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Paidarufaro was featured on @UºÚÁϲ»´òìÈStudents Instagram.

While some students take time to find their path, others, like Paidarufaro Chivanga, have been laser focused from the start. Her personal and educational journeys have been defined by a commitment to service, community and entrepreneurship, and it is this combination of experiences that led the Zimbabwean to the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ and the Agricultural Business Management Program, jointly administered by the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences and the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ School of Business.

Moving from Zimbabwe to Canada was a difficult choice, says Paidarufaro, but it was tempered by several key factors. In recognition of her academic excellence and leadership roles during and post-high school, she was awarded the U of A’s prestigious President’s International Distinction Scholarship, one of only 25 offered annually. But what truly sealed the deal was the opportunity to gain the specific academic training that would not only combine two of her passions — agriculture and business — it would also give her the tools to realize her dream of making the world a better place.

“During my gap year before university, I was privileged to be employed as the youngest assistant branch manager of DCK, one of the biggest bakeries in Zimbabwe,” says Paidarufaro. “The bakery was part of a bigger supply chain that began in the soil — there was a farm, a milling plant, a transport system, a bakery and a supermarket. I love business, but to be good at it I needed a product, which is a skill-heavy requirement, so when it came to choosing a program — through the sound counsel of my mentors who were also my bosses — I chose to sharpen my skill set in agriculture while also learning about the business side of it.”

Paidarfaro says her undergraduate program has been an adventure so far, noting the interdisciplinary nature of her experiences.

“The best thing about each semester is that it is completely different,” she says. “One semester I am muddy and on ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ farms, and the next I am presenting a business case, which is exciting.” She has also volunteered as chancellor for the and as an international student ambassador with the U of A Ambassador Program.

Applying her skills back at home

Throughout her life, Paidarufaro has been guided by her strong Christian faith, reflected in the mission statement she drafted for herself which underscores every action and community initiative she undertakes — create with words, steward with love and build with ideas.

This past summer, Paidarufaro put this mission statement to work in Zimbabwe as a Roger S Smith Undergraduate Research Award recipient. Her project was ambitious — addressing the impacts of market disruptions and sustainability challenges following the devastating 2024 fire in Mbare Musika, the largest market in Zimbabwe’s capital, which rendered many vendors without a source of income.

“My research was looking at the effects of this traumatic experience, the Mbare fire, which made the interview process much harder to conduct but equally made the research special as it is trying to solve a real and current problem,” she says. “I hoped to make an impact back home with what I had learned, and my supervisors (Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology), (ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ School of Business) and helped this dream come true.”

Paidarafuro completed 50 interviews in Mbare with community members who had been affected by the fire — data which she is still analyzing.

Looking ahead

“As an author [in 2023 she wrote Before It Fades, a non-fiction book about empowering youth], I can attest to the power of words in changing systems, inspiring people and amplifying the voices that might have otherwise been silenced,” says Paidarufaro. “I see problems as opportunities to make a difference and this is why I needed to travel back home to do this research — to try to understand the emerging problems resulting from the fire in Zimbabwe's biggest market.”

Now entering the third year of her program, she will begin the co-op portion of her degree through the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ School of Business.

“Being a leader and entrepreneur is the ultimate goal,” says Paidarufaro. “After my degree, I would like to attend graduate school and continue on the research path. I want to get into the consulting industry and help businesses grow to their full potential. And, I will continue to be creative — so more books, poems and inspirational talks. The university is preparing me well for this — and once I’m finished, I will be ready to be a world leader!”