Home Philanthropy Turning pain into Purpose: The story behind Bernice Bore’s Munondida Foundation
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Turning pain into Purpose: The story behind Bernice Bore’s Munondida Foundation

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Bernice Bore’s path to becoming a leading advocate for adolescent empowerment was not straightforward. Her personal journey, marked by struggle and rejection, became the foundation for the life-changing work she does today with the Munondida Foundation and Booth Creek Management Consultancy.

As a young girl, she faced academic failure when she failed to write her A-Levels, when she became a teenage mother. In a society where teen pregnancy is often met with stigma and shame, she was rejected by her community, her family, and even by the church she once turned to for support.

“I got pregnant whilst I was in high school, then after being pregnant, I failed as a mother, I failed my A-Levels, I failed being a daughter. The people that I got married into, I thought they would be there for me.  When you get pregnant, mostly in Africa, in Zimbabwe, when you’re still a teen, you get rejected. In so many communities, people reject you, the family rejects you, the society rejects you.  I wasn’t allowed to even write my A level examinations back then, but now I am grateful. Now it’s changed. You can write, whether you’re pregnant or not. So, thumbs up to the government for changing such policies and structures,” she reveals.

Her personal life was tumultuous, and after experiencing abuse and divorce, Bernice fell into a dark period of depression. For over a decade, she struggled with substance abuse, illegal drug dealing and felt utterly lost. Yet, in the midst of this turmoil, a glimmer of hope began to emerge.

“So, you find out that after being rejected, after failing all my life, because it was failure after failure, after a near death experience I then got divorced. I then became more of an outcast coming from an abusive marriage. Then this is where depression kicked in. In the eyes of God, I was like, I’m nothing. I can’t even go back to church, I’m so dirty.  I was then accepted by a group of people, who were more drug, substance and alcohol abusers but they loved me, I felt more of the love and didn’t see the consequences of them introducing me to alcohol, drugs, selling drugs, things like that. I then was in my own wilderness for more than a decade. Later on, I started to feel, there should be life. There should be a better way of living. Something different.” She recalls.

Transforming Pain into Purpose

One of the most remarkable aspects of Bernice’s journey is her ability to turn her pain into purpose. After years of feeling defeated, she found a spark of hope that led her back to God and, ultimately, to education. Determined to rewrite her narrative, Bernice returned to school and completed her degree in Development Studies at Midlands State University, followed by further studies to earn a master’s degree. Her ultimate goal? To pursue a PhD in International Development.

But more importantly, Bernice’s journey gave birth to the Munondida Foundation, an organization born from her desire to help young girls and teen mothers avoid the pain and rejection she had endured.

The Birth of Munondida Foundation: Empowering Teen Mothers

In 2016, a chance encounter with Tinevimbo Matambanadzo, a woman who had her own organization, planted the seeds of transformation, that simple truth ignited a fire in Bernice to give a voice to the voiceless and create a ripple of impact. Munondida Foundation was established to provide hope to those who have lost it, especially teen mothers who are often marginalized and forgotten. Through her foundation, Bernice has impacted over 200 teen mothers, guiding them through an empowerment program designed to restore their dignity, hope, and potential.

“So, in schools, we have visited and impacted more than 5,000 girls and boys. Ever since we started in 2016. In terms of teen mothers, we’ve given second chance to more than 200 teen mothers. Most of them are teen mothers and pregnant teens and teens that have miscarried as well.”

The foundation’s mission is not only to educate teen mothers about sexual and reproductive health but also to provide them with the tools they need to thrive. Through mental health support, financial literacy, and life skills development, Bernice helps young women regain confidence and rebuild their futures. The foundation’s programs have already yielded incredible success stories. Many of the teen mothers who complete the empowerment program go on to continue their education, start businesses, or enter the workforce. Some have even become breadwinners for their families, working as nail technicians, in IT support, or in small-scale businesses. This is a testament to the power of the foundation’s work: it is not just about education, but about transforming lives.

“Before even empowering teen mothers we give them hope. We pay school fees for you. And before, we actually pay school fees for them we put them in our one-year mentorship programme. We’ve got teen mothers that were doing digital skills. They’ve got diplomas now; they did IT support in cybersecurity. We’ve got, like, nail technicians, some of them, they are now breadwinners,” she reveals.

However, to Bernice starting an NGO is often romanticized, but in reality, it’s akin to building a business—without the profits. The challenges come thick and fast. From securing funds to structuring operations, it became clear that to make a meaningful difference, she needed more than just goodwill; she needed strategy and consistency.

“Setting up an NGO in itself is a business and it’s very tough because you don’t have profits at the end of the day. I fund the organization with some of my proceeds from the consultancy I do with Booth Creek Management. And there are other organizations, like the US Embassy for specific events. But most of the workshops throughout the year, I’ve been sponsoring as an individual. So, you find out, you then try to reach out to other organizations but people want to see your work. My biggest weapon of how I got here is consistency. Never stop.  And now there’s work. Now people knock on our doors. No one comes when you are just selling an idea.” She advices.  

One of the cornerstones of Munondida’s success is its partnership with local schools and organizations like Impact Hub, Imba Ya Amai (IYA), Alliance for Women and Girls (AFWAG). The foundation also works closely with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, visiting schools to provide sexual health education and working to reduce teenage pregnancies in communities.

A Vision of Hope and Expansion

Bernice’s work does not stop at her local community. As the Zimbabwean president for World Women Leading Change, she has global connections that help her expand the reach of her foundation. With plans to expand the foundation’s work to other African countries and beyond, Bernice’s vision is one of global impact. She is committed to empowering women and young girls in areas such as Ghana, South Africa, Namibia, Indonesia and South America, with an eye on even broader international expansion in the coming years.

One of the driving forces behind Bernice’s work is the lack of mentorship she experienced in her own life. As a result, she places great emphasis on mentorship in the Munondida Foundation’s programs. In her own life, Bernice credits much of her success to her mentor, Dr. Maraire, a neurosurgeon, who taught her invaluable skills in multitasking and delegation.

This nurturing of young minds is critical in building a stronger, more resilient community of women leaders. As Bernice continues to empower young mothers and adolescents, she remains deeply committed to the cause. She understands better than most that the greatest thing a person can lose is hope, and she strives to restore that hope in every teen mother she helps. Through her efforts, Munondida Foundation has provided second chances to hundreds of young women—giving them a future they can believe in.

Bernice Bore is proof that with the right support, mentorship, and determination, anyone can overcome their past and build a brighter future—for themselves and for others. Her story is one of triumph against all odds. It is a beacon of hope for those who feel lost and alone.

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