Episodes

172 job applications. 3 responses. I shared that story and the comments came flooding in — not with surprise, but with recognition. Same story. Different country. Different industry. Same silence. In Batje’s Take #13, Batje Chibafa, Certified Professional Career Coach and Founder of HUMHR, makes the case that trust in recruitment is broken — and that the Applicant Tracking System is at the centre of it. Not because it manages volume, but because it removes the human from the most important moment in the process. She also draws a clear line on AI: using it to prepare for an interview is being deliberate. Using it during the interview, to feed you answers in real time, is misrepresentation. Both sides hiding behind technology will not rebuild trust. This is a short, solo reflection on what a genuine overhaul of the recruitment system would look like — and what job seekers and hiring teams can do right now. HUMHR Career Insights is hosted by Batje Chibafa, Certified Professional Career C…

Be a Pioneer. Be a Weed. | Part 2 | Elizabeth Mhangami Be a pioneer. Be a weed. Weeds survive where other plants cannot. Dandelions are food. Being a weed is not a consolation — it is a strategy. In Part 2, Elizabeth Mhangami, Principal Consultant at NDISU and founder of Vanavevhu (V² Enterprises), joins Batje Chibafa in studio for a conversation about building a career on your own terms. They go deep on entrepreneurship as a deliberate identity, what donor consulting actually looks like in practice, and why return-to-office mandates are not just a preference debate — they are a career equity issue. Elizabeth also calls out the inner critic work that nobody wants to talk about, and shares the coaching turning point that changed how she saw herself. This episode covers why letting certain jobs go might be the best move you ever make, the weed metaphor from permaculture that reframes everything, and the line that will stay with you: ”If you need to see me physically to consider me for a…

She sent 172 job applications. Got 3 responses. Not because she was underqualified — but because AI screened her out before a human ever read her CV. In Part 1, Batje Chibafa sits down in studio with Elizabeth Mhangami, nonprofit leader and Principal Consultant at NDISU, to talk about what is really happening in hiring. The ATS problem. The AI arms race. And whether the tools shaping the job market were ever designed for candidates from the Global South. Topics covered: — Why personalising AI tools takes credit away from your own work — The 172-application job search that predicted everything happening in hiring today — We used AI to beat the ATS. Now we need AI to beat AI. — Why grant funding and hiring share the same broken trust problem — Data centres, Zimbabwe’s lithium, and the ethics of technology — Hazel’s question from South Africa: does any of this AI work for the Global South?

What happens when the title, the office, and the status disappear? Who are you then? In Batje’s Take #12, Batje Chibafa reflects on her powerful conversation with humanitarian leader Rudo Kayombo and explores a theme that quietly ran through every answer Rudo gave: faith as an operating system. Not performative faith. Not inspirational language for a LinkedIn bio. But the kind of grounded belief system that shapes decisions, leadership, transitions, and identity. After leading across multiple countries and holding one of the most senior leadership roles in the humanitarian sector, Rudo speaks candidly about navigating transition, surrender, uncertainty, and peace beyond professional titles. Batje also shares practical reflections for professionals currently navigating career change, leadership pressure, burnout, or reinvention, including: • Understanding your personal operating system • Learning to say “I don’t know” without shame • Building succession and legacy leadership • Finding …

She walked away from being Africa Vice President at Habitat for Humanity. The most overwhelming feeling, she says, was relief. This is Part 2 of Batje Chibafa’s conversation with Rudo Kayombo. If you missed Part 1, start there. We walked through the twenty five year humanitarian career, the lawyer years, the saying-yes-in-tears moment, and the faith thread that pulled her from World Vision Zimbabwe to World Vision Uganda to ONE Campaign to Habitat for Humanity. Part 2 is the building arc. The first week after she stopped being VP. The cousin’s message that broke her open. Why she moved back to Harare and chose a cottage over a Prado. The Fahari Women’s Fund. The mentee who paid her back fifty thousand shillings. The broken rung that women in NGO leadership keep falling off. Why she calls herself a dinosaur for ChatGPT. And the single piece of counsel she leaves for every senior leader sitting at the exit door. If you are mid-pivot, this conversation is for you. Memorable quotes from P…

After 25 years leading major humanitarian and development organisations, Rudo Kayombo finally signed her own name and launched Fahari Kubwinya Splendour. In Part 1 of this two-part interview, Rudo shares the formation of her leadership, the faith that guided her decisions, and the practical lessons she learned running teams across Africa. What we cover in Part 1 • Rudo’s path from lawyer to NGO leader, including UNHCR, World Vision, ONE Campaign, Food for the Hungry, and Habitat for Humanity • Leading large-scale disaster response and scaling teams from 300 to 1,300 staff • Why she repeatedly asks “send me people” and how she develops leaders under pressure • Advice she would give her 30-year-old self on risk, learning, and purpose Notable lines “I was made by God.” “Sometimes when we hold on to something, God will wrestle it out of our hands.” “I came to the job knowing I did not know. And I needed to learn.” About Rudo Kayombo Founder, Fahari Kubwinya Splendour. Former Africa VP at …

The gender pay gap moved only 9 cents in 26 years. Women hold 22% of AI jobs. Is climbing the corporate ladder still worth it? Batje examines Emma Grede’s remote work stance and why entrepreneurship might be women’s best career move.

