Black History Month: Gamu Chirozva on finding her voice, challenging injustice and supporting others

Gamuchirai Kainos Chirozva is a Clinical Skills and Simulation Manager and Chair of UNISON's Overseas Nurses Network. Here, she reflects on her Zimbabwean heritage, the challenges she has faced throughout her nursing career, and how her experiences have shaped her commitment to speaking up and supporting others.

I am a proud Zimbabwean woman, a Black nurse, a mother, an educator, a trade unionist and, above all, someone who believes that no one should have to suffer in silence.

My Zimbabwean heritage taught me the meaning of Ubuntu – "I am because we are." It is about humanity, compassion, community and lifting others as we rise. These values have shaped both the nurse I have become and the woman I am today.

I have dedicated almost two decades to the NHS, progressing from clinical nursing into education and leadership. Today, I am a Clinical Skills and Simulation Manager, supporting healthcare professionals to develop the skills and confidence needed to deliver safe patient care.

But behind my professional achievements is a journey that has not always been easy.

As a Black nurse, I have experienced bullying, victimisation and formal processes that I felt were unjustified. There was a time when these experiences almost destroyed my love for nursing. I felt so defeated that I enrolled in civil engineering for a semester, seriously considering leaving the profession altogether.

Had it not been for UNISON, I genuinely believe I would have walked away from nursing.

Instead, I found my voice, my strength and a community that reminded me why I became a nurse.

Today, I am proud to serve as Chair of UNISON's Overseas Nurses Network and to sit on its Nursing and Midwifery Occupational Group, advocating for fairness, dignity, equality and career progression.

Speaking up against injustice is not always comfortable. Sometimes it comes at a personal cost. But I know what it feels like to be unheard, and I refuse to stand silently while others experience the same.

I was recently honoured to be recognised at the Women of the Year 2026 event, following my nomination by UNISON. Standing among remarkable women, I reflected on how close I once came to giving up nursing. That moment reminded me that even our most painful experiences can become a source of purpose.

For me, Honouring Our Communities means recognising those who came before us, supporting those standing beside us and opening doors for those coming behind us.

Black History Month is about celebrating our achievements, but also acknowledging the barriers we continue to face. Our contributions deserve recognition beyond October.

I do not want to be remembered simply as a Black nurse who worked in the NHS. I want to be remembered as someone who used her voice to open doors, challenge injustice and make the journey easier for those coming behind her.

Because my greatest achievement will never be how far I have come, but how many others I have helped along the way.

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