Speaker 2 0:04

Okay, All right. So yeah, let me just count us in. So we still haven't sort of started the actual thing. So your surname is Muranganwa Muranganwa.

Speaker 1 0:18

Yes, that's. Right. Muranganwa, Muranganwa, muranganwa, that's Kukaburra, muranganwa.

Speaker 2 0:31

Excellent. Okay, I love it. All right. Well, I'll I'll uh start with our introduction and then we'll go from there. And, yeah, I hope the weather is playing nicely. All right, so counting in in three, two, one. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to episode 58 of the Talkative Toastmaster podcast. This week, it's my absolute pleasure to be speaking with Tendai David Murunganwa, a distinguished toastmaster based in Zimbabwe. Tendai is currently a member of two clubs Venice Advanced Club and Le Phoenix French Toastmasters, as well as the third and online club based in Canada. In his first year of Toastmasters, he won the Southern Africa Humorous Speech Contest in District 64, but then his life took a completely unexpected turn. Tragically, in late 2015, tendai lost his sight from meningitis. After a period of rehabilitation, he has since become a meningitis advocate for the Confederation of Meningitis Organizations, and it's through this platform that Tendai shares his story as a way of raising awareness about meningitis. He's also now a volunteer and mentor at the Dorothy Duncan Centre for the Blind. Tendai, welcome to the show.

Speaker 1 1:51

Thank you, Melanie, and thank you for having me as well.

Speaker 2 1:54

Oh, it's such a pleasure to have you and to be talking with you Now. There's a heap for us to talk about, but first things first. Can you perhaps start by telling us why you first joined Toastmasters?

Speaker 1 2:08

Thank you, melanie. So for me, toastmasters the first time I heard about Toastmasters was actually in high school. We had a Toastmasters club, but at that time, because I was so shy and introverted, I was too scared to join up or sign up Then I just forgot about it. When I then went to university, one of the things that I quickly noticed was that those people who rose up into leadership, who were serving in so many leadership responsibilities on campus, they do all one thing in common the ability to speak in public and their confidence. And I realized that from that.

Speaker 1 2:52

If I wanted to be in leadership, if I wanted to really make a mark in life, I needed to have those public speaking skills. And I remember when I went for my work-related learning, which we call industrial attachment, I was in this place where I was interacting with members of parliament, ambassadors. That's the line of work that I was in, and because I was not so confident, I then realized that if I don't do something about this shyness and introvertedness, I won't go far in life. So when I then graduated, that's when I then made the decision to join up in Toastmasters, and interestingly enough, the first club that I joined was called Diplomatic Co-Toastmasters Club, which also lined up with my field of study at university, so that's how I became a part of Toastmasters.

Speaker 2 3:45

Excellent and you had some very early success. I understand you won your very first speech contest at district level that first year, which is an amazing accomplishment for a new Toastmaster. How the organisation obviously gave you a lot of confidence to compete very quickly. And you, how did you find that whole experience?

Speaker 1 4:15

It was very interesting for me because I joined Toastmasters in March 2015 and our speech contest, the Umara speech contest, started around sometime around in September and at that time I was the vice. I was serving as the vice vice president public relations and my mentor at that time, you know, she encouraged me to participate in the speech contest you know, how it is with speech contests. A lot of people are not really too eager to participate.

Speaker 1 4:44

So I just took it on, and I remember I was at work that time and in Zimbabwe we had a famous lion called Cecil the Lion, who was unfortunately killed by a poacher from the United States. So when I was at work, that's where my speech idea actually came from. My speech was titled the Untold Story of Cecil and I delivered it at the club. So for me it was just one of those. Well, I'm taking one for the club and no, and the old from club.

Speaker 1 5:13

I went to area yeah, and then from area I went to division and and I remember I traveled to we traveled to zambia yeah, our division contest. So when I then traveled to zambia, I our competition contest. So when I then travelled to Zambia, I then realised, wow, this is something, this is huge, this is big. And from there I went on to the district and became the district champion and it was an amazing experience for me, which I really enjoyed.

Speaker 2 5:37

I mean so much. In that first period of being a new Toastmaster, you took on the leadership role. You're winning competitions left, right and centre. How rapidly did your confidence increase with all of that?

