Zim youth leader receives top US award

Zimbabwean youth leader, Precious Simba, was named one of the three winners of the Goldman Sachs & Fortune Global Women Leaders award announced August 15th. She will receive the award at the Fortune Most Powerful Women summit scheduled for October 2 in Laguna Niguel, California.

"The award has truly humbled me," said Simba via e-mail. "To be picked amongst some of the great initiatives by women from around the world is an honour, not just for me but for my country and the girls we are working with."

The awards are given to outstanding alumni of the Goldman Sachs 10000 Women Initiative & the annual Fortune/U.S. State Department Global Women's Mentoring Partnership.

"It's an opportunity for me to put my organisation and Zimbabwe on the world stage," she said about receiving her award at an event that will be attended by over 400 of the world's most powerful women in business and philanthropy. This year's guests will include Lloyd Blankfein, C.E.O of Goldman Sachs, who will preside over the ceremony.

Established in 2006 in cooperation with the U.S. State Department, the Fortune/U.S. State Department Global Women's Mentoring Partnership connects talented, emerging women leaders from all over the world, who are between the ages of 25-43, with members of Fortune's Most Powerful Women Leaders for a month-long internship program.

The program begins with an orientation in Washington, D.C., where mentees meet with senior women leaders in government, business, academic, civil society and the media. Participants are then paired with one of Fortune's Most Powerful Women Leaders from companies like Time, Google, and Wal-Mart Stores, in cities across the United States.

At the end of the mentorship, mentees reconvene in New York City to collectively reflect on their experience and discuss future leadership opportunities. During the program, Simba was mentored by Xerox CMO Christa Carone and Shelley Diamond, who is a Worldwide Managing Partner at Y&R.

Fortune/U.S. State Department Global Women's Mentoring Partnership participants are nominated by U.S. Embassies worldwide.

"Precious's achievements are truly inspiring," said Sharon Hudson-Dean, Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Harare.

"Her work with underprivileged girls in Bulawayo captured the attention of the award adjudicators for its impact and dedication to changing the course of girls' lives for the better. Precious herself is a walking example of how young women can take control of their destinies and positively influence their communities."

A former Spar senior manager in Bulawayo, Simba left her retail career in 2011 to pursue her passion for inspiring young girls from under-privileged backgrounds. She established the Girls Development Initiative, an organization that empowers girls with education opportunities and life skills.

Through the outreach program, "Future Self," created collaboratively with Shelley Diamond, Worldwide Managing partner at Young & Rubicam USA, and Christa Carone, Chief Marketing Officer at Xerox Corporation USA, Simba featured stories of influential female leaders such as Christyl Johnson of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

The stories reflect important lessons and values for young women, including rising to meet challenges, choosing different career paths, and excelling in the workplace.

Other winners are Catherine Nyambala, an electrical engineer from Kenya who is now building various programs at home to educate and empower female scientists and engineers; and Madhu Uday, who is building a skills training and mentoring center for underprivileged young mothers in India.