When Admire Matata arrived at African Christian College in 2016, he was a young man fresh out of high school in Zimbabwe with little experience of the world beyond his own culture. He did not realise he was entering a community where students from more than ten countries – with different languages, traditions, perspectives, and cultures – lived, studied, worked, played, and worshipped together . . . or that this multicultural environment would shape him in powerful ways.
At first, he assumed that being surrounded mostly by fellow Africans meant cultural differences would not be significant.
“Looking at fellow Africans being the majority, I thought that was not going to be a problem since we look the same, we might as well act the same.”
He soon discovered otherwise.
Students had different ways of communicating, eating, dressing, responding to questions, and understanding situations. Even simple conversations could lead to misunderstandings because what was considered respectful in one culture could be interpreted differently in another.
Admire gradually learned that looking alike did not mean thinking or behaving alike. Instead of allowing these differences to divide him from others, he learned to understand them and work through them.
His everyday experiences at ACC, combined with classes on working with people from different cultures, helped him develop cross-cultural leadership skills that would later become central to his career.
“The combination of these experiences set me apart,” Admire reflects.
After graduating, Admire found himself in another cross-cultural environment, but this time there was no classroom where mistakes could simply become learning opportunities.
He now serves as Principal at Hosea’s Heart, a girls’ home in Eswatini, where he leads a teaching staff from different countries. As a foreigner himself, Admire understands what it means to work and lead across cultural boundaries.
His experience at African Christian College became an important part of how he leads. When challenges arise, he does not immediately judge people’s actions. Instead, he tries to understand the cultural perspectives that may influence how people communicate and respond.
“I am able to understand why some people are acting the way they act and assist them. Most of the time, it is because of cultural misunderstandings that lead to conflict.”
Looking back, Admire is grateful that African Christian College gave him the opportunity to experience cultural diversity as a student. What initially felt unfamiliar became an important part of his transformation.
The young man who arrived from Zimbabwe with little understanding of the global world is now leading people from different countries.
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