Speaker 1 5:56

So, going through the process of the speech contest, I realised something that the more that I practised my speech, the more that I allowed myself that opportunity to go on stage. The more that I practice my speech, the more that I allowed myself that opportunity to go on stage, the more confident I became. Because whenever, when I started off, when I was asked to deliver presentations, I would always be reluctant. I was more comfortable taking your general evaluator roles, your table topics roles. But through that participation I then realized that my confidence started to grow. The more I progressed in the speech contest, the more my confidence grew. And when you get to that point where self-confidence starts to bubble from within, you really see, start to see that growth and you see it even outside, even the feedback that you get from your fellow Toastmasters and even from your family as well.

Speaker 2 6:48

Yeah, oh, what an amazing first year of being in Toastmasters, and what do you most enjoy about being a member?

Speaker 1 7:02

For me, I would say the supportive environment, because I like what you mentioned at the start of our our talk. I lost my sight nine months into the Toastmasters membership, yeah, and when I then came back to Toastmasters in 2017, one of the things that has resonated well with me is our mission, which says we provide a supportive and positive learning experience. For me, that supportive element, I've seen it throughout my Toastmasters membership. I've received so much support, regardless of my visual impairment and disability, so that's one thing that I love about Toastmasters you get supported and people are genuinely interested in your personal growth. So that's that's, for me, the biggest takeaway that I've gotten from Toastmasters having people around me who really support me, and also me being able to support others, because it's not just about me getting, but it's also about what I am doing to also support the next person. So that's, for me, my biggest take in terms of Toastmasters.

Speaker 2 8:10

Yeah, it's. It is an amazingly supportive environment, and and not just at the the physical club level, but the online world of Toastmasters is amazing as well. You know, it's so easy now to reach out to other Toastmasters and online clubs and I'm really happy that it expanded out into that online space, even if the presenting is slightly different in online as it is in person. But, yeah, now, so obviously, as we were saying, in late 2015, that's when you lost your sight. So your entire world turned upside down and obviously Toastmasters would have taken a bit of a break. How did you sort of navigate through what must have been a really turbulent couple of years? And obviously you went back to Toastmasters and have been there since. But, yeah, just in terms of that whole experience of losing your sight to meningitis, do you want to speak about that a little bit?

Speaker 1 9:24

Yes, thank you, melanie. Want to speak about that a little bit. Yes, thank you, melanie.

Speaker 1 9:27

So one of the things that I I learned from the time I was hospitalized family and friends came through for me those masters, people who I knew from university and one of the life lessons that I got from being visually impaired is that when you invest time in getting to know people, investing in friendships, in your time of need, in your dark moments, people will come through for you. So that was one of the biggest things that really kept me going on during that experience the people who came to support me. You know when, when you are in trouble, that's when you really see your true friends, and I was really grateful for my fellow Toastmasters, my family, even my university colleagues from university. They came through for me, and even up to now, it's a philosophy that I try to live by, whereby, whenever I get to meet with people, try to really establish meaningful relationship with people, because when you then go down, you know you've got people who are also going to be there for you.

Speaker 1 10:34

So that's something that really kept me going during that dark period, and also it helped in the sense that I was able to go for rehabilitation in 2017. So that rehabilitation process also allowed me to then have a bit of closure in terms of what it means now being someone who's visually impaired, because the reality is that you know, sometimes you can go around with a smile, you can look all right, you can dress up, but it's not easy. The rehabilitation is a process, but for me, going through rehabilitation is was also something that helped me to try to make sense of where I am now in life.

Speaker 2 11:17

What an amazing sort of journey to be able to, I guess, look back on, but also the things that you've gone on to do since since then, you know, in the last or since since 2017, when you started the rehabilitation process. Um, and so you're using your parent. You said you were doing some speaking and advocacy work about meningitis and yeah, is that something that you're able to? You know, practice the speeches with at Toastmasters and do those two organisations sort of overlap? Do those?