In this episode of HUMHR Career Insights, we explore entrepreneurship as a career choice not as a side hustle, but as a long-term path shaped by purpose, people, and real-world problem-solving. My guest, Daniel Maveneka, is a serial entrepreneur and educator based in Canada who builds businesses across education, technology, and social impact. What stands out about Daniel’s journey is this: he doesn’t start with ideas he starts with problems. From founding Ontario Online Schools, a fully accredited online high school serving students globally, to building Mbinga Coffee Company, a venture connecting African farmers directly to international markets, his work is grounded in access, transparency, and opportunity. We also explore Bridging Generations, an initiative he’s building with his children to address digital literacy and online safety, and Check-In Canada, a platform designed to support people who may be socially isolated. This conversation is a reminder that entrepreneurship is no…

What if the biggest risks in your career are the ones you never thought to plan for? In this episode of Batje’s Take , I reflect on my conversation with Una Nyikadzino (Founder of StandOwt and former Executive Director at Schweppes Holdings Africa) and the powerful lessons on risk, resilience, and building something that lasts. From a small business owner losing everything because a fridge was switched off… to my own experience losing 10 years of emails during a system migration… this episode ex...

She was the first female Executive Director at Schweppes Holdings Africa. She named a brand, grew it, and bought it back when she left. Now she’s building on her own terms. Unaiswi (Una) Nyikadzino has spent more than 20 years in FMCG, agribusiness, and exports — working with The Coca-Cola Company across 15 countries, launching the FarmStyle brand in 2017, and eventually founding StandOwt, her own business growth consultancy. In this conversation with Batje, Una gets honest about what corporate life taught her, what entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe actually looks like, and why Africa’s food value chain is one of the continent’s biggest untapped opportunities. She also shares the advice nobody talks about on marriage, faith, governance, and the risk management lesson she learned from a sadza vendor. If you’re building something in Africa, this episode is for you

Batje’s Take #8: Empowerment, Ecosystems and the Reality Behind the Conversation In this episode of Batje’s Take, I reflect on my conversation with Precious Nyarambi and what women’s empowerment really looks like in practice. We often talk about access and opportunity — but this reflection goes deeper into the structural barriers women face in entrepreneurship and in corporate careers, and why empowerment must be holistic. I also explore the role of the ecosystem — and why we cannot focus only on the individual if we want to see real impact. A timely reflection for Women’s Month — and a question worth sitting with: Are these conversations translating into real change?

Across Africa, women are among the most entrepreneurial people in the world. Yet despite their innovation and determination, many women entrepreneurs continue to face significant barriers — from limited access to capital and markets to broader ecosystem challenges. In this episode of HUMHR Career Insights , Batje Chibafa sits down with Precious Nyarambi, social entrepreneur and founder of Vessels of Virtue, a platform dedicated to advancing women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship developm...

n this short reflection, Batje Chibafa shares her thoughts following her conversation with award-winning Zimbabwean actress and playwright Chiedza Rwodzi. As African creatives increasingly reach global audiences, Batje reflects on why identity and authenticity matter when building an international career. Sometimes the most important question isn’t where your work travels but whether you remember who you are while doing it. Batje’s Take is a reflective segment from HUMHR Career Insights, highlighting key insights from conversations with global leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives.

What does it look like to choose art when you have other options? In this powerful Season 4 episode of HUMHR Career Insights, Batje Chibafa sits down with multi-award-winning Zimbabwean actress, playwright, and producer Chiedza Rwodzi to explore creative entrepreneurship as a serious and sustainable career choice. With a Business degree from Regent’s University London, professional training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, and further study at Juilliard in New York, Chiedza could have pursu...

