Before reaching the age of thirty my mother had lost everything. She endured a devastating divorce and walked away with nothing but her sowing machine, a broken heart and life threatening chronic asthma. She describes it as the most painful thing a mother can ever endure, to leave behind her four children, the youngest (me) being only four years old.

I call my mother Anna and she calls me "Bee" but sometimes she calls me
"Shamwari" which means friend in the Shona language. She is the most beautiful
person I have ever met, her grace, her passion, her faith and above all her love.

The time I have spent with Anna has been very little but she has deeply influenced my life.
As a child I hid severe depression and constant thoughts of suicide behind my dimples,
and it was her love that inspired me and gave me hope. My mother is an outcast, disowned by many and uninvited by most, why? I do not fully understand. Despite everything, she has taught me that life is not fair, it never will be, but that it is very important to forgive.

She has taught me to have hope for a better tomorrow, faith in God's will and last but not least, she has taught me to fight every war with love. As a child I saw her suffer and sow cheap clothes on a 1975 Singer machine for a living, fashion saved her life. She inspired me to love fashion and create the "Zvikomborero" line. Today she is still in Zimbabwe, still victim to poverty and still suffering from severe asthma but through me fashion will once again save her.

Anna has never said the words "I love you" to me but in our conversations I hear those words a million times. I love you Anna and one day we will be together on earth or in heaven.
"Shamwari Yako Bee" (Your friend Bee).