Chipo Tariro Chung is a Zimbabwean actress of stage and screen who has carved a place for herself in an industry which often overlooks people of colour and nuanced backgrounds. When it comes to nuanced backgrounds, Chung certainly fits in that bracket.

She is of African and Asian ancestry, born in a refugee camp in Tanzania back in 1977 when Zimbabwe was in the middle of its war of independence. She is the daughter of Fay Chung (a renowned education activist and former Minister of Education) and Rugare Eleck Ngidi Gumbo (a Zimbabwean politician).

Chung’s artistic endeavours can be traced back to her time as a teen, as she attended St Dominic’s Convent in Harare, Zimbabwe she was also a part of Rep Teens (Reps Theatre). She then moved to the United States to hone her craft where she studied directing at Yale University and then acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA).

Her stage credits include ‘Hamlet’, ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’, ‘The Mayor of Zalamea’ and ‘Phedre’ to mention a few. The stage was not big enough to contain her talent and soon enough the exotic actress found herself on the small screen on television shows such as ‘SILO’ (Apple TV series), ‘Doctor Who’, ‘Casualty’, ‘A.D The Bible Continues’ and ‘Black Cake’. In film she has worked in movies such as ‘In The Loop’ and ‘Sunshine’, just to mention a few.

Chung has also done audiobook recording for fellow Zimbabwean women such as NoViolet Bulawayo, Tsitsi Dangaremga and Petina Gappah. Apart from her creative and artistic endeavours, the actress also takes time to give back to her community. She is the co-founder of SAFE-Kenya which works to bring social change in Kenya mainly through HIV education.

‘PORA ended the year with a nomination for the Community Impact Award at the ZIDO (Zimbabweans in the Diaspora Organisation) Business Expo in Harare organised by Blessed and Thelma Kapesa. Our Chair Chipo Chung collected the Runner Up Award. With a board of trustees filled with Zimbabwean diasporans, we were proud to take part in a celebration of diaspora contribution to our home country’ – PORA Zimbabwe on Facebook

Chung serves as the chair of Pora Zimbabwe, a British registered NGO which works to address the issue of adult rape cases in Zimbabwe; she was awarded the runner-up award from Zimbabweans In the Diaspora Organisation (ZIDO) for community impact in 2024.

‘Being an activist doesn’t just mean going on marches and protests; it’s the admin, the paperwork, the management of meetings, the writing of grant applications, the dialogue with the team in Zimbabwe, the talking to funders, the planning of strategy. It’s unglamorous office work, but it’s truly fulfilling when you’re a small charity because you know how every penny is spent. We know that without our work as a team of trustees, over 300 clients would not have received care last year, over 170 of them being under 16 years old.’ wrote Chipo

She has been showered with many accolades for her work including being listed as BBC 100 Women in 2014 and was awarded an honorary prize at the 2015 Zimbabwe Achievers Awards for her contribution to arts and media. Chung not only shows how far Zimbabwean creatives can go but is also an example of the diversity and richness the nation boasts of. Her presence in media and success as an actress serves as an inspiration to many people from across the world who aspire to success in a world which often overlooks people of diverse backgrounds.