I’ve traveled all over the world, but my recent journey through Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana hit differently. It was breathtaking, humbling, hilarious in moments, terrifying in others (yes, I fell off a horse), and ultimately transformative in ways I’m still unpacking.

This trip awakened both sides of me:

Renée the traveler, rooted in Caribbean heritage and deeply connected to the African diaspora…
and Renée the founder of Red Hills Consulting, forever thinking about equity, opportunity, systems, and the people whose lives are shaped by them.

Southern Africa gave me beauty and adventure.
But it also handed me truths that global leaders, policymakers, and mission-driven organizations cannot afford to ignore.

But before we get to the lessons — let’s talk about the adventure.
Because this trip was epic.

🔥 Adventure Highlights (In No Particular Order Because My Trip Was Chaos Meets Magic)

Traveling through Southern Africa handed me every emotion on the spectrum — awe, humility, fear, joy, wonder, laughter, and plenty of “this would only happen to me” moments.

These are just a few of the many unforgettable highlights:

🏨 A Warm Zimbabwe Welcome at Insika Lodge

Our home base in Zimbabwe was Insika Lodge, a serene, intimate retreat that set the perfect tone for the journey. Cozy, beautiful, rooted in the landscape, and run by people whose hospitality made the experience feel deeply personal.

Small group.
Private guides.
A slow, intentional pace.
It felt like we were exactly where we were meant to be.

🐎 The Horseback Safari Plot Twist

Ah yes… the infamous fall.

My horse was already antsy. Hyenas were nearby. I politely suggested we not stop. Life said, “Girl, please.”

He bucked.
I flew.
Gravity did its job.

I walked away with bruises, gratitude, and a whole new respect for horses with attitude. Thankfully, my guide arranged a 90-minute full body massage back at the lodge — the kind of healing I didn’t know I needed until every muscle started talking. And for that, I was deeply grateful.

🌅 Peace on the Zambezi

A few hours later, I found healing on a peaceful dinner cruise along the Zambezi River.
The contrast was poetic.

Elephants wading.
Hippos bobbing in and out of the water.
A sunset so gorgeous the sky felt suspended in prayer.

It turned a chaotic morning into a restorative night.

🍽 Dinner at Chef Vee’s Home

One of the most intimate moments of the trip was being welcomed into Chef Vee’s home to cook and enjoy a traditional Zimbabwean meal.

It wasn’t a performance.
It was community.
It was culture.
It was connection.

We chopped, stirred, laughed, learned, and shared stories around the table — including me proudly preparing a delicious salad for the group… that we completely forgot to take out of the fridge. We remembered it way too late, but honestly? We were so focused on the meal, the conversation, and the moment that none of us missed it until the laughs came after.

A true highlight — salad or no salad. 😄

💦 Devil’s Pool — Living Life on the Very Edge

Imagine floating at the literal edge of Victoria Falls, holding onto rocks that separate you from one of the world’s largest waterfalls.

That’s Devil’s Pool.

Equal parts terror and adrenaline.
The kind of experience that makes you question your choices and then thank yourself for making them anyway.

🌍 Victoria Falls & Chobe National Park

Victoria Falls humbled me with its force and beauty.
Chobe stunned me with its abundance — elephants everywhere, lions, and giraffes casually strolling by, nature showing off effortlessly.

Every moment felt sacred.

🦛 The Hippo Encounter at Chobe

Chobe delivered more than breathtaking views — it delivered surprises.
During our water safari, a hippo suddenly charged toward our boat, and we sped away fast.

A wild, unforgettable moment — and yes, it’s all on video.

🛫 Traveling with Black & Abroad

We were among the very first small groups to experience this new tri-country itinerary with Black & Abroad — Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana.

And it was exactly my style:

intentional
intimate
culturally rooted
flexible
community-focused

I’ve traveled with Black & Abroad before — to Tanzania and Zanzibar a couple of years ago — and that journey was equally transformational. There’s something powerful about exploring the continent through a lens that honors history, culture, and the diaspora.

