Last week I attended an event in Guruve, where my manager Christine Gumunyu, runs a CSR project for Rift Valley (Northern Tobacco). We arrived just in time to hear a speech by a young lady who had her blazer buttoned up tight and a small tummy protruding. As she gave her well articulated speech, it made more sense. This girl turned out to be 14 years of age and was raped. She is now 7 months pregnant and stays with her grandmother who is struggling to take her through school already. After the event I could not help to see her talking to Christine with tears in her eyes. I did not hear the conversation, but I can imagine what her life is like now. All her friends were dancing to the latest songs and having a great time, but she sat and just watched throughout the show, blazer buttoned tight in the heat to somehow camouflage the growing tummy. This girl's life has changed forever and her surroundings are probably not going to make it any better. I had my first child at 21, albeit unprepared, but my family and friends made it a bearable experience, so what more at 14?? Why am I telling you this? On our way home from Guruve, Christine and I kept pondering how we can alleviate the situation. The damage has been done, the rapist is behind bars for 15 years, she gets to go on with school (thank God). Christine offered to get a scan done so that we know the sex of the baby as well as for her to experience the joy of motherhood and see a new life growing in her. T.D. Jakes in one sermon mentioned that no matter what circumstances you were born in, life is always a gift. I am therefore appealing to all of you to donate any baby clothes, toys, or whatever you think that she may need to make this process bearable. This girl is intelligent, well spoken and this I deduced from how well she spoke about her situation. I don't think I would have just gone to Guruve for no reason. Please help us make this girl's life more purposeful...and hopefully this is the start of a whole new project for us!! If you want to assist in any way or need us to pick up anything please contact Christine Gumunyu on 0772 846297 or email christine.gumunyu@gmail.com Regai dzive shiri mazai haana muto!! (Wait for the full maturation of events instead of prematurely harvesting or celebrating).

Mothers'Day Specials 2015

Everything in life is a cause for celebration and I personally believe in creating an experience out of every event. In May we celebrate Mothers’ day and as usual I have a special plan set aside to celebrate our mothers. My package will run on the 8th and 9th May 2015 and is as follows: $10.00 I can call your mother on mother’s day and sing for her over the phone/skype $20.00 I will prepare a small video that you can send on app or any other medium with a personalised message and song for your mother. (Which you can feature in) $50.00 I will go and sing live to wherever your mother is in Harare, and deliver flowers and a TNG gift. $300.00 I can have a 1 hour solo concert at your home dedicated to your mother I also have makeover vouchers for $20.00 for professional make up for your mum by my official makeup artist Chipo Mnikwa of Poda By Chipo and African inspired clutch bags by Faith Nunurai also for $20.00 that you can add to the delivery. (There is also a selected range of accessories to choose from the WaBoaz range). To top it all off, I will have a Mother’s Day Picnic on 10 May from 1-5pm at the Zimbabwe German Society and its free for Mothers!!!! Lots of fun and entertainment for the kids too! Our mothers are special. Let’s celebrate them. Get in touch to avoid disappointment: email: bookings@tarironegitare.com and phone or whatsapp: 0783 488534

Festival tips for the artists!

I have been attending HIFA since I was about 16 years old; then as just a young teen looking for entertainment and that was the closest to international acts that I would see. However, my perception of attending festivals has since changed from just fun, to more of a unique opportunity to network. This perception was reinforced when I attended Sauti za Busara in Zanzibar, thanks to the Zimbabwe German Society. I attended not as an artist, but as an arts administrator, so I saw the other side of the festival that can actually transform the life of an artist. So here is what I learnt from Sauti za Busara that artists can apply to maximise on the festival this year. 1. You have to realise and accept (whether you like it or not) that HIFA is the biggest platform we have as artists to network, learn and showcase on a local level to an audience that we wouldn’t ordinarily have in one place. So not taking advantage of such a platform in our back yard would be ridiculous. It’s the best way to showcase yourself to both the local and international audience. So if you did not make the cut this year, try and find out why and then try again next year. 2. Festival organisers, scouts, managers, agents, publishers and anyone and everyone who has anything to do with the arts will be there, from different corners of the world. Attend workshops. Here you will get to meet the necessary people and have a personal relationship with them. Last year, at one workshop, I met Oliver Groth from Botswana, and ended up sharing the stage with Tuku in Botswana at his venue Botswanacraft later that year. I also attended a workshop by Josephine Oniyama (UK) and less than 4 artists attended, who arrived an hour later , so we had a lot of one on one time, and me being me, I ended up featuring on her set that evening on global stage. 3. Meet as many artists as you can. My first tour to Germany resulted because of a HIFA collaboration. The Zimbabwe German Society facilitated the German band Jamaram and well, the rest is history. We have stayed in touch and have created opportunities between us. The easiest way to travel is to know someone in the country and field that you are interested in, that way you are always on in the know. 4. If you are not performing at HIFA you could create an event that runs parallel to HIFA. Most people who come to HIFA from different parts of the world also want to experience life outside of the festival, so having a show at another venue could see an overspill of patrons coming to your show...and then put your best foot forward. 5. Always have marketing material. Business cards, fliers, pamphlets, CDs, DVDs or anything that people can take with them is a must. Even if you are just attending the festival, just move around with something on you at all times. Who knows, you could just bump into Salief Keta on the Coke Green. 6. Make sure your online profile is on point. When you tell someone about you, chances are they will google you to see what you do. So make sure you have professional images, video clips, and anything that you think would keep people interested in your craft. 7. Watch as many shows as you can. Inspiration comes from anywhere. If you are set out to be an international artist, what better ways than to watch other acts perform? It is an easy way to get new ideas and concepts that you can copy, pimp and paste to your own creations. And remember, you are only as good as what you know. So strive to know a lot!!! That’s my 2 cents. Make the best of every situation. Tried and tested!!