Speaker 1 12:01

So what happened in my case? Interestingly, interestingly enough, it was another speech contest that actually triggered that, that journey for me. So in 2024 I participated in our international speech contest and I went all the way to district final. I made it to that district final, yeah, and so the present. The speech that I gave was based on my life experience losing my sight from meningitis and then finding a way out, regardless of the visual impairment. So I then got feedback from, like the earlier levels of the speeches when I was delivering it, earlier people telling me why don't you present your speech outside of Toastmasters?

Speaker 1 12:48

so that actually gave me the confidence to say you know what? I need to start speaking more outside of Toastmasters. Yes, it's fine, I can do this during the speech contest, I can do this, this during your club meetings. But from there I then gained the confidence to then now go, like, for instance, at the Dorothy Duncan Center for the Blind where I get to speak to students.

Speaker 1 13:10

So it's all gained from what I've learned in Toastmasters, where I'm applying those skills, speaking to students who've also gone through a similar experience that I've gone through of losing eyesight. And then in terms of meningitis, for a very long time I was very reluctant to speak about meningitis because unfortunately there's a lot of stigma and stereotype around meningitis, especially this, this side of the world where I'm, I am from, yeah, there's not much information around meningitis, so I was a bit reluctant to then go out there because of those stereotypes. But then, through participating in that speech contest and the feedback that I got, I then realized that if I don't speak out, if I don't share my story, someone out there who could have benefited from my story might not be able to be fortunate to to be around or to live through that experience of meningitis. So that's how I then gained that confidence to say you know what, I have a story instead of being selfish and closed up why, not take my story and also use it to also help out?

Speaker 1 14:24

help someone out there so yeah, that's how the two are actually linked the, the Dorothy Duncan and the Confederation of Meningitis Organizations. It's all me just sharing my stories and using the, the power of storytelling to raise awareness on both issues of disability and meningitis.

Speaker 2 14:45

Wow Again, what an amazing journey and I love how you look at it and how you really seem to have been able to turn this experience around. And, yeah, and want to share that with the world. And, um, yeah, it's interesting that so many Toastmasters don't actually go on and out, you know, go on to speak outside of the club and and and we typically didn't in, didn't join Toastmasters to sit around and speak with with other Toastmasters, and yet so many people don't venture out and start to try these skills outside of the club and in other organisations and with other audiences. So, yeah, I mean.

Speaker 1 15:33

You know what you call that, melanie, what? Becoming a professional Toastmaster. So one thing that you don't want to fall into a trip that you don't want to fall into is becoming a professional Toastmaster, where you go through the motions, you take up a meeting role, you just come, you deliver a speech, here and there you help your club meet goals. But you really want to make sure that why you join Toastmasters is still relevant to your coming, to, your attending and participating in meetings. So that's something that's very important for us as choice masters to say, yes, I've delivered my speeches, I've done the roles, but how am I taking what I'm learning in the organization and taking it out there into the world? And sometimes it's not about not only the professional setting, but even in your relationships and families apply everything out there.

Speaker 2 16:28

Yeah, look, I couldn't agree with you more and I love the term and I hadn't heard it before but a professional Toastmaster and yeah, I think, if you can use these skills to go out and have any impact in the world, I think that's a fantastic. You know a fantastic part of what you can get out of Toastmasters. Now you've mentioned, you know, gaining confidence and learning and practising storytelling. Are there any other examples of skills that you've been able to apply outside of the organisation?

Speaker 1 17:06

Yeah, um, or I would say listening, because it's also something that we learn at Toastmasters, because most of the times you can get carried away with the speaking and talking. But what I've also learned from Toastmasters is listening, and I think it also helps being visually impaired, because you don't get to see how people look or their facial expressions. So I tend to listen more, and I've seen it even now when I in my relationships and I see mostly in Toastmasters because, like now, I'm involved with Toastmasters Leadership Institute as a trainer and I get to contribute a lot in terms of helping out in terms of our division, what's happening within our division. And in that capacity I've been able to do a lot of listening, actually listening to what people are saying, because sometimes what I've realized is that I can say to Melanie hi, melanie, how are you?

Speaker 1 18:10

But Melanie might not be feeling well, but because we've become so used to those you know, greetings we don't take time to listen to actually find out how Melanie is doing as a person and not just as a Toastmaster so that's something that I've been working on and working on a lot improving on my listening making, checking up on our fellow Toastmasters to say, look, melanie, yes, we might do a podcast together, but how are you as a person? So for me, that's something that has become so important listening to what people are saying and not just the ways that they are communicating to me.

