Background of Thabani Patience Manjenjenje Foundation

Thabani Patience Manjenjenje Foundation (TPMF TRUST) is a Christian non-governmental organization which was established in December 2016 with the main aim of spiritually and economically empowering women and the girl child in both urban and rural areas in Zimbabwe. This organization came to life through live radio talk shows and discussions which the founder engages in on radio during her shows at one of the State Broadcasters in the country, thus seeing the need to spiritually empower the woman, girland boy child after feedback obtained from the live broadcasts. The feedback obtained reinforced patriarchal tendencies in Africa which is not bad, although there is need to reinforce what Jesus thought about women.

Siyandawrites.com defines Patriarchy as, “A gendered power system. A network of social, political and economic relationships through which men dominate and control female labour, reproduction and sexuality as well as define women’s status, privileges and rights in society. It has been regarded as a successful system because those that gain this privilege are often unaware of it and therefore inadvertently perpetuate the ill treatment of the people in this society whose suffering is the fulcrum upon which this society turns. Most women in African societies suffer from prostitution, peer-pressure, rape, early child marriages, unwanted pregnancy, forced abortion, inadequate health care, being their families’ burden bearer, ignorance, gender-based violence, vulnerability, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, financial constraints, poverty and parental care. With all these problems affecting women and the girl child, the world and the feminist agenda are advocating for women and men to be equals, and encouraging things like, ‘women can and should do everything a man can or should’, but Tilly Grace, in her article posits that, “It is a perverted version of what God has intended for us as women, especially as Christ following women at that. We were designed to be and to do different things. We are equal in value as people, yes. As men and women, God loves us just as much as the other, but God did not design us to do the exact same things.” From a Biblical perspective, Jesus referred to women as worthy examples in many of his teachings and He also showed compassion to women by healing them of various illnesses. It is under this backdrop that He was disregarding social and religious beliefs and customs by not objecting to being touched by the woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9:18).

With reference to the above, TPMF is coming in to address both the survivor and the perpetrator who is the man, the one who is perpetrating the violence, the rape, the early child marriages, the unwanted pregnancy, forced abortion and many things highlighted above, as there is need to train and teach this gender to be more spiritual in the things of God, be accountable, take responsibility, admit wrong doing, apologise, be the gentleman, owning up, not shifting blame and many more anomalies which have befallen our society.

Our Purpose is guided by Christian principles, we aim to foster a deep spiritual understanding and relationship with God.