Draft:Jill Baker (author)

• Comment: What are the sources for the short sections "- Book Two:" and "- Book Three:"? Hoary (talk) 21:40, 20 November 2024 (UTC)

• Comment: Please format your headings in sentence case per WP:MOS
  Please also do not use boldface type for emphasis. Again please refer to the MOS. 🇺🇦 Fiddle^Timtrent Faddle^Talk to me 🇺🇦 22:00, 3 September 2023 (UTC)

• Comment: One of subject's books was reviewed in The Guardian, but no other coverage is presented in the article that attests to subject's notability. CurryTime7-24 (talk) 18:09, 16 May 2023 (UTC)

• Comment: Numerous unsourced statements. Greenman (talk) 21:19, 6 April 2023 (UTC)

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Jill Baker (Author) OAM
Born	Jill Hammond Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia
Occupation	Author Journalist Broadcaster Activist political advisor
Language	English, Sindebele
Citizenship	Australian
Alma mater	Guildhall School of Music
Genre	Historical fiction, Biograpy
Notable works	Beloved African, The Zambezi Trilogy
Notable awards	Order of Australia Medal
Spouse	Tony Baker (1964-1974) ​ ​ (divorced)​ John Lambert (1982-2008) ​ ​ (died)​ Ray Elford (2012) ​ (present)​
Children	Nicola
Parents	John and Nancy Hammond
Website
jillbakerauthor.com

Jill Baker born 5th December 1940 is a Rhodesian/Australian writer. She has written two books, the first, Beloved African, a biography of her father's life; and the second, the first part of The Zambezi Trilogy, The Horns. Parts 2 and 3 are in progress.

Biography

Baker was the daughter of John Hammond, MA Cantab, headmaster of two of the first African Government schools in Southern Rhodesia Mzingwane in Matabeleland and Goromonzi in Mashonaland - and Nancy Sugden, LRAM, graduate of the Royal Academy of Music London.

Among her childhood friends were three amaNdebele boys Dumiso Dabengwa, Ernest Bulle and Prune Madeya, whose life paths form the basis of the future "Zambezi Trilogy".

Radio and TV

Baker worked from 1967 to 1980 as a freelance journalist, TV newsreader, current affairs anchor, and host of classical music and documentary programmes at Rhodesia Television (RTV) and from 1983 for the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, (RBC). During this time she worked with a BBC team, putting forward proposals for a new music station for youth. This was approved and Baker worked in a training, management and broadcasting role for the resulting "Radio 3" introducing new young black and white presenters, to the new independent Zimbabwe.

Co-Ord-A-Nation

Baker founded Co-Ord-A-Nation in 1976, whilst men were serving in the Rhodesian military, providing training and support for women, as well as running Forces Canteens.

The Zimbabwe Connection

Working with the Australian Department of Immigration, Baker and a team of volunteers helping to resettle black and white Zimbabweans into new homes and jobs.

For her work in resettling those families largely into farming areas, she was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in June 2005.

Authorship

"Beloved African"

Baker's start in authorship followed the death of her father. "Beloved African" was launched at the Adelaide Writers' Week in February 2000, published by Covos Day in South Africa, Australia, and the UK. The book tells of the life's work of John Hammond in the early days of African Education in Britain's youngest colony.

"The Zambezi Trilogy"

A covert reunion in 2010 with her childhood friend, Dumiso Dabengwa, who had become Intelligence Supremo and Commander of the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army, ZIPRA during the liberation war, resulted in a request to write his biography but after initial research it was felt there would be insufficient time spent together to be able to do it justice.

Baker decided to write a historical fiction trilogy instead, based around the lives of her three childhood friends. Dumiso Dabengwa being one of them. The Zambezi Trilogy covers the period from 1840 to a time to be decided in the future.

- Book One: "The Horns"

Through the eyes of Baker's three childhood friends, "The Horns" brings to life the establishment of the amaNdebele Kingdom by King Mzilikazi in 1840, through to the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965; Book One of The Zambezi Trilogy was first published in 2019 and on September 14th, 2018 was launched at the Bulawayo Theatre in Zimbabwe, by Dumiso Dabengwa himself. Dabengwa died 23 May 2019, so has not taken part in book 2.

- Book Two:

This will be launched in London in early 2025. Again through the eyes of her now adult childhood friends, this deals with how the guerrilla war and crippling international sanctions impacts their hugely varied lives, and how the country battles to keep going during the years under Prime Minister Ian Smith, following the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965 to the approach of majority-rule elections that will ultimately bring about the government of Robert Mugabe in 1980.

- Book Three:

The final book of The Zambezi Trilogy the years as an Independent Zimbabwe under Prime Minister then President Robert Mugabe, it will underline the story of Zimbabwe today, including the persecution that Matebele people still face. Book Three will be co-authored by an African journalist.

Appointment as a Special Envoy to the Matebele Royal Family

Appointment as Envoy

In 2022, for her work in recording Matebele history, Baker was made a Special Envoy to the Matebele Royal Family, the House of Khumalo. Through video logs on her YouTube channel "@JillBakerZim" she tells historic Matabele stories of her homeland. These provide a useful resource as such history is no longer taught at schools in Zimbabwe.