Speaker 2 18:48

Mm, mm. Yeah, definitely, and I guess you would probably be now even more acutely aware of tone of voice and the inflections and pauses and listening to that in people. As you're not getting those visual cues, how do you find giving speeches where you can't see your audience? So you are basing everything purely you know the connection to that audience purely on hearing their response. How do you find that?

Speaker 1 19:28

So, yeah, it's an adjustment. I guess the advantage that I might have is because I once used to see I can actually put up a mental picture of what's happening within the audience and also listening out for auditory cues, like people obviously responding to what I'm speaking about. But sometimes it's putting off. Because I remember so last year, in 2022, I went back to school to study for a master's degree and I remember when I was giving my presentations, my university presentations, I would hear people speaking in the background and unfortunately, as a visually impaired person person, whenever then you get those kind of feedback, it then affects your, your, your presentation, and I would remember I would stop my presentation then, um, say to the person can you please focus on what we are doing here? So that's one of the downsides of being visually impaired, because the sense of hearing is so acute.

Speaker 2 20:35

yeah, you are in if you are so in touch with what's happening around you yeah, yeah, but I mean I guess as well in terms of being able to provide evaluations and feedback, um yeah they would be. You know you're, I'm guessing your evaluations are fairly thorough in terms of the content and the delivery and and those kinds of um, those kinds of elements and and. So you mentioned that you have moved into some of the the leadership roles, uh, in Toastmasters, like training. So how's that experience been? Yeah, how has that been for you?

Speaker 1 21:21

Well, it's been amazing because it's part of my goals. That's one of the things that I really wanted to move into speaking outside of Toastmasters and also looking into the training aspect of Toastmasters. And also looking into the training aspect of Toastmasters and what I love about training and facilitating is that it's not just you who's doing the speaking. You're actually tapping into the experiences of your fellow Toastmasters, of the people that you are actually helping through that learning process, and it's something that I've enjoyed because I've also managed to grow from that process and experience, because one of the things that I've noticed in Toastmasters is that you've got many experienced Toastmasters.

Speaker 1 22:06

I'm even in clubs where people in Toastmasters longer than I've been around yes when you, when you are in that space of being a facilitator, you tap into that experience, and also me being a young person.

Speaker 1 22:20

I also get to tap into my elders in quotes and also learn from their own personal experiences, even outside of Toastmasters. So I love being a trainer because you get to it's more intimate. Yeah, you get to learn more about people, what makes them tick and even some of the challenges that they go through, and, at the end of the day, when you then are able to come up with solutions, for me that's gold. When you are then able to people are able to come back and say you know what, when you did that facilitation, when you did that training, I was able to come back and say you know what, when you did that facilitation, when you did that training, I was able to go back and effectively carry out my responsibilities as a club officer.

Speaker 2 23:03

Yeah, yeah, I think having well-trained club officers, you know, remains a bit of a goal and a challenge, I think, for all the areas, just making sure everyone gets along to training and knows what they're doing and passing on that knowledge. Have you done other leadership roles? You mentioned you were VP PR initially. Have you done other leadership roles?

Speaker 1 23:33

So, yes, I've served in all the seven club officer roles. So at the moment I'm serving as club president for Le Feni, our French Toastmasters bilingual club, and I'm also serving as vice president education for Zenith Advanced Club. So those are the roles that I'm currently serving in, but my favorite is secretary. I love secretary and VPE Really. I am someone who likes organizing things, so I really love putting things into detail, so I really thrive in my VPE and secretary roles. The other ones are not so much, but if you put me for secretary and VPE, yeah, I'll be like a duck in water.

Speaker 2 24:23

It's so interesting. I'm secretary for one club now, but VPE is just one role that I don't really have an interest in doing, although I think at some point I probably should. But yeah, we've had some excellent VPEs and I'm just not sure I could live up to their example.

Speaker 1 24:46

Like with me with the VPE role, because I'm so much focused on detail. I really love to make sure that you know everything is organized who is doing what? Where is everyone in terms of their goals and roles? So when things are not working well, I actually don't feel well. So I love the VP role because it actually brings out the best in me.

