Source: SOS injects US$28 600 into school – herald

Theseus Mauruki Shambare in MADZIVA

SOS Children’s Villages has invested US$28 600 into Mutumba Primary School in Madziva, Shamva District, through the construction of an Early Childhood Development classroom block and the establishment of a horticulture project aimed at improving learning conditions and supporting vulnerable learners.

The investment comprises a US$16 600 ECD classroom block and a US$12 000 horticulture garden, which has already become a sustainable income-generating project supporting underprivileged learners.

The intervention is expected to benefit the school’s 2 016 learners through improved learning facilities, practical agriculture exposure and a long-term support mechanism for children in need.

The school’s horticulture project is already producing tomatoes and cucumbers, with tomato production generating over US$2 000 per cycle, while cucumbers bring in at least US$500 per harvest. The proceeds are being channelled towards paying school fees for underprivileged learners.

Mutumba Primary School teacher Mr Christopher Dzapasi said the projects had improved the learning environment while opening new opportunities for pupils.

“The support we have received has transformed the school environment. The infrastructure development has addressed some of the challenges we were facing, while the horticulture project is also helping us create a sustainable way of supporting learners,” he said.

ECD teacher Mrs Fadzai Karenga said the construction of the new classroom block had addressed long-standing challenges that affected teaching and learning at the early childhood level.

“Before this block was constructed, teaching ECD learners was not conducive because we had to congest learners in one room. We were sharing a dilapidated block with other teachers and sometimes we had more than four turns just to accommodate all classes.”

Mrs Karenga said the new facility had created a more conducive learning environment for both teachers and learners.

SOS programme coordinator for Shamva District, Mr Malven Manyeza, said the organisation’s approach was focused on long-term, sustainable community impact beyond infrastructure development.

“We are not only looking at infrastructure development, but also creating sustainable solutions that continue supporting children and communities. The horticulture project allows the school to generate resources while giving learners practical agriculture skills.”

District Development Coordinator for Shamva District, Mr Clever Machekera, said development partners were playing a critical role across the country’s 29 districts in addressing social challenges such as early child marriages, gender-based violence and other vulnerabilities linked to mining activities.

He said organisations such as SOS Children’s Villages had shifted from institutional care models towards strengthening family and community-based support systems, a move he said was yielding positive results in Shamva.

Learners at the school say the project is also building practical agricultural skills and awareness of agribusiness. “We are learning how crops are grown and managed. These are skills that we can use at home and share with our families,” said learner Wayne Chambati.

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