In a tale of resilience and determination, a boy of school-going age, who had never stepped foot in a classroom due to extreme poverty and social challenges, had a glimmer of hope as he entered an accelerated literacy and numeracy program, igniting a spark of knowledge and opportunity to kick start a journey to prosperity.
This is a story for Munyaradzi Fuleya who grew up in a family of eight children, him being the oldest.
His parents struggled to make ends meet and the situation got worse when his Father passed on. The passing of his father resulted in him never to set foot in school.
“I never thought I would be able to go to school seeing how my mother struggled to feed us and at times she would terribly be ill making the whole situation unbearable.
“As the eldest child I would help her by doing some piece jobs, but the money raised during the process was never enough for me to go back to school.
“At times after doing a menial job I would be rewarded in kind with a bath soap or even food handouts. Owing to this nature of rewards, I never believed that I would one day go back to school,” Munyaradzi explained.
During despair, Munyaradzi was identified and got the opportunity to be enrolled in the newly established Mavambo Learning Centre (MLC) in 2001. MLC is an accelerated literacy and numeracy programme that assist children between ages of 8-12 with wrap around services chiefly education support.
“I was enrolled in MLC for a year as I received education support and graduated to Tafara 5 Council School a formal,” he added.
While communities have responded to the crisis with tremendous resilience and have absorbed orphans principally within the extended family system, there is evidence that some families are struggling under the strain, which is reducing their capacity to provide and care for orphaned or vulnerable children.
His mother was also trained on some household economic strengthening activities that helped her generate a bit of income which allowed her to support her family.
Through the support from Mavambo Orphan Care (MOC) , Munyaradzi managed to complete Ordinary level at Mabvuku High with flying colours.
“When I passed my Ordinary level, I decided to choose the Harare Polytechnic route, I enrolled for chemical engineering. Since I started the educational journey, I have managed to get a Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation and I’m pursuing Diploma in Project Management with the Project Management of Zimbabwe institute.
“Am grateful for the support I received from Mavambo which helped me to be the man I am today. Now I know I have a chance to have a brighter future and I will be able to help my mother take care of my siblings. Am proud to be the man my family can look up to, my life is heading towards a future that is filled with all the opportunities that education brings, “he added.
During his free time Munyaradzi visits the MLC and deliver lessons to the current crop of students.
“My mother taught me to appreciate and to be grateful to all those who assisted during my humble beginnings this has kept my heart tied to the Mavambo Learning Centre, currently I’m not financially stable but I can afford to give my time to the little kids who are in the shoes I was once in.
“Whilst I’m interacting with them, I urge them to work hard in whatever area, never to lose focus and at all costs not to engage in the band wagon of social ills rampant in these high-density suburbs” he emotionally said.
Some households have an especially difficult time coping. Households headed by elderly people and women, for example, who already live at the edge of poverty, must stretch their meagre resources even further.
Munyaradzi has realised the power of education in the demanding global village, he is helping her mother to further their education at whatever level they are in.
“Living in poverty is not easy, everyone takes advantage of you, so this has led me to work hard for my siblings to acquire the much-needed education,” said with a smile.
Since the inception of the MLC, Munyaradzi is one of over 800 students who have passed through the MLC. MOC engages orphans, vulnerable children, their caregivers and provides a forum for life skills and personal development.
MOC ensures access to education for all through its education support program which helps vulnerable children and orphans preserve their right to education.
