Deputy Director of Projects & Senior Architect, EMI South Africa

Professional Training & Experience

• B.Arch, Zimbabwe
• MSc Urban Management and Development Studies, The Netherlands
• Private sector architectural experience, South Africa/ Zimbabwe
• Participatory urban governance in the NGO sector, South Africa

After completing her Architectural studies in Zimbabwe, Farai worked for a year in a local office before moving to South Africa where she worked in the private sector, garnering experience in a variety of building type projects. In 2010, she was granted a scholarship to undertake her Masters studies in Urban Management and Development Studies in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Upon returning to South Africa, she worked in the NGO sector in Participatory Urban Governance, with a focus on Informal Settlement Upgrading and local economic development. She rejoined the architectural private sector before joining EMI in January, 2019.

Ministry Experience

In 2009, feeling a desperate need to re-examine her career and explore how architecture could be used as an instrument for ministry, Farai came across EMI in a web search that became the beginning of a transformational journey. That year, she went on her first EMI volunteer trip to Uganda, and in 2018, another opportunity arose to travel to Zambia with EMI. These trips were the confirmation she needed that it was indeed possible to combine architecture and the Gospel of Christ to bring restoration to communities in need. She never ceases to be amazed by how the Lord can bring together multi-disciplinary teams from diverse backgrounds to touch communities and be themselves, touched through His compassion and fellowship in faith.

Family

Farai has been living in South Africa for over ten years but frequently visits home in Zimbabwe where she was born and raised, to see her family and fulfil her annual quota of aunt duties.