Woman Unboxed

About Woman Unboxed

Woman Unboxed is a reflective podcast exploring womanhood, relationships, culture, marriage, motherhood, identity, and emotional safety. Hosted by Chido Victoria Manyande, the show centres the lived experiences of Black women, African women, and immigrant women, unpacking cultural expectations, gender roles, endurance, and self-worth. Through honest solo reflections and conversations, Woman Unboxed invites listeners to question inherited scripts, choose themselves, and make sense of their lives with clarity and compassion.

Publisher

Chido Victoria Manyande

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Jan 2026

Latest episode

24 Jun 2026

Latest episodes

8 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   24 Jun 2026

   Conversations with friends: The Woman Behind The Mic part1- Fungai Masango Willard

   In the first episode of our new Conversations with Friends series, host Chido sits down with Zimbabwean radio DJ, journalist, model, painter, sculptor and spoken word artist Fungai Masango for an unfiltered, free-flowing conversation. They cover Fungai's creative outlets and how they all connect, the real story behind why she works night shifts, and an honest, often hilarious conversation about race, attraction, and what it actually took to build a cross-cultural marriage in Zimbabwe. Part 2 goes deeper into identity, healing, and rediscovery — out next. Listen to Fungai on Classic 263 FM: Classic263@zbc.co.zw Her socials : Instagram: Masango.f Facebook Page: Fungai And Facebook Page: Fungai Masango The Finest Key Moments & Timestamps • 00:41 — Fungai introduces her many names: Fungi Masango (radio), Just Fungai (social), Fungai Masango (art/modelling), Fungai Willard • 01:55 — How her creative practice (poetry, painting, sculpture) connects as one outlet for processing emotion • 03:27 — The story of her first spoken word performance in 2004 — an impromptu poem about a kombi tout (“hwindi”) that came true years later • 06:52 — On performing her poetry: “It's a form of therapy for myself” — and the role of poetic license • 08:19 — What night shift work does to a person — “It upends life as you know it” • 10:09 — Crowned Miss Harare Polytechnic in 1989, and why she was deliberately placed on the night shift to protect her from harassment • 14:25 — Fungai opens up about her marriage to her British-born husband, raised in then-Rhodesia/Zambia, and the historical weight both families carried • 19:50 — What cross-cultural marriage taught her about race, prejudice, and herself • 24:34 — An honest conversation about race, attraction, and dating across cultures in Zimbabwe • 41:21 — “The heart, the character, and most importantly the mind... that's what I was really looking for. I wasn't concerned about the skin background or culture.”

2. 

   31 Mar 2026

   The Words We Never Said; Breaking the Cycle: Healing the African Mother-Daughter Wound

   In Episode 6 of Woman Unboxed, we go somewhere both tender and necessary: the mother-daughter wound. We explore the different mother threads —the overwhelmed single mother, the emotionally unavailable mother, the criticalmother, the martyred mother, and more — and the uniquely African layers that shape how this wound forms and how it heals. We talk about the cultural taboo of speaking a mother's name, the performance of the good daughter, the things we hide to protect the women who sacrificed everything for us, and theextraordinary, imperfect love that lives underneath all of it. This episode includes a personal story, a celebration of mothers everywhere, a reflection on the aunt-mothers who step into the gap, and a healing pivot toward reparentingand breaking the cycle — without betraying her. Featuring 'A Mother's Love' by Xania Monet. With a teaser for our next deep dive: Kutanda Botso and thespiritual dimensions of the mother wound. Woman Unboxed: Because the unexamined life is just survival. Chapters:00:00 – Introduction 01:30 – The mother wound explained 05:00 – Not all wounds look like rejection 09:00 – The “good daughter” pattern 13:00 – Cultural expectations & identity 17:00 – Personal reflection & emotional impact 20:00 – Healing is not betrayal 23:00 – Re-mothering yourself 25:30 – Closing reflections

3. 

   13 Mar 2026

   Daddy's Girl — Except He Wasn't There: Unboxing & Healing the Father Wound for African Women

   In Episode 5 of Woman Unboxed, we go somewhere tender. We are unboxing the father wound — what it is, what it does, and what it means for the African women who carry it.  Whether your father was absent, authoritarian, or adored, the first man in your life becomes your first template for masculine love. And that template shapes everything —your attachment patterns, your sense of worth, the relationships you choose,the armour you learned to wear.  In this episode we explore: the three most common father experiences for African daughters and how each one leaves its mark; the Strong Black Woman armour — how it forms, what it costs, and how to begin laying it down; the grief of losing not just a father, but the men who stepped in to fill the gap; the complexity of raising sons while still healing your own wounds; and what it means to become a conscious pattern-interrupter for the next generation. This episode includes a personal reflection on four extraordinary uncles: Friday, Lovejoy, Clancy, and Bright, who were, in every way that mattered, fathers to the parts of me that needed one. Featuring the deeply moving 'How Was I Supposed To Know?' by Xania Monet. This episode is for the daughters who grew up watching other girls be loved by their fathers. For the women who became strong because they had no other choice. For the mothers raising sons in the shadow of absent men. For the fathers who are present and willing to shape their daughters and sons into whole humans. And for anyone who has ever wondered: what would I have become, if he had simply stayed? Woman Unboxed. Because the unexamined life isjust survival. free Resource available: Healing the Father Wound: A Woman Unboxed Reflection Worksheet. Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QGu1VlUKdaYgABw467qz79AEmwZsBR9j/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=110583313764803755479&rtpof=true&sd=true

