Dr. Munyaradzi Chidarikire
Angela Maduro, a law student from Masvingo, Zimbabwe, is making her country proud by breaking barriers and making history in the United States. Angela, who works as a legal assistant to the renowned human rights lawyer and Masvingo Urban Member of Parliament, Honorable Martin Mureri, along with Tambudzai Phiri, is currently pursuing opportunities for her to study Master’s Degree in International and Human Rights Law at top American universities.
Angela’s journey to the United States began with a prestigious Bridge USA ambassador scholarship program, where she spent the summer of 2024 participating in the Work and Travel program with Greenheart Exchange. This program, designated by the U.S. Department of State as a J-1 visa sponsor, allows participants to work in various seasonal positions across the country for up to four months while engaging in cultural exchange activities and implementing community action projects.
Angela arrived in the United States on June 1st, 2024, and spent the first month in New York City, where she met new people, identified community issues, and volunteered in Hoboken, New Jersey, feeding the homeless and providing food supplies to underprivileged families, as well as participating in cultural activities.
On July 1st, 2024, she moved to Delavan, Wisconsin, where she is currently working and interacting with Americans, immersing herself in their way of life and engaging in cultural exchange activities. Reflecting on her experience, Angela says the program has empowered her voice, allowing her to make a difference in a place where she knew no one.
Greenheart Exchange welcomed 37 Summer 2024 Ambassador Scholars from Algeria, Belize, Cambodia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Greece, Jamaica, Kenya, Mauritius, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe, with Angelq representing her country.
Angela’s academic and professional background is impressive. She completed her Bachelor of Honours Degree in Law at Great Zimbabwe University and is now pursuing her Master’s Degree in International and Human Rights Law with top American universities. She did her primary school at Nemanwa primary school, Masvingo Central and her secondary education at Pamushana High school.
In 2022, she traveled to Washington State, Seattle, for the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders on Civic Engagement Alumni program, and in 2023, she traveled to Hurricane Island in Maine, USA, for a sustainability leadership program.
Angela’s passion for gender equality and human rights has led her to secure big funding from the Swedish International Development Agency to research the nexus between El Niño-induced drought and the human rights of people with disabilities in Masvingo’s rural areas, alongside her co-researcher, Dr. Munyaradzi Chidarikire.
Previously, she received major funding from the European Union’s culture fund and other top organizations to support her initiatives targeting men and boys through ART.
Most recently, Angela hosted one of the largest female and youth-organized ART exhibitions in Masvingo, which was attended by top politicians, the business community, academics, youth, women, and men across the society.
In September 2024, Maduro will travel again to Washington, D.C., to participate in the Greenheart Global Leaders Conference, where she will pitch her gender equality “Men Engage” project.
Angela’s unwavering dedication to her studies, her passion for human rights, and her determination to make a positive impact on her community and country have positioned her as a true inspiration and a shining example of Zimbabwean excellence on the global stage.
