Inclusion in Media
Mr Nyasha Nhau is an award winning journalist and a disability right activist. Nyasha notes that he was born without a disability. However due to unfortunate circumstances he became physically impaired. He notes that impairment alone does not disable him. His disability results from societal barriers which interact with his impairment subsequently leading to disability. Nevertheless, Mr Nhau has never let his disability get the best of him.
As a young man with a disability, Nyasha was enrolled at Danhiko Project which is based in Msasa area in the capital city of Harare where he completed his Secondary School education. While at Danhiko, Nyasha had an epiphany. He realized that people with disabilities where regarded as mere objects of charity and misfortune, this flabbergasted the young man who then made a conscious decision to work towards empowering people with disabilities so that society would regard them with a different lens.
Upon completing his Secondary School education Mr Nhau then decided to study journalism, this decision was motivated by his desire to raise awareness about disability issues. As a journalist Mr Nhau has had vast experience some of which is detailed as follows:
Zim Community News (ZCN) – Prolific writer, focusing on mainly disability issues and other vulnerable groups.
Community Radio Harare (CORAH) – former online Radio/TV disability Anchor.
Hope Magazine Zimbabwe – once became a Politics and Governance Columnist
Mr Nhau mentioned that he has conducted a number of empowerment projects for people with disabilities as well as parents of children with disabilities as an individual, through the organization that he founded, Emancipate Disability Constituency Trust. He noted that one of the most memorable projects he embarked on was in 2015 where he was the coordinator of US Aid, UK Aid, SIDA and, DFID business entrepreneurship training program that benefitted more than 360 people with disabilities.
Nyasha’s efforts have not gone unnoticed he highlighted that he holds several awards which include the following:
Concord for Young Women in Business (YWiB) Global At The Sadc Success Awards 2020.
Honored by Shamwari yeMwanasikana in partnership with Amnesty International, Higher Life Foundation and Alive Albinism Initiative in 2020.
In terms of leadership Nyasha Nhau occupies a number of influential positions including:
Ambassador for Disability – African Union Youth Club (AU YC).
Maps Foundations Group – Social Responsibility Ambassador.Head of Disability – Zimbabwe Young Ambassadors.
Mr Nhau is a strong believer in Self-representation, as a firm believer that people with disabilities deserve to sit on decision making bodies he contested as a Councilor, for his local area in the 2018 harmonized elections. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful becoming third runner up out of the 12 contestants. In spite of this minor setback Nyasha continues to thrive as is witnessed by his recent awards and achievements.