Speaker 2 25:11

Oh well, you know it's great that you know that that's something you love and that it sounds like you're very you know you're great at it. And yeah, I just think the roles in Toastmasters give you so much opportunity to learn even more, right.

Speaker 1 25:27

That's true, that's true.

Speaker 2 25:30

And you've also completed your Distinguished Toastmaster Award. What did you do for the DTM project?

Speaker 1 25:41

So for my DTM I did it under the Legacy Program. It was not under the new Pathways one where you then do the DTM project. So for mine I then facilitated in organising a contest. I think it was an area-level contest. So that's what I used for my DTM. It was under the old legacy program.

Speaker 2 26:06

Okay, yeah yeah. And how did you find the transition to Pathways?

Speaker 1 26:18

So initially it wasn't so good because, unfortunately, when Pathways was rolled out, there wasn't much accessibility for visually impaired Toastmasters.

Speaker 2 26:27

Oh yeah.

Speaker 1 26:28

But what I loved by what they did is that they would send us accessible materials so you'd get all your level materials from level one to level five. The unfortunate part was that because, remember, we are in a transition, most of the members are also not in that visual impaired space, so then trying to get people to figure out your needs or my needs as a visually impaired person was initially a bit of a challenge.

Speaker 1 26:57

Yeah, but what I've loved now with the new the one that they recently launched, the new base camp and platform it's very user friendly okay yeah, I've not had any issues so far in terms of accessibility being able to access my my path materials but when we started off, it was a very big challenge for us being able to access some of the the course materials, because I remember that time I wasn't even working in base camp.

Speaker 1 27:27

I would just use the accessible path materials and then my VPE would sign off on Club Central. But now, because of the new platform, I'm actually able to do everything, just like anyone, any other member. I'm able to do my projects. I'm able to complete my assignments, complete my educationals.

Speaker 2 27:47

Yeah, great, without any problem yeah. Oh, that's great. I mean it's great that they evolved the technology. Yeah, it took them a while to yeah. It was a little clunky for everyone. I suspect there's still members around that have yet to embrace it.

Speaker 1 28:13

And I guess as well if you started off Toastmasters in the legacy program. Sometimes change takes time for people, so now going on to a new platform, it also takes time, but I'm happy that a lot of people who are under the legacy have also now come on board in terms of pathways, in addition to the members that are coming on board.

Speaker 2 28:37

Yeah, definitely, and I think you know, the more new members we can get straight onto Pathways and they don't know anything about the legacy system. I mean, I started Toastmasters when there was books. Yeah, yeah. But, yeah, I think the features features now, like being able to share feedback and share evaluation forms. I, yeah, it's got it's definite benefits now. Do you have a mentor in Toastmasters?

Speaker 1 29:09

Yes. So what has happened for me? My mentors have evolved. So my first mentor she's actually now our district director, because we recently formed a new district, which is District 129, which is made up of a majority of countries in Southern Africa, in Southern Africa. So when we started off, we were all actually fairly new members. She had started a bit earlier than myself and she was actually very influential in terms of pushing me to be more proactive in terms of how I approach Toastmasters, Because one of the challenges that I've noticed with Toastmasters is that you get members who they sign up but they don't then participate and attend meetings. But she's someone even up to now although now our relationship is a bit different, she's still someone who always checks up on me to find out if I'm still growing and pushing, and her name is District Director DTM Zivai Matondo. So she's our first District Director for 129. And she's been an amazing support for me.

Speaker 2 30:19

Yeah, great.

Speaker 1 30:20

Yeah, then over the years, I've also had different mentors, depending on the situation, like when I then came back to Toastmasters, I had a mentor called DTM Lois Strachan from South Africa, cape Town. Yeah, she is visually impaired, so she's the one who actually held my hand in terms of navigating Toastmasters as a visually impaired person.

Speaker 1 30:45

So, she was very influential in me gaining that confidence. To say you know what, even though I'm in this space of disability, I'm still able to come back to Toastmasters and still be able to contribute positively to the organization. And recently I've got a new mentor, dtm Jim Kokoki, past international president, who I, interestingly enough met at that same district conference where I was Yomarra speech contest champion. He was one of our guest speakers at that conference and from that we actually struck a relationship. So he's someone who has been lately pushing me to speak more outside of Toastmasters.

