The team had an
assortment of groceries, which she warmly received and started packing on the
shelves.
“I was not
expecting this, I thought what they did to me is enough. They keep on coming
with more good news,” Guni told NewsDay Weekender.
Popularly known
as Amai Trabablas, Guni’s journey from struggle to success is a testament to
the power of resilience and determination.
After facing
public ridicule for getting lost at Trabalas Interchange, she received an
unexpected lifeline from a construction company that provided her with start-up
capital for a business venture.
Today,
Patience, as her name suggests, has transformed her life.
Guni, also
ridiculed as “Trabablas Interchange Wanderer”, made headlines on social media
platforms while explaining how she got lost at the newly-constructed Trabablas
Interchange in Harare.
The comic case
got worse when she could not pronounce the “r” in Glen Norah, which ended up
sounding “Glen Nolah”.
Tefoma (Pvt)
Ltd has since honoured her with dentures and money.
Guni was
interviewed at the interchange and disclosed how she was confused by
intertwining roads and lost her way in the process.
The video clip
went viral, turning her into a celebrity overnight.
Tefoma, the
company behind the construction of Trabablas Interchange, took Guni to a
renowned dental clinician, Jimmy Muchemwa, so that she could get some dentures.
The move came
after the same company gave her US$1 000 to start a business of her own.
“We enjoyed
Patience Guni’s narration regarding Trabablas Interchange on national
broadcaster. This promoted us to trigger our corporate social investment
strategy,” said the construction company in a statement.
“First, we had
to capacitate her vending business by giving her US$1 000 and bought a phone
for her such that she can now use Google Maps to avoid getting lost again at
the interchange.”
But that was
not enough as the construction company this week struck Guni with another
surprise.
The firm said
the groceries were meant to boost her new business.
“As Tefoma, we
always want to give back to the community. The groceries were a boost to her
tuckshop business which she started a few weeks ago,” said the Obey Chimuka-led
company in a statement yesterday.
“Impacting
communities will be the cornerstone of our organisation considering that our
projects are implemented within communities.
“We took a leaf
from His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa whose vision is to positively
impact communities, with that in mind, we will continue to assist whenever we
can.”
Guni now owns a
grocery shop in Harare’s Stoneridge area.
“I can’t thank
(Mr) Obey Chimuka enough for this kind gesture, he has moved mountains,” she
said.
“I also want to
thank President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his leadership, which has opened such
opportunities to companies like Tefoma. I am at a loss of words.”
Before getting
her dentures, a total of Guni’s set of eight teeth were removed.
Trabablas
Interchange, the first of its kind in the country, was officially opened by
Mnangagwa recently to ease traffic congestion at the popular Mbudzi Roundabout.
Newsday
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