As a vulnerable orphan, Mawire never dreamt that she would one day hold a Master’s Degree. Her chances of education appeared dim and she never thought that she would one day have a job. This all changed with support from the Fairfield Outreach Association (FOA) child sponsorship programme.
According to Raymond Mahati, Director of FOA, his organisation targets poor and vulnerable groups within communities. It identifies potential beneficiaries through participatory methods involving relevant government ministries, agencies, community leadership and other civic organisations.
“These groups of vulnerable people include People Living with HIV (PLHIV), orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), people living with disabilities, the elderly, albinos and cancer patients. We serve marginalised people like Mawire and communities in rural areas as well as in high density suburbs in Manicaland Province,” he said.
Potential
“We realise that there are disadvantaged children who have the potential to succeed if assisted. Many vulnerable children out there can achieve what Mawire has,” Makati added.
Mawire walked 11km to Manzununu Secondary School every day, even on very chilly mornings. She braved harsh conditions and competed with fellow pupils scrambling for few textbooks until FOA moved in to support her.
She was among the first children from Manzununu to be enrolled under FOA’s education and development programme. To date, the NGO directly supports 120 children in Manicaland.
“FOA’s support through school motivated me to enjoy education. They provided me with school fees, uniforms and other learning materials and shielded me from the chilly mornings,” reminisced Mawire.
She devoted her time to academic excellence and passed her high school examinations. She went on to study for a Bachelor of Science and obtained a Master’s Degree in Sociology at the University of Zimbabwe in 2009.
Under pressure
“I feel honoured to have made it this far. Where I grew up, girls were under pressure to prove that they too can do well academically,” she said. Amidst such challenges, her religious values and principles sustained her throughout her journey.
Today, she is employed as a Development Manager at Gardens of Hope Children Home in Nyanga where she works with vulnerable children.
“I want to ensure that girls understand that they are valuable and can achieve more. Women and girls have what it takes to succeed. It’s a matter of exploring territories that were previously only known to men. I want to see girls live their dream and attain their worth,” she said.
As a Development Manager, child protection was of paramount importance to her. She is presently sponsoring Chenai Maringanise, a pupil at Manzununu Primary School, using her own personal finances.
Agents of change
“I was given an opportunity and managed to achieve my goals. Now I want to give other girls the same chance,” she added.
Gardens of Hope last year initiated various programmes aimed at empowering girls. “Together with other organisations and partners, we established child-led schools development committees at four primary schools and two secondary schools within the Nyanga district,” said Mawire.
Mawire believes that Zimbabwe has many girls with strong will and determination. She believes that with a solid education, they can be agents of change in society.
Post published in: Gender Equality