you might be wondering from my exotic accent who I am from I was born and
accent who I am from I was born and
accent who I am from I was born and raised in Zimbabwe it’s in southern
raised in Zimbabwe it’s in southern
raised in Zimbabwe it’s in southern Africa so six years ago had you told my
Africa so six years ago had you told my
Africa so six years ago had you told my mom that I’d be standing on the stage in
mom that I’d be standing on the stage in
mom that I’d be standing on the stage in Virginia hearsay should have stayed it’s
Virginia hearsay should have stayed it’s
Virginia hearsay should have stayed it’s impossible but then since then I’ve
impossible but then since then I’ve
impossible but then since then I’ve taken many small steps in pursuit of
taken many small steps in pursuit of
taken many small steps in pursuit of some very light streams so in 2008 there
some very light streams so in 2008 there
some very light streams so in 2008 there was a fair mining and food shortages of
was a fair mining and food shortages of
was a fair mining and food shortages of historic proportions in Zimbabwe and I
historic proportions in Zimbabwe and I
historic proportions in Zimbabwe and I was 15 years old at that time and I was
was 15 years old at that time and I was
was 15 years old at that time and I was attending boarding school
attending boarding school
attending boarding school I saw bread disappearing from the table
I saw bread disappearing from the table
I saw bread disappearing from the table and then it was replaced with porridge
and then it was replaced with porridge
and then it was replaced with porridge and then the porridge was replaced with
and then the porridge was replaced with
and then the porridge was replaced with two spoons of mealy rice and then that’s
two spoons of mealy rice and then that’s
two spoons of mealy rice and then that’s all that we had for weeks for months
all that we had for weeks for months
all that we had for weeks for months living through the living through that
living through the living through that
living through the living through that fair mine really inspired me to aspire
fair mine really inspired me to aspire
fair mine really inspired me to aspire to a profession where I could alleviate
to a profession where I could alleviate
to a profession where I could alleviate suffering on a macroscopic scale and so
suffering on a macroscopic scale and so
suffering on a macroscopic scale and so I applied so in high school of course I
I applied so in high school of course I
I applied so in high school of course I tried to act as hard as I could because
tried to act as hard as I could because
tried to act as hard as I could because that’s all my parents encouraged me
that’s all my parents encouraged me
that’s all my parents encouraged me jiejie and so I went to hide in high
jiejie and so I went to hide in high
jiejie and so I went to hide in high school graduating among the top of my
school graduating among the top of my
school graduating among the top of my class and I thought that was it because
class and I thought that was it because
class and I thought that was it because my family there was no way they could
my family there was no way they could
my family there was no way they could afford to take me to the University of
afford to take me to the University of
afford to take me to the University of Zimbabwe and so over that year we had a
Zimbabwe and so over that year we had a
Zimbabwe and so over that year we had a huge avocado tree in the backyard and so
huge avocado tree in the backyard and so
huge avocado tree in the backyard and so I was an avocado vendor for the avocado
I was an avocado vendor for the avocado
I was an avocado vendor for the avocado season and I was also responsible for
season and I was also responsible for
season and I was also responsible for fetching water for the family and
fetching water for the family and
fetching water for the family and purifying it to help my mom I also had
purifying it to help my mom I also had
purifying it to help my mom I also had my mom take by taking care of my three
my mom take by taking care of my three
my mom take by taking care of my three Ines siblings and so that’s what I did
Ines siblings and so that’s what I did
Ines siblings and so that’s what I did after high school really and while I was
after high school really and while I was
after high school really and while I was at home my home had no water and it only
at home my home had no water and it only
at home my home had no water and it only had sporadic electricity but then I
had sporadic electricity but then I
had sporadic electricity but then I never forgot of my dream that dream of
never forgot of my dream that dream of
never forgot of my dream that dream of aspiring to alleviate suffering on a
aspiring to alleviate suffering on a
aspiring to alleviate suffering on a macroscopic scale so I decided to apply
macroscopic scale so I decided to apply
macroscopic scale so I decided to apply to universities and the United States
to universities and the United States
to universities and the United States which sounded really improbable because
which sounded really improbable because
which sounded really improbable because there’s
there’s
there’s no way I could go to the University of
no way I could go to the University of
no way I could go to the University of Zimbabwe so how could I attend the
Zimbabwe so how could I attend the
Zimbabwe so how could I attend the University in the United States I told
University in the United States I told
University in the United States I told my mom about the idea while she was
my mom about the idea while she was
my mom about the idea while she was happy she was not really enthusiastic
happy she was not really enthusiastic
happy she was not really enthusiastic about it because she didn’t know
about it because she didn’t know
