Bio
Criselda Dudumashe (née Kananda) is a South African radio DJ, motivational speaker, counselor, ex-nurse, television presenter and medical underwriter best known for hosting various radio shows on Metro FM.
She has worked with different government departments, as well as the corporate sector on implementing workplace wellness programs nationally and internationally.
She owns a consultancy and talk service called Positive Talk Services, focusing amongst other services on workplace wellness programs and advocating for total wellbeing and this includes topics on self-development and growth, personal financial management, psychological wellbeing, nutrition, rest and recreation, love, life and relationships, health and sexually transmitted disease management.
Having been diagnosed as HIV-positive, she served as a Member of the Board of Trustees at the National AIDS Counsel (SANEC) 2005-2006 and as a board member of South African Food Gardens Foundation to mention a few.
She is also a strategic advisor for Khomanani, a government comprehensive communication plan, since 2003. In 2006 represented South Africa in New York during the United Nations General Assembly Special Meeting on communicable diseases, commissioned by Mr Kofi Annan.
Criselda received an award from the First Lady, Mrs Zanele Mbeki, for her contribution towards the upliftment of young women in South Africa as an ambassador for the Young South African Women in Dialogue.
She also received City Press/Rapport award as one of ten most influential South African Women.
She traveled with Metro FM to 18 countries around the continent, introducing the concept of using radio as an effective medium in curbing diseases through education.
She also represented South Africa in London on a task team selected by the Mellinda and Bill Gates Foundation to establish a Global Wellness Communication Strategy.
She has been actively involved in the fight for the rights of both the HIV infected and HIV negative people. This compelled her to study immunity and AIDS progression and to investigate the research available regarding nutrition, behaviour and HIV and AIDS in her own personal life.
She has also studied towards Psycho-Neuro immunology, Health and Positive Living, MDP with the Gordon institute of SA, Project Management, Direct Marketing, Business Communication, amongst many.
She left her career in sales and marketing at the time she was heading a direct marketing business unit for SA Post Office to advocate for wellness.
She has been invited as a speaker and presented papers at many conferences and meetings, including a meeting of the SADEC Health Ministers on wellness.
She started a radio talk show called Positive Talk in 2003 on KAYA FM, focusing on how HIV and AIDS impacts on health, wellness, socio economic imbalances. She produced and hosted the talk show every Monday evening from 19h30 to 21h00 and has been featured in several newspapers, magazines, including Oprah Winfrey's O magazine and television programs locally and abroad.
She now co-produces and hosts a show focusing on healthy body, mind and spirit on Metro FM every Wednesday and Thursday evening from 19h00 to 21h00.
Criselda also recorded an 8 track Positive Talk CD and wrote a Booklet focusing on holistic wellness, and has a website which educates and gives people access to basic information about wellness and provides a platform of sharing of life challenges and successes without being judged.
Some of the occasions where she was invited to speak include the launch of former President Nelson Mandela's call for the traditional leaders to act in the fight against the AIDS pandemic, as a champion for the launch of the Mr Mandela's 46664 fund raising campaign.
She has addressed many woman groups including South African Woman in Dialogue (SAWID) and Young SAWID, Executive Reserve Club, Sowetan Women's Club, DENOSA-nurses union, Black Management Forum, The Oprah Magazine's national Find your Balance Workshops and many more.
In 2008 she hosted the fourth season of the inspirational docu-reality series Kaelo - Stories of Hope, which aired on SABC2 from 7 July to 29 December, 2008, on Mondays at 18h00.
In 2016 she was the featured guest on an episode of the SABC1 music talk show Zaziwa.