Speaker 1 31:32

You know Jim will listen to this podcast. He's also been pushing me to write my story, to actually publish my story in a book. So he's someone who I've also been learning a lot from in terms of not just limiting yourself to being in Toastmasters, but going out there and applying everything that I'm learning in the organization to the outside world.

Speaker 2 31:54

Yeah, oh, I love that, and I had a lovely conversation with Jim a couple of episodes ago and, yeah, I mean what an amazing mentor to have. He's obviously a professional speaker and and very, very distinguished Toastmaster and international past president, as you mentioned and to have him as a personal mentor, I mean that's it's. It's amazing again, the people that you connect with and, as you were saying, the, the, your visually impaired mentor, I mean what a a kind of a, a gift to be connected with someone in, you know, in a very similar situation to you and to have her, you know, supporting you as you got back into the organisation. I think that's. It's so nice to hear those stories that you know we see everywhere, but it's nice to hear the impact that they have on people's lives. You know it's it's people's lives we're talking about here. So, yeah, what, what? Uh, um, and do you mentor anyone, do you?

Speaker 1 33:07

yes, so currently I've got two mentors that mentees. That is that I'm mentoring. Yeah, and because of like, where I am now, I I realize that you know it's easy to say well, I've been in Toastmaster since 2015. So one of the questions that I'm always constantly asking myself now is for me to be where I am today is because other people invested in me, they poured themselves into me. So what am I doing to also help out other Toastmasters who are also coming on board? So I do it formally and informally, and I've also found that informal mentoring is actually also ideal. So, for instance, I've got people who I just mentor on a specific issue. It could be maybe speaking, it could be maybe related to a speech contest, so it's not necessarily the whole program as a whole, but I identify what someone is working on and how I can then help that person in that area.

Speaker 2 34:11

Yeah, and you've got so much experience to draw from as well. You know even the competing, the leadership roles, all of that. I think the quality of someone's experience in Toastmasters can be very much a matter of how they get on with their mentor. And and that nudge you know the nudge that the, the mentors, give. They're the best mentors, I think the ones that give you the nudge about come on, you know what are you doing, how you, as you say, how you're pushing yourself, um, yeah, and I mean sorry, melanie.

Speaker 1 34:48

Yeah, I think one thing that also came up is also being a sounding board as well for others. Like I said earlier, you know sometimes when we meet as Toastmasters we become too focused on DCP goals, education, what role someone is taking up up. So I've also learned that being a sounding board is also something that's important in that mentorship role, where you actually find out how Melanie is, what challenges are you facing? Because sometimes it's easy for me to just come up and say, melanie, are you attending the meeting next week?

Speaker 2 35:26

are you?

Speaker 1 35:26

taking up a role, but maybe Melanie is going something, going through something in her own life. So being an ideal mentor is also being a good sounding board for others, so that they are able to also share what they are going through, even outside of Toastmasters.

Speaker 2 35:43

Yeah, I agree.

Speaker 1 35:44

If they are comfortable with that, that is, you also need to be careful not to cross lines as well. If they are comfortable with that aspect of sharing.

Speaker 2 35:54

Yeah, look, and I think certainly the mentors I've currently got, I would say you know it's definitely verging into more, into friendships, you know, beyond Toastmasters. And, yeah, really understanding and wanting to understand how they are and how's life, as you say, outside of Toastmasters. And yeah, really understanding and wanting to understand how they are and how's life, as you say, outside of Toastmasters. Because it's, yeah, you know we can give feedback on a speech and whatever, but yes, if there is stuff going on in their broader life, you know it's. Yeah, you're right, it is nice to be able to be a sounding board if they're open to that. It is nice to be able to be a sounding board if they're open to that. And I think it also depends on the mentee and the mentor. It's like anything, what you put into it you know is going to, is the degree to what you get out of that sort of experience. Now, you mentioned, you know, your mentors pushing you along and supporting you. What would you say your goals for Toastmasters for this coming year?