about it because she didn’t know anything about the country and she knew
anything about the country and she knew
anything about the country and she knew if anything unfortunate which happened
if anything unfortunate which happened
if anything unfortunate which happened there was no way she could help me I’d
there was no way she could help me I’d
there was no way she could help me I’d be on my own and so I would be in a
be on my own and so I would be in a
be on my own and so I would be in a country half a halfway around the world
country half a halfway around the world
country half a halfway around the world alone but I applied nonetheless and I
alone but I applied nonetheless and I
alone but I applied nonetheless and I told her whatever the outcome I’d be
told her whatever the outcome I’d be
told her whatever the outcome I’d be ready for it
ready for it
ready for it and so while I came to the United States
and so while I came to the United States
and so while I came to the United States to study my first job was in the kitchen
to study my first job was in the kitchen
to study my first job was in the kitchen cafeteria and it was emotionally
cafeteria and it was emotionally
cafeteria and it was emotionally challenging throwing away perfectly good
challenging throwing away perfectly good
challenging throwing away perfectly good and eaten food but I did that everyday
and eaten food but I did that everyday
and eaten food but I did that everyday as a freshman as that was my job anyway
as a freshman as that was my job anyway
as a freshman as that was my job anyway there were also some more seemingly
there were also some more seemingly
there were also some more seemingly monuments or challenges for example I
monuments or challenges for example I
monuments or challenges for example I was in a class that required me to be to
was in a class that required me to be to
was in a class that required me to be to use computers and I had never really
use computers and I had never really
use computers and I had never really used the computer and so I was pitted
used the computer and so I was pitted
used the computer and so I was pitted with students who’ve been using
with students who’ve been using
with students who’ve been using computers since they were eight or even
computers since they were eight or even
computers since they were eight or even younger and that was extremely
younger and that was extremely
younger and that was extremely challenging it felt like I’m taking over
challenging it felt like I’m taking over
challenging it felt like I’m taking over 100 level classes of freshmen but I did
100 level classes of freshmen but I did
100 level classes of freshmen but I did it anyway because I had come to the
it anyway because I had come to the
it anyway because I had come to the United States to study and so I studied
United States to study and so I studied
United States to study and so I studied hard and graduated at the top of my
hard and graduated at the top of my
hard and graduated at the top of my class at Carta college in Nevada
class at Carta college in Nevada
class at Carta college in Nevada Missouri and then so ever since I came
Missouri and then so ever since I came
Missouri and then so ever since I came to the United States I’ve tried to offer
to the United States I’ve tried to offer
to the United States I’ve tried to offer solutions to the problems that I see
solutions to the problems that I see
solutions to the problems that I see around me there are so many problems
around me there are so many problems
around me there are so many problems around all of us but then at times
around all of us but then at times
around all of us but then at times there’s a gap between knowledge and
there’s a gap between knowledge and
there’s a gap between knowledge and action I believe we all need to start
action I believe we all need to start
action I believe we all need to start where we are to see where we can go and
where we are to see where we can go and
where we are to see where we can go and to make our own dent in those problems
to make our own dent in those problems
to make our own dent in those problems and we all collectively make our dent
and we all collectively make our dent
and we all collectively make our dent maybe those problems will become
maybe those problems will become
maybe those problems will become non-existent so since I’ve arrived to
non-existent so since I’ve arrived to
non-existent so since I’ve arrived to the United States never mind that I’ve
the United States never mind that I’ve
the United States never mind that I’ve only started using a computer a few
only started using a computer a few
only started using a computer a few years ago I’ve worked at the United
years ago I’ve worked at the United
years ago I’ve worked at the United States Department of Agriculture trying
States Department of Agriculture trying
States Department of Agriculture trying to use broadcast technology to broadcast
to use broadcast technology to broadcast
to use broadcast technology to broadcast information about food waste and also a
information about food waste and also a
information about food waste and also a few weeks ago I attended a conference
few weeks ago I attended a conference
few weeks ago I attended a conference where I worked on connected which is a
where I worked on connected which is a
where I worked on connected which is a platform that helps at-risk inner cities
platform that helps at-risk inner cities
platform that helps at-risk inner cities become connected mentor in their common
become connected mentor in their common
become connected mentor in their common I’ve also worked on plenty a summer girl
I’ve also worked on plenty a summer girl
I’ve also worked on plenty a summer girl which helps people who otherwise could
which helps people who otherwise could
which helps people who otherwise could not afford retirement to be a or who
