Educational opportunities can help to promote long-lasting, inclusive economic growth and social cohesion. Successful education and skills policies can empower individuals to reach their maximum potential and enjoy the fruits of their labour, regardless of their circumstances at birth.
When one has access to the basic education, one can, therefore, be considered to be under the schooled benchmark.
Education is fundamental to sustainable development, it is a powerful driver of development and one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty and improving health; it enables people to be more productive, to earn a better living and enjoy quality of life, while also contributing to a country’s overall economic growth.
Education is critical for breaking the poverty cycle and its importance is reflected in the commitments made by Mavambo Orphan Care (MOC).
MOC’s educational support includes the payment of school levies, provision of uniforms and stationery, facilitating career guidance, sexual reproductive health, counselling, child rights, psychosocial support and referral for other services.
In an effort to ensure that every child’s right to education is observed, MOC assisted a total of 3166 children (1919 female; 1247 males) in Harare and Goromonzi with educational subsidies consisting of the following: primary education for 1 649 children (871 male; 778 female) and a total of 1 517 pupils (1048 Female; 469 male) enrolled in Secondary. Thirty-two children (14M, 18F) with uniforms, that is, 29 children (14M; 15F) in Harare District and 3 girls in Goromonzi district. One hundred and fourteen children (31M; 83F) pupils sitting for Ordinary and Advanced Level in 2018 had their exam fees paid for and accessed vacation school during the holiday to assist them improve their performance in the public examinations.
Providing young people, especially girls, with the ‘social vaccine’ of education offers them a real chance at a productive life.
The education sector has come to play an increasingly important role in preventing HIV. Children of school-age have the lowest HIV infection rates of any population sector. For these children, there is a window of hope; a chance to live a life free from HIV and AIDS, if they can acquire knowledge, skills and values that will help protect them as they grow up.
The links between health and education are reciprocal; not only is good health important for children to make the most of their educational opportunities. The educational setting (both formal and informal) can be important in promoting good health too.
Education can impact on health in two ways; firstly through Life-Skills Based Education which teaches children to learn about their health, and secondly through the educational process as a whole which provides skills such as critical thinking and making choices enabling for options for healthy lifestyles.
Anna Chiambiro aged fifteen is a girl who is being assisted by Mavambo Orphan Care, she was honoured at a ceremony that was held at Seke 1 High School after she won the provincial letter writing competition for Harare Metropolitan Province.
Anna is grateful for the support she is receiving so much that she wrote a letter in which she thanked MOC for the opportunity.
In her letter, Anna describes how after her parents separated she began to live with her mother, and her grandfather would cater for her and her mother’s needs.
She explains that after she had passed her primary level, her grandfather could no longer provide money to pay fees hence she would have had to end there.
“I almost kissed school goodbye when I tried to advance to secondary level. Grandfather could no longer afford to pass me on to secondary school,” she wrote.
Anna’s mother begged and got her enrolled at Seke 1 High but could not pay the fees that were required by the school.
“I had to wear torn second hand uniforms which I got from a neighbour’s friend and a pair of worn out shoes,” she wrote.
Anna had no stationery, thus, she resorted to using old books she had previously used in primary.
In the letter Anna expresses how MOC’s support rescued her from the hitches she was facing in terms of school.
“Mavambo Trust (Mavambo Orphan Care) a supportive voluntary organisation came to my rescue. Mavambo Trust paid for my school fees and I received a brand new complete school uniform. I felt overwhelmed and indebted to Mavambo Trust,” she said.
“I do not wish nor have the desire to waste the opportunity Mavambo Trust gave me. My heartfelt gratitude goes to Mavambo Trust and I will show it through my success in school,” Anna concluded.