Rebecca Dube”15 - Giving back, nurturing future alumni and reinvesting in Africa University.
20 October 2017
Rebecca Dube “15 and her team from Makomo Resources (Pvt) Limited visited the Africa University main campus from the 12th to the 13th of October 2017 to map out a strategic relationship between the University and Makomo Resources that will see the Mining giant investing in AU projects and value chains that will assist in catapulting the institution into a forerunner in business development, bringing goods manufactured by the University to market and skills training of students through internships.
Rebecca is a business analyst whose core focus lies in market trends within the mining sector, business strategy and positioning as well as implementing smart models that ensure Makomo maintains its titan status amongst the mining giants in the Southern African Region. Rebecca says that her motivation for returning to Africa University to broker the landmark agreement between Makomo Resources and AU was an understanding of her social responsibility as an alumnus to build Africa University in the knowledge that the strengthening in the status and reputation of the University is a benefit to future, current and past students.
Speaking on internships and sharing her experiences on how difficult the job market can be for new graduates, Rebecca says,
“Internships are very important and that is something that Africa University prioritizes. It helps you identify key areas of interest to find out where you fit in. So much was opened up for me by going through that process. We at Makomo will actively recruit 7-8 students per year and we will sponsor graduation prizes to motivate our graduates to do better. As an alumnus of AU I am the key person brokering this relationship and this, I feel, is me giving back to my University in a big way. I am inspiring the next generation of Acacians to do the same and go beyond this. I am ensuring that our students are ready for the market and the real world and this is something I think we as alumni need to be doing.”
Makomo Resources hosted interviews on campus for Africa University students from across the 3 colleges with the aim of recruiting promising young minds into the company. Rebecca added,
“The executives and directors of Makomo settled on recruiting students from Africa University as they said they wanted more of my kind. More of Africa University!”
Alluding to her time and experiences at Africa University and why it holds such a special place for her Rebecca smiles fondly as she recollects,
“I was pushed beyond my limits and encouraged to find new ones. I remember while writing my dissertation, Mr. Masese found me seated alone in one of the classrooms and asked, “Rebecca! How is the dissertation going?”, I remember I simply broke down and cried, I couldn’t help myself it was so tough! All he said was, “Rebecca! I know you can do it! We have all seen something special in you. You will make it!”, and indeed I did. It was lecturers like him and Mr. Mandewo that encouraged me to never give up and these are lessons that I carry with me every day.”
Rebecca went on to say,
“Africa University students are doing very well on the job market and that alone speaks volumes of the quality of students that are formed here. It is about more than just grades at AU and that gives us our competitive advantage.”
Commenting on the numerous developments happening at Africa University constantly Rebecca said,
“When I look at Africa University now from the time I was a student here, I would say that the student experience has been enriched which is a key facet of reaching world class status. I feel we are well on our way to being one of the best universities in Africa and dare I say the world. The name of Africa University is growing adding value to our certificates and degrees. As alumni we become more marketable through the growth of our university.”
Rebecca Dube’s story is one of remarkable success since graduating as recently as 2015 and offers a small snapshot into the amazing work that AU’s alumni are involved in and the stellar careers that they creating for themselves with their work leaving their employers wanting more of the University’s high quality and high flying graduates. Makomo Resources is a coal mining company situated in Bulawayo within the Mining District with its headquarters in Hwange. The company is the largest privately owned coal producer in Zimbabwe and has firmly established itself as the leading force in the industry since its inception in June 2010.
By Jeanette Dadzie