world.

Tereria fulfilled her dreams

Sources
Wikipedia
*RISE: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World * by Maliha Abidi