Distinguished as Oprah Winfrey’s “All-Time Favorite Guest,” Dr. Tererai Trent is an inspiring scholar, educator, humanitarian, motivational speaker, author, and the founder of Tererai Trent International, also known as Tinogona Foundation.

Trent is one of the world’s most acclaimed voices for women’s empowerment, quality education, and leadership. She received her doctorate in interdisciplinary evaluation from Western Michigan University and teaches courses in Global Health at Drexel University.

Trent has published two highly acclaimed children’s books and is the author of the award-winning The Awakened Woman – Remembering & Reigniting Our Sacred Dreams (Simon & Schuster).

She serves as the president of The Awakened Woman, LLC, a company dedicated to empowering women with tools to thrive as they achieve their dreams.

Trent is honored to have received the NAACP 2018 Award for Outstanding Literary Work.

Rooted in humble beginnings, Dr. Trent grew up in a cattle-herding family in rural Zimbabwe, in a country known as Rhodesia under colonial rule, where cultural practices and a war that liberated her country charted the course of her life. Despite facing many obstacles, she never lost sight of her dreams for an education. Trent could not have imagined that her steadfast determination, hard work, and belief in her dreams would eventually earn her multiple degrees and a prominent global platform with world leaders and international businesses where she advocates for universal access to quality education.

Dr. Trent continues to lead the global fight for quality education for all children and women’s rights. Since 2014, she has supported 14 public rural schools in Zimbabwe, educating 40,000 students, including 20,500 girls. To effectively address the negative impacts of climate change on education, Dr. Trent's Foundation is implementing innovative solar-powered irrigation systems as a sustainable business model for ten public rural schools in Zimbabwe, benefiting students and communities.

Trent is among ten women named the most inspiring women in the world by the Statues for Equality Project of Gillie and Marc. With nine other women, including Oprah Winfrey and Jane Goodall, a life-size bronze figure unveiled by Statues for Equality in the United States immortalized Dr. Trent on Women’s Equality Day on August 26, 2019.

This page uses affiliate links which may earn a commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you.

Tererai Trent Is Paying It Forward
by Lisa Mullins and Samantha Raphelson, WBUR