Top 20 Things You Didn’t Know About Strive Masiyiwa

Masiyiwa, the founder of Econet Wireless, Zimbabwe’s largest company by market capitalisation.

He is currently paying school fees for 30 000 orphans.

In 1990, Strive Masiyiwa was the youngest ever recipient of Zimbabwe’s coveted Businessman of the Year Award; in 1998 he was named his country’s Manager of the Year as well as Entrepreneur of the Year. He was named by Junior Chamber International (JCI) as one of the “Ten Most Outstanding Young Persons of the World” for 1999. In 2002 he was named to Time Magazine‘s Global Business Influentials List.

Strive Masiyiwa was the publisher of the Daily News, Zimbabwe’s only independent daily newspaper, shut down by the Zimbabwean government in late 2003.

Strive Masiyiwa is also a member of the Africa Progress Panel (APP), a group of ten distinguished individuals who advocate at the highest levels for equitable and sustainable development in Africa.

To fund his business Strive Masiyiwa got $250,000, in debt and equity from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank.

Strive Masiyiwa named his company Enhanced Communications Network before Dr Nkosana Moyo, and he was CEO of Standard Chartered Merchant Bank Zimbabwe encouraged him to change it to ECONET

The late Joshua Nkomo who was Vice President of the country helped cease the persecution against Strive Masiyiwa.

When Strive was 7, his family fled the country and settled in Kitwe, Zambia.

Strive Masiyiwa’s Econet Wireless is a diversified telecommunications group with operations and investments in Africa, Europe, South America and the East Asia Pacific Rim, offering products and services in the core areas of mobile and fixed telephony services, internet and satellite.

Strive Masiyiwa is a devout born again Christian.

When Strive Masiyiwa lost the Supreme Court case in June 1994, he was totally devastated but kept pushing.

When Strive was starting up he sold his sports car to fund his working capital.

In Britain, Masiyiwa earned a degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the University of Wales in 1983.

At age 12 Strive Masiyiwa was sent to a private school in Edinburgh, Scotland. He graduated in 1978.

In 2014 he was listed as one of the The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders.

Strive Masiyiwa was the publisher of the Daily News, Zimbabwe’s only independent daily newspaper, shut down by the Zimbabwean government in late 2003

Strive Masiyiwa devotes his time to educating young African youths on Entrepreneurship.

Beyond telecoms, Strive Masiyiwa’s business activities include operations and investments in some of Africa’s leading businesses in financial services, insurance,
renewable energy, bottling for Coca-Cola, hotel and safari lodges.

Strive is currently based in the USA.