Award winning Radio Personality for most popular Internet Radio Show, Lets Be Frank on Zimonline Radio,Editor of Zim Life and Style Magazine, Businesswoman, Hair Stylist for celebrities in Essex. Proud mum who works with passion for her own children and all the children round the world. Had a dream to do modelling and now supporter of models.
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Thursday, 12 April 2012
Thursday, 5 April 2012
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Eve Parkes sails to greater heights –Nominated for three Zimbabwe Achievers Awards
Eve Parkes of Let’s Be
Frank show on Zimonline Radio has scored a first again. Barely a year after
winning the prestigious award for Radio DJ of the year from Zimbabwe Music and
Arts Awards, she sails to greater
heights again by being nominated
in three categories in the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards 2012.
A mother since age 16, Eve says that motherhood has been
fulfilling. She is a self-trained radio presenter who out of passion emerged
from being a child vendor in the high density suburb of Warren Park 1 in
Zimbabwe to establishing her business in
hairstyling of mostly celebrities in
Essex, United Kingdom.
There are many stories that have been told mostly of women
who have excelled in life like professors, academics, professionals and many
others without hurdles to the detriment of high achievers who struggle through life to
rehabilitate themselves after a mishap. Eve Parkes is a girl who lost her
chance for education because of early pregnancy at age 16. Her father could not
allow her back into the family home after coming late from a movie with a
boyfriend. At that tender age she sought refuge at a friend`s place. Later, she gave birth to a baby girl but
realised she was not ready for marriage. She attempted to go back to college
and played role of mother, wife, girl, and student and found it very hard to
cope.
Eve Parkes life was marked with challenges thereafter and
her marriage brought her to the United Kingdom. Finding work for her as a
foreigner was hard. She did not let challenges stand on her way and grabbed whatever
opportunity presented itself. She attempted studying for a law degree,
developing herself into a music promoter and modelling only to find herself
best as a stylist for a fashion designer. She took an opportunity to develop
her passion and skills in being a hairstylist.
`As you can see I kept hopping from place to place and
anything that beautifies a woman is my passion.
I dreamt of being a model. I wanted to do modelling as a career but in
Zimbabwe this was limited only to young women with no children,` said Eve.
Not conscious about how early teenage pregnancy shaped her,
she grabbed opportunity presented by Head of Zimonline Radio Simba Nyanhanga who made calls via Facebook for radio
presenters to apply. She had no previous
knowledge or skills in broadcasting. She never studied gender or anything that
would help her in design of such high quality life transforming programs that
have attracted a huge following via Facebook making her one of the top Internet
Radio presenters. When Eve Parkes calls for people to Let’s Be Frank show not many want to miss the opportunity to think outside the box. She
makes announcements for the shows via her Facebook page which is now full to
the bream with fans spilling over to her fan page.
There are captivating images
of women and girls being examined for virginity or whose clitoris and labia is
under attack, men who flirt with women and build small houses, relationships
where even smelling underwear, mouths ,unshaved armpits, genital organs and
stockings are brought under scrutiny, relatives interference in married couples
relationships, traditions that oppress women and girls, forced marriages, the
need to provide poor girls in schools with sanitary pads and many other topics
that balance perspectives and allow communities to think deeply and act
responsibly.
At the time of going
to press, Eve Parkes was busy with her show. Let’s Be
frank, Who is to blame for abortion, a man or a woman? This has brought a
whole community to debate on Facebook the whole day and then come 8pm every
Thursday she brings them to a talking forum where debate is encouraged and
learning and sharing is facilitated.
Given the many highly sensitive issues she discusses on
radio, Eve Parkes has always scouted for resource people who can give the
appropriate information and she is very direct with her issues. Amongst some high profile Zimbabwe women
leaders and female government ministers she has interviewed include Oppah
Muchinguri and Olivia Muchena.
In another development, Face of Zimbabwe has congratulated
Eve Parkes for the nomination. This is a monthly contest for young women from Zimbabwe on who best represents the
beauty and brains of Zimbabwean women. Eve Parkes is the Editor of Face of
Zimbabwe magazine.
This is a generation of Information Technology where
social activism is done by those who are passionate about changing lives and
engaging communities. Eve Parkes represents a generation of young women leaders who have taken advantage
of Technology and positioned themselves to tackling many social issues that
have destroyed families and communities. She has developed herself into an expert of how
society should be in the 21st century. This is in contrast to many
expensive programs being run from offices with little or no impact. To think a
social network like Facebook has mobilised a community of over 10 000
Zimbabweans from all over the world to
talk social issues frankly is something not even the so called highly paid
experts have done. With millions addicted to Facebook Eve Parks reminds them
that to speak frankly and openly is to be keep families and societies on the
right path of development.
The vote for Zimbabwe Achievers awards is on and who would
not vote for Eve Parkes who has inspired her generation
to speak frankly and live life to the full.
(Betty Makoni blogging on Young Women Achievers)
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