In an era where a Google search can make or break a business, organizations without a digital footprint risk becoming ghosts in the machine. For Chitungwiza Arts Centre—a hub for Zimbabwean creativity—this reality was temporarily masked by the dedication of an unlikely marketer: a truck driver running a passion project. But when leadership handed off responsibilities to an unprepared team, the Centre’s online presence vanished overnight.
The Unconventional Savior
For years, Chitungwiza Arts Centre lacked an official website. Artists relied on word-of-mouth, foot traffic, and the hustle of one part-time advocate: me. While driving trucks to pay the bills, I built tsindiartcentre.com—my own website—to promote the Centre’s work. I listed their events, showcased artists, and linked the site to their Google Business Profile alongside my personal phone number. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked. Inquiries flowed in, and the Centre stayed visible.
Then, abruptly, it all stopped.
The Takeover: Erasing the Only Lifeline
A new team claimed control of the Centre’s marketing. Their first move? Demand I remove my website and phone number from the Google profile. I obliged, assuming they had a plan. But weeks later, the profile sat empty—no contact details, no website, just a digital ghost town.
When I asked why, the response was telling: “We don’t know how to fix it. Can you help us?” They even shared login details for their newly built website, urging me to “sort it out.” What I found was worse than nothing.
A New “Website” That Undermined Everything
The replacement site—meant to legitimize the new team—was a hazard:
- No Security: HTTP warnings scared visitors away.
- No E-Commerce: No way to buy art or support artists.
- Unfinished: Barebones pages, broken buttons, and a DIY aesthetic that screamed amateurism.
This wasn’t just a step backward—it was a freefall. The Centre’s online presence had gone from imperfect but functional to nonexistent.
The Uncomfortable Truth
This debacle reveals hard lessons for small businesses and community organizations:
Half-Baked Solutions Damage Credibility
A rushed, insecure website is worse than no website at all. It tells visitors, “We don’t care about your trust—or our artists’ livelihoods.”
Transition Plans Require More Than Ego
Taking over marketing without the skills to execute it isn’t leadership—it’s negligence. If you can’t maintain a Google profile, admit it before dismantling what works.
A Path Forward: Rebuilding with Intent
For Chitungwiza Arts Centre—and organizations in similar crises—the fix requires humility and action:
Audit Your Gaps: Do you lack a website, social media skills, or SEO knowledge? Acknowledge it.
Partner Strategically: Collaborate with tech-savvy volunteers while training staff or hiring professionals.
Prioritize Security and Functionality: Launch a simple, secure site with clear calls-to-action (e.g., “Contact Us” or “Shop Art”).
Final Thought
Communities like Chitungwiza deserve more than temporary fixes. They deserve institutions that take their digital futures as seriously as their artistic legacies. When passion projects like tsindiartcentre.com step in, it’s a gift—not an obligation. Let’s stop taking such gifts for granted.
This is a real life story