Who is Artwell Chivhinge?
Artwell Chivhinge is a 37 year old Christian, and son of the late peasant or subsistence farmers Patrick and Lillian Chivhinge. He was born and bred in a rural area called Murehwa (60km East of Harare, Zimbabwe). He is married to one wife Jannet and they are blessed with three (3) children Tafara, Mufaro and Rufaro (Mufaro (girl) and Rufaro (boy) are twins). .
Artwell is proud to have grown up and acquired rural life skills and was involved in small scale farming from childhood. He recalls at times only having to go to the shops to buy salt, sugar and soap because everything else the family had to eat came from the fields and gardens. Maize provided samp, mealie meal and popcorn. Groundnuts provided peanut butter, cooking oil and roasted nuts. Sunflowers provided cooking oil and chicken feed. Fruits, vegetables and seeds came from the land and there was, and still there is enough to eat for the whole year and times two years in the case of having drought. His mother used to team up with other women and hire a lorry to take the garden produce to ‘Mbare musika’, (the produce market place in the Harare capital in Zimbabwe) where they would sell the vegetables.
Artwell left Murehwa for the capital city, Harare after he had finished secondary school, but he would visit the rural areas often. Whilst in Harare, in 1994, worked in a construction company where he pushed wheelbarrow as assistant builder, became assistant carpenter, plumber, assistant painter and an estimator at the Maintenance Team. He was working and studying to supplement his studies. In 1995, Artwell and his friend went to try their luck in South Africa, in Polokwane where they were fixing electrical gadgets but Artwell did not enjoy it. It was his first time to be out of the country. When he returned after two months, he got a place to study Mechanical Engineering at Harare polytechnic and he was there in 1995 to 1997 as a fitter and turner. This was a tough course for Artwell because it needed someone with Science background and Artwell was good at working with people and the land. After getting enough guts, he decided to leave the mechanical engineering course after two years at a polytechnic college and decided to join development and agriculture field in 1997. From 1997 and 1998, he studied permaculture and agroforestry at Silveira House and Fambidzanai Permaculture centre, and micro enterprise development at Silveira House Development centre. In 1999, Artwell joined a youth international organisation as an environmental volunteer and later as an employee and worked in Zimbabwe, Tanzania and South Africa. He went to South Africa in 2006. Artwell worked for Students partnership Worldwide (SPW) for 11years (1999 – 2010) and he gained a lot of youth development experience. Currently he is working for Eastern Cape NGO Coalition as a Programmes Facilitator. He was a part – time tutor for University of South Africa (UNISA) on Household Food Security programme from 2009 to 2011. Artwell is committee member of the Green Living East London (GLEL), he is a permaculturist, and is promoting household food security in rural and urban areas. He is a writer on developmental issues but his passion is on household food security.
Academic Qualifications
Artwell Chivhinge has a Commonwealth Diploma in Youth Development, certificate in training techniques, certificate in social and community development and many other certificates on short courses on development. Artwell’s dream is to acquire a Master’s degree in community development and a PhD in Development Studies, nomatter how long that will take.
Artwell’s Development experience
The most rewarding experience is what Artwell experienced in life from birth until now. All the life skills he has are a result of his upbringing and life experiences. Artwell knows what it means to live with or without food. He knows what it feels like going to school with bare feet and travel 8km to and from school Monday to Friday. The hardships and the poverty he grew up in are the best teacher and his quest to remove the yoke of poverty in the society. He has 13 years’ experience in development of which 11 years in youth development and two years working for a Coalition of non-governmental organisations and community based organisations. Artwell boasts that gone are the days when he always looks at what communities do not have, but to focus on the ASSETS, potentials, strengths and capabilities as a springboard to unleash the greatness that lies in communities.
Artwell’s Vision:
Artwell is very passionate about development and is very much concerned about food insecurity in Africa, and therefore is igniting a movement on household food security. His vision is Food Secure Households.
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Artwell is proud to have grown up and acquired rural life skills and was involved in small scale farming from childhood. He recalls at times only having to go to the shops to buy salt, sugar and soap because everything else the family had to eat came from the fields and gardens. Maize provided samp, mealie meal and popcorn. Groundnuts provided peanut butter, cooking oil and roasted nuts. Sunflowers provided cooking oil and chicken feed. Fruits, vegetables and seeds came from the land and there was, and still there is enough to eat for the whole year and times two years in the case of having drought. His mother used to team up with other women and hire a lorry to take the garden produce to ‘Mbare musika’, (the produce market place in the Harare capital in Zimbabwe) where they would sell the vegetables.
Artwell left Murehwa for the capital city, Harare after he had finished secondary school, but he would visit the rural areas often. Whilst in Harare, in 1994, worked in a construction company where he pushed wheelbarrow as assistant builder, became assistant carpenter, plumber, assistant painter and an estimator at the Maintenance Team. He was working and studying to supplement his studies. In 1995, Artwell and his friend went to try their luck in South Africa, in Polokwane where they were fixing electrical gadgets but Artwell did not enjoy it. It was his first time to be out of the country. When he returned after two months, he got a place to study Mechanical Engineering at Harare polytechnic and he was there in 1995 to 1997 as a fitter and turner. This was a tough course for Artwell because it needed someone with Science background and Artwell was good at working with people and the land. After getting enough guts, he decided to leave the mechanical engineering course after two years at a polytechnic college and decided to join development and agriculture field in 1997. From 1997 and 1998, he studied permaculture and agroforestry at Silveira House and Fambidzanai Permaculture centre, and micro enterprise development at Silveira House Development centre. In 1999, Artwell joined a youth international organisation as an environmental volunteer and later as an employee and worked in Zimbabwe, Tanzania and South Africa. He went to South Africa in 2006. Artwell worked for Students partnership Worldwide (SPW) for 11years (1999 – 2010) and he gained a lot of youth development experience. Currently he is working for Eastern Cape NGO Coalition as a Programmes Facilitator. He was a part – time tutor for University of South Africa (UNISA) on Household Food Security programme from 2009 to 2011. Artwell is committee member of the Green Living East London (GLEL), he is a permaculturist, and is promoting household food security in rural and urban areas. He is a writer on developmental issues but his passion is on household food security.
Academic Qualifications
Artwell Chivhinge has a Commonwealth Diploma in Youth Development, certificate in training techniques, certificate in social and community development and many other certificates on short courses on development. Artwell’s dream is to acquire a Master’s degree in community development and a PhD in Development Studies, nomatter how long that will take.
Artwell’s Development experience
The most rewarding experience is what Artwell experienced in life from birth until now. All the life skills he has are a result of his upbringing and life experiences. Artwell knows what it means to live with or without food. He knows what it feels like going to school with bare feet and travel 8km to and from school Monday to Friday. The hardships and the poverty he grew up in are the best teacher and his quest to remove the yoke of poverty in the society. He has 13 years’ experience in development of which 11 years in youth development and two years working for a Coalition of non-governmental organisations and community based organisations. Artwell boasts that gone are the days when he always looks at what communities do not have, but to focus on the ASSETS, potentials, strengths and capabilities as a springboard to unleash the greatness that lies in communities.
Artwell’s Vision:
Artwell is very passionate about development and is very much concerned about food insecurity in Africa, and therefore is igniting a movement on household food security. His vision is Food Secure Households.
Click HERE to return to the NEWS from SA page