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Writes Marlvin Ngiza
Some learners in rural areas end up failing to proceed with education or abandon school due to lack of learning indispensables which include school fees, stationery, and clothing, a scenario which has dragged and kept rural areas in poverty.
One of the necessities that many learners in rural areas have been lacking is school shoes, a situation which has pushed one of the government officials and a philanthropist, Fagio Zvondai Marowa, to launch the “Donate A Shoe” campaign aimed at assisting underprivileged learners in remote areas of the country with school shoes.
Marowa who was recently honoured with the Everyday Heroes Award by Thuma Mina Trust for his immense intervention in assisting humanity narrated that his experience of growing up in a rural setup, sometimes going or seeing others attending classes without shoes touched his heart and inspired him to launch the campaign.
He said that what troubled his heart was that many of these underprivileged learners were very bright in class.
“I believe in the power of education and I know that a student can perform better if he or she has confidence and self-esteem which comes through having the necessities. I encourage all learners to take their education seriously. Parents must prioritise providing for their children and to those learners who did not manage to score five Ordinary Levels, I urge them to supplement since education is key,” said Marowa.
Speaking about the award, the emotional Marowa welcomed the recognition with great joy saying it will go a long way in motivating him to continue assisting the underprivileged learners to continue with their education.
“The award was a heartwarming thing. I had not made a great effort to get it but they looked for me just to appreciate my work. I feel motivated and valued for what I am doing in society.
“We have been around since 2014 through Prize Giving ceremonies in Uzumba and we later upgraded to donating school shoes to the disadvantaged learners. I’m happy that when we do our follow-ups, those students are attaining pleasing results. So far, 8908 learners have benefited across our 10 provinces and we are continuing with the gesture,” he said.
Meanwhile, Marowa revealed that apart from school shoe donations, he has also been working hard to improve health facilities in Uzumba and assisting young people in the area to acquire driver’s licenses.
“This campaign additionally offered me an opportunity also for people to elect me as the Uzumba Ward 14 Councilor, which then afforded me a door to improve the local health facilities to ensure that residents get health services within their radius as required by the National Development Strategy 1(NDS1) which states that people should not walk more than 5 kilometers to the health facility. We built four clinics in the ward.
“Also we assisted youths to acquire driver licenses and we introduced fish farming for the residents,” he added.
The award ceremony was attended by Minister of Skills Audit and Development, Professor Paul Mavima at Bronte Hotel in Harare.
Councilor Fagio Marowa attended his Primary level at Kaseke Primary in Uzumba under Chief Nyajina, Chimina village.