Gwatidzo relives Covid-19 experiences in book

• Published date: 12 December 2022
• Publication title: The Sunday Mail

RUTENDO Gwatidzo's latest book 'Breaking the Silence: Navigating Through Tough Times, Fighting for Survival' is not an ordinary read.

It is a unique effort that recounts lived experiences of the author and her family.

While most people would opt to remain quiet about similar experiences, Gwatidzo, like the culture and change management strategist that she is, does the opposite. She opens up to the world with the hope that it may assist others on how to manoeuvre through similar challenges. The author chooses to call the encounters 'This Kind' because they are not only new, but also different.

The Covid-19 pandemic, indeed, ravaged all countries across the globe, but perhaps differently, especially when it comes to response mechanisms that largely depend on how well-resourced an economy or family is.

However, some of the lessons learnt from the pandemic are global.

For instance, it taught businesses on how to operate remotely as gathering was discouraged.

'My family and I faced a sudden attack of Covid-19 in July of 2021; during a period when infections were at an unsurpassed high, and many people from all walks of life had already lost their lives from this strange and peculiar illness. We had no idea how to even start fighting this battle or if we could achieve victory. I certainly would not wish for anyone else to go through what we went through as a family.' (p10)

Gwatidzo seems bent on telling the world that no matter how insurmountable situations may appear, there are always winning strategies.

By using her own lived experience, she is encouraging humanity to keep fighting. Societal judgmental attitudes, according to Gwatidzo, often force us into keeping issues to ourselves. But sharing, she reckons, opens floodgates of help and ideas.

'I have noticed that some people contemplate keeping quiet when they encounter 'This Kind' because they fear society's judgement. I also noticed that in cases where trouble is happening to someone close, people tend to keep quiet in order to protect their image as a family or their image as the affected person.' (p27)

Perhaps one good lesson the author shares in the book, which was published last month and was officially launched recently, is that there is no need to stay around if all you can do is to be judgemental...