Speaker 1 37:01

um, for me it's speaking more outside of Toastmasters. That's one thing that, like I said, you know becoming a professional Tomaster.

Speaker 1 37:13

I went through a season in my Toastmasters membership way. I was just going through the motions you show up, you take up the role, you give a speech here, you deliver a speech there. But for me now, going into 2025, my goal is to speak more outside of Toastmasters as a trainer, as a professional speaker, tapping into my own personal story being visually impaired and also my meningitis experience. So that's something that I'm excuse me, that's something that I'm really looking forward to. Speaking more outside of Toastmasters, applying what I'm learning out there, yeah, so that's my main focus for me.

Speaker 2 37:57

Yeah, and do you think that was I mean, it sounds like from what you were saying before that confidence from getting all the feedback about the speech at the district level, about your story is that where that seed was planted? So that's where you sort of really started to think well, yeah, I can go beyond the club here and beyond the organisation.

Speaker 1 38:23

Yes, I would say that experience that I had, the feedback that I got, and also observing fellow Toastmasters, both like Kay and Zimbabwe. I've seen people who we joined in and around the same time. Some of them are now directors of ceremonies, Some of them are now seasoned corporate trainers. So for me that's something that has challenged me a lot to say, look, if they can do it, why can't I? Also do it? Seeing people who've come into Toastmasters people were terrified to stand in front of people, but now they are international speakers, they are traveling, they are speaking across the world. So that's something that also motivated and continues to motivate me to say if, for example, like like I gym, if gym can do it, what stops me also from going that step further and also becoming a professional speaker, becoming a professional trainer?

Speaker 2 39:22

Oh look, I'm sure there's no stopping you. I'm sure you know, in a couple of years we'll be having another chat about how you're speaking around the world. I can absolutely imagine that happening. How you're speaking around the world I can absolutely imagine that happening. But just on that, what would you say to people who are not yet Toastmasters and who have been thinking about it but are putting it off and are just not sure whether it's going to be for them? What would you say to them?

Speaker 1 39:49

For me, I would say go for it. So when I actually had a friend in, I think around 2012, 2013, uh he, he kept, he was in Toastmasters before I was in Toastmasters. So he realized that you know what, my friend, I think you need Toastmasters because he knew where I was in terms of public speaking and being introverted and he'd always invite me to come to Toastmasters meetings and at that time I wasn't ready.

Speaker 1 40:19

I had a lot of stereotypes around Toastmasters what I thought it was so I was a bit reluctant, and it was only through that self-introspection to realize I needed this. And one of the things that I remember I started coming to Toastmasters in 2014, just after I'd completed my university studies, and it's all about making a decision. You know, if you don't move, nothing will move in your life. So my advice is that, if it's something that you really feel within yourself, look around, uh yourself. People are doing the most in life. You know people who are taking up leadership positions, even within your family. You notice one thing their ability to speak, their confidence. So when you then get to that place where you realize you know this is what I want, go for it. And what I love about Toastmasters is that, because of the website platform, you can get a club literally anywhere in the world, whether where you are in or, if you want, you can even join up with a club across the world.

Speaker 1 41:28

So it takes a. So it takes a decision. It takes a decision.

Speaker 2 41:33

And what made you join the Canadian club? Was it the fact that Jim was there and that you had the relationship with Jim? How did it come to be that you joined an online club in Canada?

Speaker 1 41:46

Well, Melanie, guess what COVID-19 happened.

Speaker 2 41:50

Yes, indeed it did, it's a.

Speaker 1 41:52

COVID-19 happened? Yes, indeed, he did. It's a COVID-19 story. So after 2015,. When I met Jim in 2015, I then reconnected with him just after COVID. That's when we clubs went online.

Speaker 1 42:07

So I reached out to Jim on Twitter now X. So my idea was I wanted to stretch myself beyond Zimbabwe to be able to communicate to an international audience. So gym was an easy target for me because of the relationship that we had in the past, and it then invited me to actually become a member of Rising Tide Toastmasters in New Brunswick, canada. And, yeah, it's been an amazing experience for me because our club is a very diverse club.

