The Big Picture, Connecting the Dots of Experience: Meet Tinashe Mashungu

Humans with Josh Levent

Tinashe Mashungu was born in Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, and he has lived all over the country. His father was an agro-economist, and in many ways, Tinashe has followed in his footsteps, though his path has taken him in many different directions.

He studied computer science in high school and came to the US to attend Reed College and study physics. After getting a feel for the program, Tinashe switched his major to maths and economics, writing his thesis on structural adjustment in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Though he wasn’t able to see it at the time, in retrospect, Tinashe recognises that all of his education, experiences, and opportunities have given him a unique set of skills and led him to where he is today, with the desire and capability to create change in Zimbabwe, in Africa, and in the world.

What makes Tinashe human is his drive to keep going and keep learning even when the big picture isn’t visible yet and the passion he has for using technology to accelerate progress in Africa.

On today’s podcast:

• Tinashe’s early life and boarding school experience began the formation of his character
• He studied mathematics, physics, computer science; he wanted to be an engineer
• He changed his major at Reed College to study economics
• At the World Economic Forum, Tinashe showcased his work and started thinking about bigger problems
• Tinashe wants to democratise energy provision and create energy inclusion in Africa