Dr. Annia Gombakomba is a lawyer who studied law at University of Bedfordshire and practises in the area of immigration and family law. She is the legal, social and public adviser to many clergy including bishops and pastors, and is the legal adviser for The Women & Family Resource Centre, where she provides legal help and life coaching to women who are victims of domestic violence.
Dr. Gombakomba but she is also an author, motivational speaker, business owner and adviser, life coach, counsellor, charity trustee and community advocate. She is the legal adviser for United African Association, a brilliant organization which helps Africans in the Diaspora with food, legal advice, integration in to the community, etc. In addition, she works with BAME HUB, which is also an African diaspora charity which helps immigrants live a fulfilled life in the UK.
Her speaking engagements have taken her to many countries in Europe and Africa. She currently provides group and one-on-one life and business coaching to people in the UK, Denmark, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Ghana.
Tell us more about your childhood. How was it growing up?
My childhood was good. I am one of five. I grew up with my parents and sisters, but what I know is I was the quiet one. I grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe, and what I loved about growing up in Zimbabwe is that life was not complicated at all!
What are some of the challenges you encountered pursuing law?
Law has been known over years to be a male-dominant career. As a woman, certain tables take time to sit on.
What are some of the barriers you believe hinder women in business?
Women in business face prejudgment sometimes because of the virtue of being women. There is a preconception that as a woman, you have bitten more than you can chew. Sometimes there is inadequate support from the community and also friends and family at times. One main barrier is balancing the work/home equation because women tend to do a lot more in the home than men. It’s historic.
What are some of the fears you had to overcome in your journey to success?
Fear of failure. I am not afraid to fail sometimes because failure teaches you to be better. The fear of making decisions also was another major hurdle. I am generally a meek person, so I had to tell myself multiple times that when it comes to business, I am the final decision maker in my business.
What are some of the habits that you have developed over the years that you attribute to your success?
Firstly, I have mastered the art of having conversation with myself. I speak to myself about most things because when I say them out loud, so I get a feel of whether it makes sense or not.
Secondly, I refer to my business plan often to make sure I am in line with it. I have learnt to be patient. You cannot eat your eggs all the time. It makes more sense when they are chickens; they give you more. I read a lot and ask questions a lot. It’s always good to be clear on things. Assumptions bring wrong decisions.
What drew you to working with domestic violence survivors?
I am passionate about this work because a domestic violence survivor is stronger than they think. The fact that they survived such violation means they are able to do anything they put their mind to. Such people can be great because they have already seen pain. All they are after is gain.
Tell us more about your book Sunflower and Thorns. What was the motive behind writing it?
The book is a collection of poems. It’s a passion-orientated poetry piece which I wrote as a way to fundraise for my philanthropy work. I love writing, and I have a special interest in poems, so I figured why not put the poems together, release the book and have a rolling income to cover the various philanthropy work I do (school fees for village children, widows and single women with children with learning disabilities, skills initiative programmes for women, etc.).
The book is titled Sunflower and Thorns because it signifies how life can be. One day it’s bright; the next can be thorny. But it’s a reminder that in the journey of life, let us strive to be sunflowers wherever we are, taking brightness to others.
How do you balance being a mum, intellectual and businesswoman?
It becomes simpler with practice after you realise that you are a mum first and other things follow. When I get home, I try by all means to be just mum. I switch off from work until my kids go to bed if I need to. I try by all means to do school runs and go to their events, because when they are in school or asleep, I have all the time to be a business woman.
What advice can you give to other women in regard to business?
There is no magic formula to business. It is hard work, tenacity and hard decision-making at times. As a woman, you are a multitasker. You are resilient, so use that to your advantage. Don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot do something because you definitely can.
