Her days were spent longing for something to eat. On some days, a sip of water was a luxury. A civil war had gripped her native of Zimbabwe and separated her from her mother at the tender age of two. For five years, she was abused repeatedly in every way imaginable. But deep within her was a spirit of resilience so strong nothing could extinguish it.
Today, she is the definition of success. Her journey has taken her through some devastating lows, but that same fighting spirit that kept her going during her darkest days has paved the way for her to expand her highly sought-after catering company into a full-service restaurant that celebrates African cuisine and culture.
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Zweli Moyo Williams is an extremely busy woman these days. Her restaurant, Zweli’s, just opened a month ago, and has already garnered rave reviews from her community in Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Those close to Williams, who have had the privilege of hearing her inspiring story, have marveled at her strength and how much she has overcome.
In fact, Williams will be honoured with the She Is Fierce: Women to Watch award for the month of August, for the state of North Carolina.
“When I think about being a leader, I want to be of influence to other people,” Williams told The Weight She Carries. “And to do that, I needed to create my success story completely before telling it.”
Williams was born in Zimbabwe and is the third of four children. The first couple years of her life were good, but her life took a drastic turn when she was two.
It was during a time of civil war in Zimbabwe called Gukurahundi, when a series of massive attacks were carried out in Matebeleland, a region largely occupied by the Ndebele people.
The war lasted from 1983 to 1987, and according to reports, more than 20,000 Ndebele civilians were killed.
Williams’ parents belonged to opposing ethnic groups, and tensions rose in the home. Her parents ultimately divorced, and her father left.
One day while her mother was at work, her father went to the home of a family member where Williams and her siblings were staying. While there, he made the decision to take his kids.
“My sisters were old enough to know that something wasn’t right about him taking us when our mom was not there, so they took off running,” she said. “I didn’t know any better. I was two.”
Williams’ father took Zweli to his mother’s place in a remote part of the country called Plumtree – an area where the war was fierce.
“It was difficult for my mom to come and get me because it was the time of Gukurahundi,” Williams said.
There were other children living there, but they were treated much better than Williams was.
She remained in her grandmother’s care until she was seven. Williams was unaware of the war going on at the time. Several times during that time, she was harassed by soldiers patrolling the area as she walked home from school.
“They were carrying guns, and they stopped me each time to ask me what my name was and what I was doing there,” Williams recalled. “I could have died at least three times that I remember. I had no idea that this battle was the reason why my mom couldn’t come and get me.” – Zweli Williams
Several times during that period, Williams was sexually abused.
One day, all the grown-ups left to go to the farm and left the kids at home.
“We were sitting outside, and I remember seeing this beautiful, beautiful woman approaching. I’ll never forget what she was wearing. She had an army with her…guns and all,” she said.
Her mother was wearing a dark purple and cream three-piece outfit with flowers on it.
The children sat still, apprehensive what would transpire. The woman and the solders walked up to the children and asked which one of them was Zweli.
“I was looking so messed up – with torn, dirty clothes on – that my mother thought I was another one of the kids who looked much cleaner,” Williams said. “I stood up and said, ‘Uh-uh, I’m Zweli.’ Somehow, I knew it, I knew that was my mother. I held her hand and never let it go.”
Because of the abuse and mistreatment, Williams was a troubled child and found it difficult to talk about what had happened to her. Her mother doted on her and affirmed her continuously.
Just before Williams’ finished high school, word came that her father was on his death bed. Williams went to see him. Though he was her father, he was a stranger to her.
“I didn’t know who he was. He never apologized to me, but I never took it to heart because of the way my mom raised me,” Williams said. “His absence all those years didn’t leave a void in me. It was what it was, and I do have a wonderful stepdad.”
Once she finished high school, Williams decided to move to the US to further her education. Since childhood, she had enjoyed cooking and creating recipes. So Hospitality and Tourism was a natural choice for her. She began catering small events during college and honed her culinary skills. The more she explored her passion, the deeper she fell in love with food.
Her talent was undeniable. She worked in several key positions within her field and soon landed a job as a manager of a major restaurant franchise.
“Almost every job that I have had, I felt like I always had to prove myself. Especially as an African woman, we are so driven and self-motivated. We want to excel and be the best that we can be. Most of the time when I was doing the best I could, there was always someone telling me I wasn’t, no matter how hard I tried. I got so tired of that.” – Zweli Williams
“They assume you are not smart enough from the get-go. So, you have to prove yourself ten times over. And even when you do, they will always question your capabilities,” Williams said.
Williams commanded the room at work, but at home she felt powerless. She was in an abusive marriage that almost claimed her life on several occasions, she said.
“It was really, really bad. He put a gun to my head when I was pregnant and told me that if I left, he would find me and kill me, so I felt stuck,” she said.
Williams fled the marriage when her son was just 2 months old, and sought refuge in Virginia.
“I felt so embarrassed. I didn’t know how to express myself or ask for help. I felt like a failure. But when I left, I started gaining my strength back.” – Zweli Williams
Williams started over again and worked tirelessly, day and night, to provide for her son. Being a single mother was challenging, but her strength prevailed. It took time, but she eventually climbed her way back up the food industry and decided to strike out on her own.
In 2016, Williams launched her own catering company and it was an instant hit.
“I was surprised. Everywhere I went, people were just willing to support and genuinely loved the food,” she said.
Her company became preferred caterers for Duke University, Google, the University of North Carolina, and other organizations.
Today, her hard work has paid off and she is the proud owner of her very own restaurant. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, Leonardo Williams, and wholeheartedly believes that the sky is the limit.
Williams has come a long way and has overcome tremendous obstacles. She is living proof that dreams are attainable. She credits much of her success to her family, her faith and the tenacity of that little girl who grew into a remarkable woman.
“On my toughest days, I think about that little girl who went through so much. If she could survive that, she can survive anything,” Williams said.
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Zweli’s is located at 4600 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Ste 26 Durham, NC 27707.
To find out more about Zweli’s visit the following sites:
Website: www.zwelis.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/zweli.moyo
Instagram: www.instagram.com/zwelis_inc/?hl=en
Vimbai E. is a content marketer, ghostwriter, and the founder of The Weight She Carries. With hundreds of articles and stories publishing online, in print and for broadcast, her love of language and storytelling shines through every piece of writing that bears her name.