“I wrote RENAISSANCE after hitting my own rock bottom, the year my dreams and sense of purpose all cracked at once. I realised I wasn’t alone. Too many founders in Zimbabwe build in silence because we have been taught that rest is weakness and struggle is shameful. A Renaissance, I have learned, isn’t one big comeback moment. It looks like small daily choices, pausing before burnouts, setting boundaries, and remembering you’re human before you’re a brand. That’s why the Renaissance book launch will bring both mental health experts and entrepreneurs on stage because healing and building have to happen together.”

My Afrika Magazine reporter Lingiwe Sifelani (LS) had a heart-to-heart conversation with author Nonsikelelo Moyo (NM), who unpacks her journey with special focus on her latest book titled ‘Renaissance.’

LS: Please introduce yourself to the readers.
NM: My name is Nonsikelelo Moyo, and I am a three-time published author, mental health advocate, and social entrepreneur who is passionate about community and impact. I am the founder of the F.A.B.G FOUNDATION that focuses on both mental health and entrepreneurship. Through my brand, I am pioneering spaces where entrepreneurs and mental health are treated as one conversation. I am known for initiating programs such as the mental health TEA & TALK and ART UNPLUGGED, events that create safe spaces for real talk, creativity, and founder connection. My approach blends public health insight with entrepreneurial reality.

LS: How old are you, and how long have you been writing?
NM: I am 25 years old and I have been writing for eight years.

LS: Please explain your writing process. Do you research? How do you do it?
NM: I mostly write about what I have experienced and have gone through; my first book FOR A BLACK is a collection of spiritual poems. I am a Christian, so they stemmed from that. My chapter in ITS THAT TIME OF THE MONTH AGAIN is on mental health, similar to my new book RENAISSANCE. I have suffered from depression before, so I wrote them based on that experience.

LS: In your own opinion, what level of impact does personal experience have on taught concepts? Please explain.
NM: Personal experience has a power that taught concepts often cannot match. While theories give us frameworks, it is lived stories that touch hearts, shift mindsets, and change lives. People don’t just remember ideas; they remember the journey, the struggle, and the rebirth behind them.

LS: You spoke about pioneering spaces where entrepreneurship and mental health are treated as one conversation. Please dive deeper into this.
NM: As both a mental health advocate and entrepreneur, I believe there is a link between the two. If your mental health is affected, then your brand and work become affected overall. As the F.A.B.G FOUNDATION, we aim to create a space where founders can come together and receive mental health support for the various problems they face, including burnout. Many organizations offer skills training, and as important as that is, I believe mental health support is also vital for the success of SMEs in our country.

LS: In your personal experience, how open are individuals about speaking about their mental health issues? What ways do you use to make sure people feel safe enough to open up?
NM: Many people struggle to open up about their mental health challenges. There is stigma around mental health, and so people prefer to stay silent rather than speak up and risk getting discriminated against or isolated. For the mental health projects I have planned and facilitated, I always make sure to invite speakers who are trained and able to make people comfortable enough to open up. Sharing my own challenges with depression and anxiety has also helped in encouraging others to open up as well and receive assistance.

LS: When you were at ‘rock bottom’, what force helped you rise again ‘from the ashes’? What keeps you standing and pursuing your goals?
NM: My relationship with God and my dreams of a better tomorrow helped me to get up once I hit rock bottom. When you are depressed, you tend to shut everyone out, and I did that too. Praying was the only thing I could do, and somehow it got me back on my feet. What keeps me going and pursuing my goals now is my wish to have a testimony at the end of it; it is painful to go through tough situations but what is more painful is not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel or the silver lining.

LS: Which message have you learned throughout your experience? What can you teach your younger self if given the chance?
NM:What I have learnt throughout the process is that failure is part of the journey and it is inevitable; most of us spend a large part of our lives trying to avoid failure and feel completely shattered when it arrives. I would want my young self to know that it’s alright to make mistakes and fail; it’s just part of the process. What is important is how you view and treat that failure; it can be a stepping stone or the end of a dream.

LS: According to your brief biography, you are a 3 time published author, mental health advocate, and social entrepreneur passionate about community and impact. How have the wins been so far?
NM: The wins have both been motivational and scary at the same time. Motivating because it’s always great to see something you placed so much effort into succeed, but scary because the more you win, the more under pressure you become to keep winning. I have, however, taught myself to move at my own pace and not burn out while chasing after the dreams. My biggest win has been the reviews I have received from people on the projects I have held and my books as well; they have assured me that what I am building is indeed changing lives.

LS: What are the names of the books you have published before, and what are they about?
NM: My 1st book, titled FOR A BLACK GIRL, was published in 2022, and it is a collection of motivational and spiritual poems. My 2nd book is an anthology I wrote with 11 other female authors titled ITS THAT TIME OF THE MONTH AGAIN, the book raises awareness on Menstrual health, my chapter in the book explores the link between mental health & menstruation, how women can find themselves battling depression and anxiety during their cycles and why it is important for them to understand that it’s normal and be gentle with themselves.

My 3rd book, RENAISSANCE, is on mental health, recovery, and finding yourself after depression, and it is based on my own experiences with depression and anxiety. The book is my way of encouraging others who find themselves going through the same to speak up and get assistance.

LS: Do you have specific authors who have inspired you to write? Name them.
NM: My two favorite authors are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Sarah Jakes Roberts. Their style of writing has influenced how I write and portray myself as a female author.

LS: A healthy support system makes the difference for an author. Who are your cheerleaders and support system?
NM: My cheerleaders are my family and friends; they keep me going. I also have acquaintances and business partners who I now consider family; they also motivate me to keep pushing towards the mark.