Own Correspondent
Kundai Kwenda has opened up about his remarkable life story, revealing how he overcame a childhood suicide attempt, addiction, homelessness and years of hardship to rebuild his life in the United Kingdom through faith, determination and entrepreneurship.
Kwenda’s story is captured in his memoir, SET IN STONE, which chronicles his journey from a painful childhood in Zimbabwe to finding hope and purpose after years of struggle.
Introducing himself, Kwenda said, “My name is Kundai Kwenda. SET IN STONE is the story of my journey from surviving a suicide attempt as a child in Zimbabwe, through addiction, homelessness and recovery in the United Kingdom, to rebuilding my life with faith, purpose and entrepreneurship.”
He stressed that the book is not intended as a business promotion but as a message of encouragement for anyone facing difficult circumstances.
“This is not a story about selling a business. It is a story about resilience, second chances and the belief that no matter how difficult life becomes, hope is always possible,” he said.
Kwenda explained that after years of battling alcohol addiction and experiencing homelessness, he gradually turned his life around through faith, education and perseverance.
“Following years of personal struggle, I overcame alcohol addiction, rebuilt my life through faith, completed a qualification in accountancy, and founded Kwenda Diamonds Limited—a business born from the lessons learned during that journey. For me, the company represents the result of recovery, not the focus of the story,” he said.
According to Kwenda, his experiences may resonate with readers interested in mental health recovery, addiction and sobriety, homelessness, faith, resilience, entrepreneurship born from adversity and the power of second chances.
Reflecting on how far he has come, Kwenda also shared an emotional message about a video he posted from the days when he was homeless.
“I have posted a link of a video from my homeless days. The video comments used to bring tears to my eyes, with people making fun of me. Now they make me smile because life is like a wheel—things turn around,” he said.
Today, Kwenda is the founder and driving force behind Kwenda Diamonds Limited, a company he says represents the outcome of his recovery and personal transformation rather than the focus of his life story.
For interviews or further information, Kundai Kwenda can be contacted via heritage@kwendadiamonds.com or by visiting www.kwendadiamonds.com