What connects a humanitarian leader, a cybersecurity ethicist, and a creative entrepreneur? Calling. In this special reflection episode of HUMHR Career Insights, Batje unpacks three recent conversations with Rachel Mikanagu, Omar Chaudhry, and Hope Masike and revealing the powerful thread running through them all: purpose-driven leadership. From stepping out in faith to serve in Haiti, to navigating AI and digital responsibility in an age of overload, to redefining culture as currency through creative entrepreneurship, this episode explores what it truly means to align profession with purpose. In this reflection, we explore: • Faith, service, and unexpected career breakthroughs • Ethical leadership in the age of AI and cybersecurity risks • Creative entrepreneurship and cultural stewardship • Lessons from imperfection and growth behind the scenes • Why calling matters more than title This episode also bridges past seasons, revisiting themes from The Power of Storytelling and AI & The …

Most of us are unknowingly fueling a cycle that’s eroding our mental health, security, and humanity itself. Omar Chaudry, Cybersecurity Specialist and Technology Ethicist, reveals why today’s digital landscape might be doing more harm than good and how we can reclaim control before it’s too late. In this eye-opening conversation, Omar dives into how smartphones and AI have evolved from helpful tools into addictive, fatigue-inducing, and even dangerous entities. He shares concrete insights on how...

In this episode of HUMHR Career Insights, we explore creative entrepreneurship and what it means to choose music as a career. The conversation examines culture as livelihood, the realities of monetizing talent, and why culture is not just heritage, but currency, particularly in the African context. 🎧 Note: You may notice a slight echo in the first few minutes due to technical issues during recording. Audio improves shortly.

In this episode of Batje’s Take, I reflect on my powerful conversation with Wani Joana Kahasha , a story rooted in resilience, exposure, and growth in fragile contexts. Wani’s journey reminds us that a dream can turn into a plan, and a plan into a product but also that entrepreneurship and career paths are rarely linear. We talk about the importance of being “heavy on the roads,” and how physical movement and exposure open our minds, shape our confidence, and shift our mindset. This reflection a...

In the middle of Season 4 of HUMHR Career Insights ”Entrepreneurship as a Career Choice ” we pause for a special bonus episode that takes us back to a foundational theme of the podcast: The Power of Storytelling. This Season 2 throwback is a reconnection with an old friend whose career journey began in finance before taking a bold pivot into humanitarian leadership and advocacy across some of the world’s most complex contexts. We explore career reinvention, purpose, leadership, and redefining success and close with a Fire Round on courageous career choices. 🎙️ Bonus Episode | Season 2 Throwback

Choosing entrepreneurship as a career is rarely straightforward — and in fragile, conflict-affected contexts, it can be especially complex. In this episode of HUMHR Career Insights, Batje Chibafa sits down with Wani Joana Kahasha, an industrial engineer, social impact entrepreneur, and development practitioner working at the intersection of technology, women’s empowerment, and community resilience in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Wani shares her deeply honest journey from building Kivu Spices, an agritech venture that digitized local value chains before being forced to close due to the war in Eastern DRC, to leading digital transformation initiatives at Kivu Impact Center. She reflects on the realities of entrepreneurship beyond the highlight reels, and what it truly takes to build, lose, adapt, and begin again. This conversation explores Africa as a rising continent, the power of digital skills and AI literacy, feminist leadership, and the resilience required to pursue entreprene…

In Batje’s Take #5, Batje reflects on resilience, rest, and purpose-driven work following her recent conversation with JD Wetherspoon. This episode invites listeners into a slower, more intentional conversation about what it truly means to reset mentally, emotionally, and professionally. Batje explores how resilience is built through experience, why stepping away from constant digital noise matters, and how purpose not pressure should guide career and life decisions. She also challenges the traditional idea of New Year’s goal-setting, encouraging listeners to honor their own timelines, build sustainable momentum, and prepare intentionally for career-defining moments. Thoughtful, honest, and practical, this episode is for anyone seeking clarity, grounding, and direction in the year ahead.

In this episode, Batje sits down with J.D. Weatherspoon., a globally minded civic architect whose work spans continents, communities, and causes. From youth mentoring and HIV research with Harvard’s Forgotten Epidemic project to co-founding Mastermind Connect and designing resilience hubs at Peregrine Consultants, J.D. has built a career centered on systems that hold people together when things fall apart. We explore entrepreneurship through a new lens, civic architecture and unpack how continui...

In this episode of Batje’s Take , I reflect on my recent conversation with Dennis Mambure and the unexpected journey behind how the episode was released. What was scheduled didn’t get published and a backup episode stepped in and taught me a powerful lesson on preparedness, flexibility, and the realities of podcasting. I also share a thoughtful listener summary that beautifully captured the essence of this conversation, including key takeaways such as: Personal branding rooted in corporate exper...

In this episode of HUMHR Career Insights, I sit down with Dennis Mambure, a purpose-driven brand builder and the creative mind behind multiple African entrepreneurial brands. Together, we unpack what it truly takes to build a brand that stands out not just in the marketplace, but in the hearts and minds of the people you serve. Dennis shares his refreshing perspective on branding as a journey of clarity and authenticity, not perfection. We talk about: Why your brand begins long before you pick c...