Qualitative Researcher | Author | Speaker | Philanthropist
Petronella Munhenzva’s story is the kind that grips you from the first page—because it is a story. A story of resilience. A story of impossible dreams. A story of a girl from Gokwe, Zimbabwe, who dared to reimagine her future—and rewrote the narrative for rural African girls everywhere. Growing up in Nembudzia, a remote part of Gokwe where schools lacked even basic essentials like desks or books, Petronella’s world was small—but her dreams were not. While others may have seen limitation, she saw potential. She poured herself into her education and in 2017, graduated with Honours from the University of Zimbabwe. Two years later, she earned a Master’s degree from the same institution. But the true twist in her tale came in 2021 when she graduated with an MPhil from the University of Oxford. Yes—Oxford. Her debut memoir, “From Gokwe to Oxford: The Girl Who Dared to Dream”, is a bold, emotional chronicle of this extraordinary journey. It pulls no punches—from navigating life in under-resourced rural schools to adapting to one of the world’s most elite academic spaces. Now, she’s working on a sequel titled “My Encounter with Blackness in Oxford and No, I Am Not Woke,” which reflects on race, identity, and cultural dissonance in her new world—from finding a church to contemplating global justice.
But Petronella isn’t just a writer—she’s a force for change.
Today, she is the CEO and Founder of APETZiM, a Zimbabwean women-led research firm committed to producing high-quality, contextual research. She’s also a qualitative insight researcher with Wirral Council in the UK, working on cutting-edge public health projects—from sexual reproductive health to regeneration strategies and tackling the cost of living crisis. Her research skills span from project design and stakeholder engagement to running focus groups and interpreting complex data.
In addition, Petronella co-founded Arete Consulting Group, where she works as a lead researcher, supporting both public and private organizations across Africa. Her experience includes working with government bodies, NGOs, and individual clients, providing research solutions rooted in social sciences, qualitative methods, and deep cultural understanding.
A passionate advocate for educational equity, she founded the Munyaradzi Education Foundation to uplift children in rural African communities. Her mission is deeply personal—she’s been in their shoes, walked their dusty paths, and proved that hope travels far when carried by determination.
She also served as Coordinator for the Africa Working Group at the Young Scholars Initiative (YSI), where she led global conversations on development, organized conferences across continents, and built bridges between young intellectuals and senior experts.
And she’s not done writing. Her second book, “Dear African Child: 100 Love Letters from Me to You,” is a heartwarming guide for young Africans seeking purpose, hope, and pride in their roots.
When she’s not consulting, researching, or writing, Petronella enjoys reading, chess, watching sermons, and feeding her boundless curiosity. She’s been nominated for the Emerging Brands Africa Awards (Diaspora – Europe Edition)—a fitting recognition for a woman who turned hardship into a higher calling.
Petronella Munhenzva is more than a researcher, author, and speaker. She is proof that even the most unexpected beginnings can lead to world-changing journeys. And she’s just getting started.
