Mungoshi Wins Toastmasters Awards

Story Filed: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 4:39 PM EST

Harare, Sep 10, 2002 (The Herald/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- JONAH Mungoshi has broken two records in one week to become the first representative from Africa to win awards in the Toastmasters Inter-district Championships and the World Championship of public speaking.

Mungoshi, who was representing Southern Africa, wowed the audience in America when he gave his emotion-laden speech - Angry - to win the first prize in the Inter-district Speech Contest.

He beat fellow contestants from Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, Philippines and Japan.

Four days later he represented all Toastmasters outside the United States and Canada in the World Championship, the Olympics of Oratory, emerging as the third best speaker in the world.

In the speech entitled Angry Mungoshi expressed his naked rage at the indifference that is paralysing the world while Aids is wreaking havoc.

"My people are on the verge of extinction", he lamented. He told to the mostly American audience that one out every three African girls will have been sexually molested by the age of 18 and yet many people stand aloof and detached.

"This is the time to get angry and to take action."

Crazy was the title of Mungoshi's speech in the World Championship. His message was that the major challenges facing the world right now require unorthodox or crazy solutions.

Using the lives of Mother Theresa, Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela as examples, Mungoshi demonstrated that extraordinary results are achievable by those who adopt a creative or a crazy mindset.

Mungoshi, the father of a four-year-old boy and a nine month baby is married to his number one fan and critic, Chenai.

He is the Head of Information Technology (IT) at the Jewel Bank. He is a member of the Baha'i' Faith which teaches the unity of mankind, the unity of God and the unity of religion.

Mungoshi says, "All my speeches are inspired by my values and principles which emanate from my belief in God."

The World Championship culminated in the Toastmasters International's four-day annual convention, held from 21 to 24 August, 2002 at the Marriot Rivercenter in San Antonio, Texas.

A panel of 18 Toastmasters judges evaluated the nine contestants, who had advanced to the finals following a year-long process of elimination, using club, area and regional speech competitions.

Criteria used in judging included speech content, organisation, voice quality and gestures.

First and second place winners in the final contest were Dwayne Smith and Jim Key both from US.

Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organisation that teaches public speaking skills through a worldwide network of clubs.

The organisation currently has nearly 185 000 members in 9 000 clubs in 70 countries.

Since its founding nearly 78 years ago in October 1924, the organisation has helped more than four million men and women give presentations with poise and confidence. For more information about the local Toastmasters clubs, please call Brenda Bell on 091 601 465 or e-mail to mreeler@mango.zw.