The Nadvigators Podcast Inspiring Stories of Immigrants

Episode 15

Even in a thin coat and freezing weather, she felt a hope in Canada she had never experienced in Zimbabwe. She also learned about lettuce when she ate salad for the first time.

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Episode Transcript / Summary

Thembi Bheka is a self-made millionaire who Landed in Montreal, Canada in 2001 with only $5 in her pocket, money she got from a stranger during her flight to Montreal.

 

Part 1 – This is the fascinating story of how a Zimbabwean girl found herself in Canada in 2001 with only $5 in her pocket. Thembi Bheka shares her nadvigating journey with Bassey Simon. 

 
In this episode, I bring you the first part of Thembi Bheka’s inspiring story.
 

This Episode Summary

Thembi Bheka left Zimbabwe with five dollars in her pocket, money she got from a stranger during her flight to Montreal, Canada. When she was five months pregnant, she learned she was one of three wives and decided that wasn’t the life for her. She moved to Canada as a political refugee, where she started a new life without her 10-month-old daughter. Even in a thin coat and freezing weather, she felt a hope in Canada she had never experienced in Zimbabwe. She also learned about lettuce when she ate salad for the first time.  

She shares that life in Zimbabwe was hard, but she was fortunate enough to be able to (mostly) make ends meet. However, leaving her marriage put her on a different path. She credits her rebellious spirit for enabling her to walk away from a destructive situation, regardless of what anyone else had to say. 

There were other factors motivating her to leave Zimbabwe, though. Youths in her neighborhood, who supported oppositional political parties, started disappearing from her neighborhood, and political unrest and a desire to go to Paris (she realizes she was a little bit naive) helped her make the decision to leave. She shares the need to invest in an education, which means more than going to school. Life experiences can be our best education.

The most comical moment of her journey was when, on her arrival in Canada, naivety led her to believe that she could work for 100 hours to buy 10 cars and ship them back to help her mother in Zimbabwe because she thought the advertised price of $199 at the auto dealerships was the final price of the car.

Thembi encourages other immigrants to embrace a purpose that keeps us focused, such as empowering our family or helping the poor back home. “We should have a bigger purpose in us than just making money. A bigger purpose will keep driving you.”

So, What’s your Nadvigating Story? Are you ready to share it with the World? I will like to tell it. Send an email to guest@nadcast.com, or click the VoiceNotes button to start.

This Episode Referenced Resources
  • Rich Dad, Poor Dad  by Robert Kiyosaki, and Sharon Lechter
  • Take Thembi FREE 5-day challenge to discover your purpose. Go to shebreaksthru.com/5days
Guest Success Tips

Thembi’s success formula

  • Don’t be afraid to ask questions
  • Find a mentor in whatever you do
  • Get a real world education – read books and listen to podcast
  • Do your own research (Trust your mentors, but understand, no one person knows everything.)
  • One reliable place to get great information is on the resources section of nadcast.com/resources
  • “ Your net worth is your network” – @thembi.bheka
  • “We should have a bigger purpose than just making money. A bigger purpose will keep driving you.”  – @thembi.bheka
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