Started from the bottom now we here!!

In the last week I have had interactions with a lot of people in my past, from schoolmates, ex-bosses and workmates and it reminded me of what an amazing journey I have had and how God aligned certain people and experiences in my life to shape me. When things happen at the time that they happen, you can never make sense of it, but when you look back, it all makes perfect sense. I would like to take you on a journey of my professional background just so you have an appreciation of who I am today. I left St.Johns High School (Emerald Hill) in 2003 without the slightest idea of where I wanted to go. My mum immediately said she didn’t want anyone to stay at home so she got me a job soon after high school at Eaglesvale prep as a grade 1 assistant teacher, who also doubled up as Tennis coach and music teacher (ofcourse). My first salary was $300 and also had a free accommodation at the school and at 18 years, I was balling out of control with that money! I was sensible enough to start my diploma in Personnel Management with IPMZ which I completed a year later. After that I left Eaglesvale and was employed by Egnes Ndlovu who owned Beanbag Trading. I was her personal assistant and we specialised in corporate gifts and branding. We had a small office in town and it was a 2 man band so the interaction was very one on one and I learnt a great deal. Then came African Sun, at that time Zimsun. I was hired as a call centre operator, along with my close friends. I easily rose through the ranks and went to front office, then guest relations. I have the fondest memory of my boss Tapiwa Mtshiya who has got to be a woman I can only aspire to be. When I was in guest relations I fell pregnant (at 21 years...story for another day). So I could not continue to be on my feet and was moved to functions! Can you believe that at that time I was so disappointed by that move not knowing that a new passion was about to be unearthed. I was put under Edna Kaseke who allowed me to sit all day and do all the admin work (which was hectic by the way). She also taught me everything I know about the business. African Sun had a thorough way of induction and in no time I knew the ins and outs of any kind of event. By the time I went on maternity leave I knew I had a future in event management. So I gave birth at 27 weeks (story of my life) and was back at work now officially as a functions coordinator! It was great. I had just had a life changing experience, was now married and had a new perspective on life. I decided to go back to school and start my degree in Sociology and Gender studies with the Women’s University. Picture this, I had a demanding job, I was married, had a severe pre- term to take care of, and somewhere in there I started Wildfire Events. It got so overwhelming so I decided to leave for an 8-5 job which I got at a company called Oratile Logistics as sales and marketing executive! It was ok, but didn’t really enjoy it for long so I went to AIT Distribution as a Marketing Executive at that time headed by Tapiwa Chinyadza. More fun times there. I then left AIT and started to do my own thing running Wildfire Events. I hosted some of the most amazing parties with my husband who had a crazy network of people and the name grew bit by bit which allowed me to get a few jobs here and there. My most memorable big event was the wedding expo where Barbreanne Linnel allowed me to host the entertainment stage in Harare Gardens. I had never done it before but managed to get the best entertainment to run through the whole day, set up an amazing stage , got Divine Concert Sound to do the sound and Willis Wataffi was the main act amongst others ALL FOR FREE!!! I remember going home that night thinking ...How on earth did I do that??? Somewhere during all this madness I met Edith weUtonga and played for her band which was a total pleasure and I could earn a few dollars in the process so I was set! So fortunes changed and things got harder and Zimbabwe was also on a crazy spell at that time. It affected every area of my life including my marriage which unfortunately I could not save. I tried to get back into employment and luckily got a job at Nashua Zimbabwe as a sales executive. At Nashua I had the best sales training I have ever received as they had a consultant come in from South Africa. Unfortunately I did not stay there for long because magitare were calling and I just couldn’t bear working for someone else. I just knew I had to go but I had no plan B. God then put me in a place where nothing else would work but magitare! You know when Jonah was called and he refused but had to be swallowed by a big fish to get the idea...well thats kinda what happened. I left my matrimonial home in November 2012 to the comfort and support of my family and I tell you things started happening. The gigs started coming, the opportunities knocked in all directions and Tariro neGitare was born. The Acoustic Night also started taking shape thanks to the Zimbabwe German Society ably led by Roberta Wagner and my first tour to Germany even changed my whole perspective on my career. I am back at school, now doing my Masters in Development, still running Wildfire Events and Magitare Trust and following my passion through Tariro neGitare. I have no fears, no apologies and no regrets and I can safely tell you that this all happened not on my own power, but a greater force was at work all the while and I was being prepared to walk a journey that I am so confident to walk in because I am assured of the promise that my gift will make room for me. Whatever situation you are in, whether good or bad, you are there for a reason. Bottom line...started from the bottom now we’re here, and still going!!! Be inspired!