In the latest “Conversation with Shyam,” we sat down with the SKI Charities founder to talk about the presidential elections that were recently held in Zimbabwe. Candidates Robert Mugabe (Prime Minister from 1980-87 and President from 1987-Present) and Morgan Tsvangirai (Prime Minister from 2009-Present) currently share power in Zimbabwe’s presidential republic.  The election for presidency resulted in another win for Mugabe.

Ultimately, Zimbabwean politics and government play a big role in the lives of individuals, but Shyam contends that the power is in the hands of the people. That is why SKI Charities began – to give people at the ground level the capacity to feel strong and independent (through their education and entrepreneurship) regardless of who is governing the country.

No matter the election’s outcome, SKI Charities strives to make women feel self-sufficient through their developing businesses. “Historically, these women have felt dependent on their husbands or their fathers, and by extrapolation, their government” Shyam notes. “At SKImfi, by being entrepreneurs, they are creating their own wealth, they don’t need to go to the government for handouts.”

Listen in for Shyam’s take on the current election, and how SKI beneficiaries continue to gain capital and influence in their communities.