4. 

   26 Feb 2026

   Unboxing Joy: Healing The African Inner Child

   ⚠️ This episode discusses childhood trauma, emotional wounds, cultural conditioning, generational trauma, and childhood sexual abuse. Please listen with care and at a time that feels right for you. You are not alone. How do African women heal childhood trauma while honouring culture, identity, and ancestry? In this deeply personal episode of Woman Unboxed, Chido Victoria explores inner child healing through the lens of growing up in Zimbabwe, navigating colourism, cultural expectations, and inherited emotional silence. This episode speaks directly to African women seeking healing, nervous system regulation, and freedom from generational trauma patterns. Chido shares reflections on: • Inner child healing and why joy often feels unsafe after trauma • Cultural conditioning and colonial inheritance — how they shaped which emotions were acceptable for us as girls • The long-term impact of childhood sexual abuse in African communities and the silence surrounding it • Epigenetics and inherited trauma — how experiences before our birth can shape our stress responses • Nervous system healing and why trauma lives in the body before it lives in memory • Reparenting practices that allow African women to heal without rejecting culture or community This episode includes a guided inner child meditation for emotional healing and reconnection. Featured in this episode: A poem by Najwa Zebian from Welcome HomeMusic: “Healed Wrong” by Xania Monet Key ideas explored: “Joy is the matriarch of a family of emotions. She won’t enter your house if her children are not welcome.” Ubuntu — I am because we are Musha mukadzi — The home is the woman Pfunda mvura — Keep water in your mouth If you are working through childhood trauma, generational pain, identity struggles, or emotional suppression, this episode offers reflection, validation, and a path toward healing. Resources & Support: If this conversation brings up difficult feelings, please consider reaching out to a trusted person or a trauma-informed therapist. Seeking support is strength. Find links, resources, and community here: https://linktr.ee/Woman_Unboxed_wildtruthstudio (https://linktr.ee/Woman_Unboxed_wildtruthstudio) If this episode resonated, share it with a woman who may need it. Leave a review and subscribe for more conversations on healing, womanhood, culture, and self-discovery. She has been waiting for you. Go meet her.

5. 

   2 Feb 2026

   Stepping Out of The Box : Coming Home to Yourself & Reclaiming Self-Worth

   In this episode, we’re digging deep into the "default settings" we’ve inherited from society, culture, and family. Chido Victoria shares her personal journey through a "dark night of the soul" and reveals how she began the messy, beautiful process of de-programming and reclaiming her worth. If you’ve ever felt like you’re living in a box that was never meant for you, this conversation is your permission slip to break free. In this episode, we discuss: The "Perfect Life Façade" and the pressure on African women. Tools for self-discovery: From journaling to Human Design and Astrology. The power of "Micro-Rebellions" in daily life. Navigating internal and external resistance as you grow. ✨ FREE RESOURCE: THE UNBOXED DISCOVERY GUIDE Don’t just listen—take action! Download your free companion workbook to help you audit your influences, silence your inner critic, and plan your own micro-rebellions. 👉 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nqNYh4842eYJKIJh-oBFhhZLK6LxFlAk/view?usp=drivesdk Connect with us: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_wild_truth_studio?igsh=NXVid2MydHo1OWFq&utm_source=qr Share the Love: If this episode resonated with you, please rate, review, and share it with a sister who needs to hear this today! “Self-discovery isn’t about becoming someone new; it’s the journey back home to the woman you were always meant to be.”

6. 

   21 Jan 2026

   Unboxing The Crown: "Musha Mukadzi"

   In this episode of Woman Unboxed, we unpack the Shona phrase ‘Musha Mukadzi’—the woman is the home, and also 'Varume Vana'- 'men are children'. I share my personal experience of becoming a wife and mother at 17 and how cultural expectations shape both women and men. Together, we reflect on how we can rewrite these narratives to foster shared responsibility, respect, and healing.

7. 