not afford retirement to be a or who
not afford retirement to be a or who otherwise could not avoid retirement
otherwise could not avoid retirement
otherwise could not avoid retirement financial advisors so that they’ll be
financial advisors so that they’ll be
financial advisors so that they’ll be able to retire comfortably I was part of
able to retire comfortably I was part of
able to retire comfortably I was part of the mapping team of paintings available
the mapping team of paintings available
the mapping team of paintings available on the app and Play Store I’m currently
on the app and Play Store I’m currently
on the app and Play Store I’m currently also working on shiri which is a digital
also working on shiri which is a digital
also working on shiri which is a digital platform that allows peer-to-peer
platform that allows peer-to-peer
platform that allows peer-to-peer communication between African farmers
communication between African farmers
communication between African farmers and so the hope is to eradicate fill
and so the hope is to eradicate fill
and so the hope is to eradicate fill mine and food deserts in many African
mine and food deserts in many African
mine and food deserts in many African countries by linking them to markets and
countries by linking them to markets and
countries by linking them to markets and also preventing post harvest spoilage at
also preventing post harvest spoilage at
also preventing post harvest spoilage at the Clinton Global Initiative this
the Clinton Global Initiative this
the Clinton Global Initiative this semester I was part of a team which had
semester I was part of a team which had
semester I was part of a team which had a promise to create digital prototypes
a promise to create digital prototypes
a promise to create digital prototypes that help with global warming and so my
that help with global warming and so my
that help with global warming and so my idea was my team’s idea was to eradicate
idea was my team’s idea was to eradicate
idea was my team’s idea was to eradicate food waste hopefully at the household
food waste hopefully at the household
food waste hopefully at the household level and so we created an app Wisie
level and so we created an app Wisie
level and so we created an app Wisie which not only helps eradicate food
which not only helps eradicate food
which not only helps eradicate food waste in the homes thereby decreasing
waste in the homes thereby decreasing
waste in the homes thereby decreasing the amount of greenhouse gasses produced
the amount of greenhouse gasses produced
the amount of greenhouse gasses produced by food waste but also helps minimize
by food waste but also helps minimize
by food waste but also helps minimize the amount of energy that goes into the
the amount of energy that goes into the
the amount of energy that goes into the production and the refrigeration of that
production and the refrigeration of that
production and the refrigeration of that food and so among a microt solution to a
food and so among a microt solution to a
food and so among a microt solution to a macro problem my team won the 2017
macro problem my team won the 2017
macro problem my team won the 2017 Clinton Global Initiative conference so
Clinton Global Initiative conference so
Clinton Global Initiative conference so what do all these tips all these
what do all these tips all these
what do all these tips all these opportunities have to do with aspiring
opportunities have to do with aspiring
opportunities have to do with aspiring with me aspiring to alleviate poverty on
with me aspiring to alleviate poverty on
with me aspiring to alleviate poverty on a microscopic scale microscopic
a microscopic scale microscopic
a microscopic scale microscopic literally means something happening on a
literally means something happening on a
literally means something happening on a life scale Haggai is happening on a life
life scale Haggai is happening on a life
life scale Haggai is happening on a life scale fair mine is happening on a life
scale fair mine is happening on a life
scale fair mine is happening on a life scale food waste is happening on a large
scale food waste is happening on a large
scale food waste is happening on a large scale and people are entering retirement
scale and people are entering retirement
scale and people are entering retirement unprepared on a large scale so I really
unprepared on a large scale so I really
unprepared on a large scale so I really just tried to put my own small dent I’m
just tried to put my own small dent I’m
just tried to put my own small dent I’m a tiny person but we all can
a tiny person but we all can
a tiny person but we all can collectively come together and put our
collectively come together and put our
collectively come together and put our own dents into the problems we see
own dents into the problems we see
own dents into the problems we see around in our communities at times it
around in our communities at times it
around in our communities at times it doesn’t even seem like these
doesn’t even seem like these
doesn’t even seem like these opportunities are taking us on the right
opportunities are taking us on the right
opportunities are taking us on the right step but take that step anyway because
step but take that step anyway because
step but take that step anyway because you never know where that would lead you
you never know where that would lead you
you never know where that would lead you if I can do it I believe you can do it
if I can do it I believe you can do it
if I can do it I believe you can do it so I to wish you the best
so I to wish you the best
so I to wish you the best we set out in the world in pursuit of
we set out in the world in pursuit of
we set out in the world in pursuit of your goals thank you
your goals thank you
your goals thank you [Applause]
you
you [Applause]
”
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