Former television personality Makanaka Wakatama has transformed her personal struggles into a mission to fight child marriages, using her own experience as a teenage bride to champion the rights of young girls across Zimbabwe.
Wakatama, once celebrated as a gifted presenter on the popular Star Kidz programme, saw her bright future dim at just 16 when she married businessman Obvious Sambadzi. What appeared at first to be a glamorous life quickly unraveled, leaving her a teenage mother of two and facing hardships that derailed her career and education.
Reflecting on her past, Wakatama admits the decision to marry early was far from a fairytale. “What I went through as a teenage mother and wife was not easy. Having two children at 17 and watching my life change overnight gave me the strength to stand up for other girls so they don’t have to go through the same pain,” she said.
It is from this determination that the Makanaka Trust was born—a platform dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of early and forced marriages, while advocating for the rights of vulnerable children.
The Trust reaches out to both urban and rural communities, tackling cultural practices and traditions that often fuel child marriages. “We want young girls to know they have the right to say no,” Wakatama explained. “If I managed to move on and rebuild my life, I believe many more girls can find the courage to do the same—with the right support.”
She emphasized the importance of partnerships, saying the Trust will work hand in hand with schools, communities, and other organizations already involved in protecting children. “The bigger the crowd, the louder the message,” she said.
Wakatama’s story once made national headlines after Sambadzi claimed he was instructed in a dream to marry her while she was still a Form Three student at Dominican Convent. The union, controversially supported by her mother at the time, was short-lived and left the former child star vulnerable.
Now, years later, Wakatama has chosen to use her platform to help young women break free from cycles of abuse and exploitation. Her vision is to reach even the remotest parts of Zimbabwe with education, empowerment, and hope.
“What happened to me should not happen to any girl,” she said. “That’s why I will continue to speak out and work to stop child marriages.”