   14 Jan 2026

   The Lies We Were Told: Why Woman Unboxed Exists

   The Cultural Lies Women Are Taught About Marriage, Identity, worth I’m not here as an expert. I’m not here with a master plan or a list of answers. I’m here as a woman who has been paying attention. To her life. To other women’s lives. To the things we’re taught, and the things we quietly endure. And eventually, I realised I needed a space to say the things I’ve been thinking out loud — honestly, imperfectly, and without packaging them to be palatable. Woman Unboxed is about the gap between what we were told and what turned out to be true. The gap between the promises we inherited and the realities we live with. Especially as women. I’ve spent a long time noticing something: how many of us are living inside boxes that we didn’t build…but were expected to stay in. Boxes labelled “good woman.” Strong woman. Wife material. Good Wife Respectable. Enduring. And the thing about boxes is — they only work if we don’t question them, or notice them. This podcast is about questioning them, and moving ourselves out When I say “unboxed,” I’m not talking about rebellion for the sake of it. I’m talking about awareness, awakening. That moment when you realise: “Oh… this rule I’ve been following — who actually made it? And why?” Because many of the things we were taught weren’t neutral. They were cultural scripts. Survival strategies. Gendered expectations. Misrepresentations And some of them no longer serve us. Most of them never did. We just weren’t aware of it. So let’s start with one of the biggest lies we were told. That marriage is the ultimate goal of a woman’s life. Growing up, marriage wasn’t presented as a choice. It was presented as the outcome. You study, you behave, you endure — and eventually, you are chosen. And once you are chosen, the story says you should be grateful. Fulfilled. Complete. But marriage, on its own, doesn’t guarantee safety, happiness, partnership, respect, or even love. And yet women are still encouraged to stay, pray. To adjust, endure, try harder, pray harder. cook the food he loves. Lose weight, gain weight, dress different. Keep the house spotless, and yourself beautiful. Even when the marriage has become emotionally empty. Even when the woman has disappeared inside it. We were never really told that choosing yourself might cost you approval. Or that staying might cost you yourself. That part was conveniently left out. This lie works because it’s wrapped in morality. In culture and religion. In fear. Fear of being alone. Fear of being judged. Fear of being seen as difficult, ungrateful, or broken. And for immigrant women especially, marriage can also be tied to: • stability, legality, respectability, survival So leaving isn’t just emotional — it’s structural. That’s why I don’t judge women who stay. And I don’t glorify women who leave. I’m interested in truth, not performance. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not advocating for women to leave their marriages. On the contrary, my hope is that every woman will look into the mirror and get curious about the person she sees reflected back. Curious enough to want to know who she is, what she likes, what makes her tick. Curious enough to recognise thatshe does not belong in any box, and slowly start the process Of unboxing herself. So she can fall in love with herself, and recognise what a precious jewel she is. I know some of what I’ll say on this podcast will make people uncomfortable. Including me. I’ll get things wrong sometimes. I’ll change my mind sometimes. I’ll speak from my perspective — as a Zimbabwean woman, a mother, a psychology student, someone navigating multiple cultural worlds. But I believe we need these conversations more than we need comfort. Because silence doesn’t protect us. It isolates us. And every time one woman names something out loud, another woman realises she’s not alone. The box only works if we never question it. And the moment we start questioning… it starts to crack

8. 

   14 Jan 2026

   What This Podcast Is (And Isn’t)

   where we talk about the things that shape women’s lives — especially Black women, African women, immigrant women — that often go unspoken. It’s about the gap between what we were taught and what we experienced. About cultural scripts, gender expectations, silence, endurance, and the quiet ways women are taught to disappear. Some episodes will be just me — thinking outloud, noticing patterns, naming truths that don’t always have neat endings. Other episodes will include conversations withwomen who have lived through something and are willing to reflect on it honestly. This podcast is not about outrage. It’s about awareness. WHAT THIS PODCAST ISN’T This is not a self-help podcast. I’m not here to give advice, fixes, or five-step solutions. It’s also not a debate show. I’m not interested in defending women’s humanity or arguing about whether our experiences are valid. And it’s not about men-bashing, culture-bashing, or blame. It’s about telling the truth — carefully, thoughtfully, and without shouting. HOW TO LISTEN I encourage you to listen slowly. You don’t have to agree with everything I say. You don’t have to share it immediately. You don’t even have to know what you feel straight away. If something makes you uncomfortable, sit withthat. If something resonates, notice where it lands in your body. This podcast isn’t here to tell you who to be. It’s here to help you hear yourself more clearly. WHY I’M DOING THIS I’m doing this because I’ve watched too many women (including myself) questionthemselves instead of the scripts they were given. Because I’ve seen how silence isolates, and how naming creates relief. And because I believe that when one woman speaks honestly, another womanrealises she’s not alone. If you’ve ever felt like you were living inside a box someone else built for you — you’re in the right place. This is Woman Unboxed. And this is the space we’ll be unboxing truth together.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

2.1 / 5

7 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.