Webster Isheanopa Makombe

Webster Isheanopa Makombe is a 21-year-old 2nd year law student at the University of Zimbabwe and a youth leader for nutrition with the Scaling Up Nutrition movement. Webster started his nutrition advocacy journey after being among the junior parliamentarians trained by the Zimbabwe Civil Society Organizations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (ZCSOSUNA) about the importance of nutrition financing, breastfeeding during the first 1000 days amongst other nutrition related topics. He works closely with the ZCSOSUNA in facilitating adolescent nutrition in-school programs, something which he thinks is very vital as he himself was engaged whilst he was still in high school and wishes he had been engaged earlier, ’catch them young’ or younger as Webster says .Webster has spoken at various conferences and high-level meetings about the importance of nutrition as a key component of achieving the #Agenda2030 and the need to harness legislative power in the fight against malnutrition. Leading up to the food systems summit, Webster is advocating for food sovereignty and strengthening local food systems.

Message
I believe in the power of knowledge and awareness; one has to be constantly made aware of their situation so that they might see a need to change it. Especially in settings where people are oppressed or where things are not going well for them or their environment. And now such people are “us all” we need to transform the food systems. Throughout history people have stood to act for what they believed in, what they wanted or did not want. Our time to act is now.