From Zimbabwe to Minnesota: UMN Extension building bridges for sustainability changemakers

Following a six week training program in Florida this summer, Ndlovu spent four weeks in Minnesota working with RSDP as a part of the University of Minnesota Extension’s Global Engagement Program. 

During this period she experienced U.S. professional culture in working alongside RSDP and Clean Energy Resource Team staff, learned about Minnesota’s sustainability industry in visiting projects across the state, engaged in professional networking opportunities, and of course, made some friends along the way!

Connie Carlson, RSDP Assistant Statewide Director, served as Ndlovu’s supervisor during her time in Minnesota. “Cinderella and I met for a virtual conversation prior to her joining us in Minnesota. It became immediately clear that her curiosity and passion for community-led sustainability would be a perfect match with the work of RSDP,” recalls Carlson. “I was excited to show her our work, but equally excited to learn from her. I think I can speak for all of my colleagues who connected with Cinderella when I say that our experience together was a rich, two-way exchange of information and inspiration.” 

That rich exchange is exactly the type of engagement the University of Minnesota Extension had in mind when the Global Initiatives program was founded a decade ago. It was founded with the understanding that Minnesota is a part of an increasingly connected global network that can benefit from exchanges in education, research and development. Since then, 63 Extension faculty have participated in the program by traveling overseas or facilitating training for international visitors here in Minnesota.

 

Back in Zimbabwe, RSDP caught up with Ndlovu to hear her reflections on her fellowship experience and gain some insight on what’s next.

Question: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your journey.

Answer:

My name is Cinderella Ndlovu! I am 29 years old and I’m a married mother of two children. I live in Zimbabwe, where I was born and raised.

Growing up, I watched too many National Geographic shows. This turned out to be a window through which I could see the severity of the climate crisis and environmental degradation across the world. When I got to college, I was so determined to make a difference. I joined an environmental science related program and sought to find a job in that sector. I knew I wanted to do all I could to contribute to solving the climate crisis. It was a very ambitious direction but I’ve found my way.

Q: What’s Zimbabwe like?

A:

Zimbabwe is a beautiful country rich in flora and fauna. My country is home to five United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage sites; the Victoria Falls, Great Zimbabwe, Mana Pools National Park, Khami Ruins, and Matobo Hills. It is also home to the largest human-made reservoir, the Kariba dam. My country is rich in minerals such as gold, diamonds, and platinum. We also have an impressive 16 official languages.

Q: Wow! Can you tell us more about your nonprofit?

A:

I founded Green Hut Trust in 2020, in hopes of accelerating climate action in Zimbabwe. 

After graduating I had a lot of ideas for addressing pressing environmental challenges but had no means of executing those ideas. So I decided to take the road less traveled. While my mates were searching for jobs, I decided to go it alone. I started with a simple Twitter page where I was creating environmental content and following other institutions doing similar work. It quickly evolved and today, the organization is officially registered as a trust in Zimbabwe, has five permanent employees, hosts annual interns, and has close to 100 volunteers all over Zimbabwe. We work closely with the community, conducting projects like environmental education initiatives and cleanup campaigns. 

My long-term aspirations involve establishing a community-led recycling hub and nurturing more environmentally conscious citizenry.