A huge shout-out to our guide, Habeeb, and our driver, Anthony — the real MVPs of this journey. Their care, knowledge, humor, and attention to detail took this experience from memorable to unforgettable. They made us feel safe, supported, and fully immersed every step of the way. Absolute rockstars.

With this recent journey, I’ve now traveled to nine African countries — and every single time, the continent shifts something in me in ways I can’t fully put into words. And the count won’t stop here; there are several more on my list.

💛 The Emotional Undercurrent: A Journey Rooted in Healing & Heritage

Before boarding my flight, I wrote about how the last time I was on the continent — in Rwanda — I received news of my father’s passing. That moment forever tied Africa to grief, love, and transformation for me.

This time, I returned with peace, openness, and my father’s memory tucked beside me.
The sunsets felt spiritual.
The land felt welcoming.
The journey felt necessary.

With my extended family in Jamaica recovering from Hurricane Melissa, I carried them with me too — their resilience, their strength, their hope.

This trip reminded me how interconnected we all are across the diaspora.

💔 The Reality Beneath the Adventure: Zimbabwe’s Untold Truth

Beyond the beauty and hospitality, Zimbabwe revealed something deeper — not through formal interviews or chance encounters, but through the stories shared by our personal driver and local guides who spoke candidly about the realities their families, friends, and communities face every day.

Zimbabwe is full of brilliant, educated, capable people who cannot find work.

Teachers.
Engineers.
Business graduates.
Doctors.

People who earned degrees, built skills, and did everything society told them to do — yet still find themselves with no stable path to opportunity.

Many cross the border into Zambia or Botswana for temporary or informal work, and some even make the longer journey to South Africa in search of more stable opportunities.
Others, equally skilled, survive by selling fruit, crafts, or souvenirs to tourists — not because it’s their calling, but because survival demands it.

And while Zimbabwe’s situation is unique in many ways, this reality is not — many developing nations face similar patterns of underemployment, economic strain, and talent forced into survival-mode work.

It is heartbreaking.
It is systemic.
And it is not a reflection of their ambition — it is a reflection of the economic environment they’re navigating.

📉 Tourism Helps… But Currency Instability Hurts

Zimbabwe should be a tourism powerhouse.
And in many ways, it is — the attractions are world-class.

But here’s the economic reality:

1. Tourism dollars leak out of the system.

Because of currency instability:

USD is hoarded
inflation wipes out value
reinvestment is limited
wage gains evaporate quickly

It’s hard for communities to get ahead when the economic ground is constantly shifting.

2. Tourism becomes relief — not transformation.

Without broader policy and currency reforms, tourism can’t create the long-term, equitable growth it should.

Then I Returned Home… and Saw Familiar Patterns

Coming back to the U.S., I couldn’t ignore the parallels:

DEI rollbacks
layoffs hitting marginalized groups
shrinking economic mobility
talented people doing everything “right” yet struggling to advance

Different continent.
Different systems.
But the same underlying truth:

When opportunity collapses, inequity grows — everywhere.

Harare. Harlem. Lusaka. Los Angeles.
The patterns are interconnected.

🔴 What This Journey Reaffirmed for Red Hills Consulting Group

This trip reinforced why Red Hills exists.

1. Transformation must be human-centered.

Strategy without humanity is ineffective.

2. Equity is global. And fragile.

Without intention, systems exclude.

3. Economic mobility changes everything.

Where opportunity expands, communities thrive.

4. Our work matters — more than ever.

We partner with organizations committed to:

empowering marginalized communities
creating equitable pathways
centering people in strategy
building systems of opportunity

This trip sharpened that purpose.

💬 Final Reflection: The Motherland, My Mission & What Comes Next

Southern Africa gave me joy, healing, courage, perspective, and clarity.
It reminded me of the beauty of our diaspora and the urgency of our work.

Talent is universal.
Opportunity is not.
And until it is, Red Hills will keep pushing.

Here’s to honoring our roots.
Here’s to global connection.
Here’s to doing good work — wherever the journey takes us next.

