nyoni was born around 1988 and she first moved to england in 1992, when she was aged four, because her father was awarded a scholarship to study for a master's degree in the textiles industry. after three years, the family returned to zimbabwe. after a further three years, in 1999, the family returned to leeds. at school in leeds, nyoni remembers pupils asking her sisters if they had lions and elephants in their garden in zimbabwe; in zimbabwe, they were referred to as 'the english girls'. zodwa's father teaches at a university in zimbabwe. she is one of seven children, five of them living in leeds, with two half siblings in botswana.