Fortunate Sekai Makiwa debunks single mother myths

Rutendo Mazhindu- Zim Now Reporter

As Zimbabwe marks Women’s Month this March, we honor the women whose strength often goes unnoticed—the quiet warriors who rise against adversity, who carry their families on their backs, and who turn struggle into triumph.

Among them is Fortunate Sekai Makiwa, whose story stands out against the chauvinistic labels of Shadaya and his followers who have created a narrative that single mothers are incapable of being productive members of society.

The mother whose love, resilience, and faith have shaped not just her daughters’ futures, but an enduring legacy of hope stands out as an example of how powerful women always turn temporary challenges into new territories to be conquered.

For years, Makiwa has fought battles that few could withstand. When her husband walked away, leaving her to raise their daughters alone, she had every reason to break. But she refused. Instead, she chose to fight—to love harder, work tirelessly, and believe in a future where her children would stand tall, unshaken by the struggles of their past.

“I had no choice but to be both mother and father,” she says, her voice steady but carrying the weight of years of sacrifice. “When their father left, I made a vow that no matter what, my daughters would never lack, and they would never feel alone.”

Her determination bore fruit. Today, her eldest daughter, 28, is a graduate in Human and Urban Development from the University of Zimbabwe, while her youngest, 22, is pursuing a degree in Journalism and Digital Media Studies. Each success they achieve is a testament to their mother’s unwavering strength.

Makiwa’s journey has been far from easy. To provide for her daughters, she took a job at St. Mary’s School, cooking meals over firewood. Day after day, she inhaled thick smoke, enduring the discomfort in silence—until the damage became too much to ignore.

“Cooking with firewood affected my health, but stopping was never an option,” she recalls. “I had children depending on me. I told myself, ‘If I have to struggle, I will struggle—but my girls will get their education.’”

Even as illness threatened to take everything from her, she refused to let it define her. Instead, she found a new way to survive. Partnering with her elder sister, Patience Makiwa, she started a small food business in Glen Norah C, cooking and selling meals to the community. It was hard work, but it allowed her to stand on her own terms.

Today, Makiwa works as a domestic worker in Waterfalls, a job that demands long hours and tireless effort. But she holds her head high, knowing that every meal she cooks and every floor she scrubs is a step toward her daughters' brighter future.

“I may be a maid now, but I am not ashamed,” she says. “Every job I have done, I have done with pride. I want my daughters to see that dignity is not in the title—it is in the hard work, in the refusal to give up, in standing tall even when life tries to break you.”

Beyond her work, Makiwa carries another gift—a voice that moves hearts. In her church, she is known not just for her faith but for her ability to uplift others through song.

“My voice is my prayer,” she says. “Through everything I have faced, God has given me strength. And when I sing, I thank Him for carrying me through.”

Makiwa’s story is not just about hardship—it is about triumph. It is about a mother who refused to let life’s trials define her family’s future. It is about a woman who, through faith and resilience, raised daughters who now stand on the foundation of her sacrifices.

“Being a mother is the greatest calling I could have ever asked for,” she says. “There is nothing more important than seeing my daughters succeed. I will continue to do everything I can to ensure they live the life they deserve.”

Fortunate Sekai Makiwa is not just a mother—she is a warrior, a beacon of hope, and a reminder that even in the hardest of times, love and perseverance can rewrite destiny.