About Renée
Renée Jones is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Red Hills Consulting Group, where she leads strategic, operational, and transformational initiatives for Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations. With more than 20 years of experience leading complex initiatives, Renée helps organizations turn bold ideas into lasting impact. Outside of work, she mentors emerging leaders and champions social-impact innovation. https://redhillsconsultinggroup.com

By Renée Jones | Board Member, Tanzania Development Support

This article was authored by Renée Jones, in her role as a Board Member of Tanzania Development Support (TDS). Red Hills Consulting Group is proud to support education equity and community-driven development.

In communities around the world, the ability to read and write is often taken for granted. Yet for many children in rural Tanzania—and in countless underserved regions globally—literacy is not a given. It is a life-altering milestone: the first step on the path to lifelong learning, economic empowerment, and social mobility.

Literacy Is the Gateway

Literacy is the first academic skill children must master, but its importance goes far beyond the classroom. A literate child becomes a confident learner. A literate girl is better equipped to understand her rights, navigate systems, and make informed decisions. A literate parent is more likely to support their child’s education, prioritize healthcare, and build economic stability for their family.

In essence: literacy unlocks everything.

In rural Tanzania, education can be a lifeline—but for most children, especially girls, it’s a path filled with barriers. Literacy is the first and most fundamental step on that path. Without the ability to read, students are locked out of every future opportunity—academic success, career mobility, civic participation, and more.

That’s why Tanzania Development Support (TDS) has made literacy a cornerstone of our work in the Mara region. From early reading programs to community-led Reading Circles, we are investing in the power of books to open minds and change lives.

“Reading is the fundamental tool of learning in the 21st century… whether it’s a book, a street sign, a grocery label, or a screen on the internet. Effective reading is the key to learning and understanding the world around us.”

📚 A “Center for Learning” in Rural Tanzania

The Madaraka Nyerere Library and Community Resource Center (LCRC) stands as a beacon of knowledge for the villages in the Musoma Rural area. Envisioned by community leaders as a kituo cha maarifa (“center for learning”), the LCRC houses one of the largest collections of books by African authors in Swahili in any community library in the country.

Since its construction in 2016, the LCRC has evolved into a hub for educational innovation. In 2019, we expanded its infrastructure with internet connectivity and open-source digital library tools, enabling access to global learning even in areas without power.

Yet the heart of this work is not the technology—it’s the people and programs.

📖 Reading Circles: Building a Culture of Literacy

Launched in April 2025, Reading Circles are one of the LCRC’s most vibrant literacy efforts. These community-led sessions bring students, teachers, and volunteers together to read aloud, ask questions, and share stories.

Each week, children gather across Musoma Rural—under mango trees and in classrooms—to experience the joy of books.

“Just seeing these photos made my heart sing. I truly believe this experience is going to change students’ lives and transform education in this part of the world!”
— Dr. Andrea Trudeau, TDS Board Member

Thanks to Andrea’s leadership and a generous $2,000 fundraising effort, hundreds of children now benefit from this program. Special thanks to Joyce, Moses, and Fr. Otieno, who are leading efforts on the ground.

“Creating a reading culture in Musoma Rural schools and villages will pay dividends for generations to come.”

👶 Early Literacy: Laying the Foundation

Alongside Reading Circles, the LCRC runs two early reading programs that collectively reach over 100 children annually:

Pre-Primary Reading Program (ages 3–5): A half-day experience introducing numbers, letters, and storytelling.
Early Reading Program: In partnership with Nyegina Primary School, this supports children who need additional help with reading.

Together, these programs build skills, spark curiosity, and nurture confidence.

💡 Literacy Is Power

In a world where access to information defines opportunity, literacy is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. For the students of Musoma Rural, it’s the bridge to a future where they can lead, contribute, and thrive.

At TDS, we believe literacy transforms lives. And we thank every teacher, volunteer, donor, and advocate helping us turn this belief into action.

✨ How You Can Support

📚 Sponsor books or literacy materials
💻 Volunteer to support our education initiatives
🙋🏽‍♀️ Become a recurring donor
📢 Share this story and raise awareness

Learn more at www.tdsnfp.org or email us at info@tdsnfp.org.

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Why Literacy Matters: The First Step Toward Lifelong Learning