Speaker 1 42:42

We've got members from different parts of the world, so I've managed to develop that consciousness of what it means to be an international speaker, when you're speaking to an audience that might not necessarily be from where you were born or where you grew up, but you are still able to communicate effectively that anyone, whether it's a Melanie from Australia, a Jim from Canada, but you are still able to get your message across. So that's what I've loved about being a member of a club in Canada, despite being based in Zimbabwe.

Speaker 2 43:19

Wow, it's very cool. I was chatting with Eliza, who put us in contact in the last couple of weeks, and yeah, she's also in a global club, and I was saying to her you know, I think, oh, maybe next year or this coming year I'll be looking at joining an online club.

Speaker 2 43:41

So yeah, I've just got to find one in the right time zone, because I don't as much as I love Toastmasters, I don't want to be doing it at you know, 2 o'clock in the morning. That's just not going to be my best. But I think as well being able to get more experience in those online presentations which is so prevalent in the corporate world and everywhere. As much as I love doing in-person speeches, I definitely want to get more experience with you know, being evaluated, doing online presentations. I would say so. I think that's what I'm going to be looking at for this coming year.

Speaker 1 44:23

Another one, mel. Yeah, so one of the for someone who's interested in joining like an online club. One of the things that I've come to appreciate about being a member of an online club is that you then don't have stereotypes about people and where they are from. Sometimes a lot of information that we get about people, we get it on international news and sometimes most of it is negative, but through Toastmasters, you know, I've met people and realized, wow, this person is from this place, from this country, but you see the amazing things that they are doing beyond the headlines, the negative headlines that we get from your international news reports. So this is the amazing thing about Toastmasters you now realise what this is someone from Zimbabwe. This is someone from Australia. This is what's happening in Australia from someone on the ground, and not just what you the negatives that we get on the cable news networks.

Speaker 2 45:29

Yeah, definitely. I don't know if I'm watching the cable news networks anymore. They're too depressing.

Speaker 2 45:35

But yeah, I mean, you know, I've got friends all around the world and I've traveled around the place a fair bit and you know to be able to message someone and say, hey, you know, I'm hearing this is going on, in whatever country. It is what's happening on the ground and actually getting the honest, accurate version of what's going on, as opposed to whatever else is being said, is going on. Yeah, I think you know Toastmasters is well. Toastmasters and other friend networks are great for getting the real life story. But I do like with Toastmasters that you know everyone in the organisation is committed to growth. I like hanging around with those kinds of people and you obviously like hanging around with those kinds of people too. So, yeah, I think it's. You know the organisation attracts people who are committed to improving themselves and yeah, well, I'm quite happy to be part of that.

Speaker 1 46:39

We speak the same language. Yeah, definitely Regardless of where you're from. We speak and understand the same language.

Speaker 2 46:46

Yeah, definitely Now. Is there anything else that you'd like to share before we wrap up?

Speaker 1 46:52

I feel like we could talk for hours, yeah well that that's what happens when you put toastmasters together. You talk and talk, uh, talkative toastmasters, yes, so uh, for me, uh, what I've learned from not just toastmasters but in life. My final words would be you know, regardless of what you face in life, regardless of what you go through, the highs and lows of life, one of the lessons that I've learned is to pick yourself up and keep moving forward. You might not lose your sight, like myself. It might be a different experience, experience. It might be a loss of a relationship, a loved one, it might be a breakdown in your profession, in your career, but whatever it is that you go through in life, my final words are these simple ones let's keep moving forward and thank you.

Speaker 2 47:50

Oh, I love that. What a fantastic message to finish on for the final stages of 2024. And you know, as we move into 2025, let's keep moving forward. Couldn't agree more. It has been a real pleasure speaking with you, Tendai, and I think you have so many exciting years ahead of you as a speaker in Toastmasters and outside of the Toastmasters organisation, and I really look forward to hearing about your escapades outside of the organisation.

Speaker 2 48:30

So I'm sure you'll have a massive impact with your message and your compassion and your humanitarian view of the world. So thank you so much for sharing your journey with us on this episode today and I wish you all the best for the coming year.

Speaker 1 48:50

Thank you as well for hosting me.

Speaker 2 48:53

You're most welcome. Chat with you soon.

Speaker 1 48:57

Thank you.

Speaker 2 48:59

Okay, I'm going to pause the recording.