Strive Masiyiwa out to inspire young Zimbabweans

Strive Masiyiwa the founder and director of Econet and one of Zimbabwe's richest people says he is out to inspire a new generation of Zimbabweans.

Commenting on a Facebook post by strive Masiyiwa on how his company's alternative energy division had modified the traditional candle to a brighter and more modern one, Mteba Ngoga wrote: "In every generation , the Almighty sends some people to impact the lives of many. In our generation, Strive Masiyiwa is one of those persons. I am sure we should expect more from you. Thanks and keep the flame burning"

This is an inspirational response from Masiyiwa extracted word for word:

"There is even a greater truth, than what you have said: And that truth is that, YOU, my brother, are in that generation of people who are supposed to change and impact this world. God only made one of you: there has never been, and never will be another person like you. God has put in YOU, the capacity to absolutely change the world.

How big do you think God is? Do you think He cannot do that with you. The problem is far to many people are waiting for someone else to come forward, and change things for them, or to lead them; that is not how God sees it, if you study the bible carefully. All I am trying to do with these posts, is to just spur, to encourage, to inspire someone like you.

It is not easy for me, to make the time to just send a post like this because of the schedule I have to keep; in just the last 24 hours, I have travelled half way around the world, and I have had so little sleep, but it was important that I reach someone like you. My dream is one day, a young person, somewhere on this big beautiful continent of ours, will send me a post and say, 'Mr Masiyiwa, I was inspired by something, you said, and I went out, and changed something, and now look... People are drinking clean water, children are going to school..."

That is what it is about. And when you do that I will dance, with you, I will sing for joy, and above all I will thank The Lord Jesus Christ! "

Going further, Strive Masiyiwa gives the example of a young Chinese gentleman, called Jack Ma who having enjoyed the American Facebook went back to China and he and his friends created, Alibaba. The Chinese social network is now bigger than Facebook.

In this illustration Masiyiwa is striving to get young Africans to think bigger than just being users but be also inventors or developers. "I want to inspire you not just to wake up and use Facebook, but to think of ways we can develop our own for Africa. I am not interested in selling you a product or promoting my businesses, that is not my job, we have lots of people doing that in all the countries where we operate. I want to inspire you to think about how we can develop new prosperity for Africa, just like Jack Ma did for his country." Wrote Masiyiwa.

"The young man who created this Facebook, is busy making money for America, his country, from you and me. And there is nothing wrong with that. But let's be more than users of what others create. Let's be inspired by what Jack Ma, did. Added Masiyiwa whose calls come amidst a lot of very innovative and inspiring developments and expansions his group of companies is going through. It can only be hoped that one day Zimbabweans will realise and put to maximum use the great brains of this son of the Zimbabwean soil.