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Humble beginnings motivated Tendai Gara, the Founder, and director of Tendai Association to offer education to children from the less-privileged and vulnerable school-going children.
“I was born in Raffingora and grew up among my maternal grandfather’s people in Mt Darwin. My parents were separated when I was a child. As a single mother, she raised the four of us under very harsh conditions. My mother had re-married so I was looked after by my grandmother.
“I was lucky to be selected among the beneficiaries of the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) from Grade Four up to Grade Seven. I supplemented school stationery by selling fruits and vegetables at the market. I dropped out of secondary school when I was in Form Two because I failed to raise school fees. Due to hardships, I was married at the age of 15 years. Fortunately, my husband is very loving although I was married as a child as an escape from poverty,” Gara told Spiked Online Media.
According to Plan International, child marriage, also referred to as early marriage, is any marriage where at least one of the parties is under 18 years of age. The overwhelming majority of child marriages, both formal and informal, involve girls under 18 years old, although at times their spouses are also underage. Child marriage is considered as a form of forced marriage given that one or both parties have not expressed their full, free and informed consent.
Currently, as many as 31 percent of girls under the age of 18 are married. Of these, 4 percent were married under 15 years of age. Such a background motivates Gara to help the less-privileged children by mobilising resources to assist them to attain education.
“From my own resources, I work hard in order to help the needy. I own a plot in Marondera District where I do horticulture growing beans, green maize, vegetables, and tomatoes through irrigation as well as poultry. We sell our products at Chikwanha Agricultural Market. Through the proceeds from farming, as Tendai Association, we pay school fees, buy uniforms and stationery for over 126 pupils at 10 schools in Bindura district.
“We will continue to give back to the society through the foundation. It is important to educate these children and help them attain their goals. I believe if I had the opportunity for further education, I would be someone respectable in society. I don’t want children from poor backgrounds to experience what I went through in life. That’s why I am reaching out, through the Tendai Association, to vulnerable pupils at Dzimati, Bemberero, Thrums, and Musana primary schools in Bindura.
“We intend to do the same for Jingo, Tamuka B, Chigiji, Dengu, and Mabwemachena primary schools before the end of next week,” Gara said.
Recently, she told the Standard Newspaper that Tendai Association has plans to assist the vulnerable children until they reach ‘A’ level.
She applauded those that have been assisting her, including her husband Gumisai Mangoro, for being supportive.
In an interview with The Standard, Gara said she was inspired to venture into philanthropic works having realised she wanted to make a change in the lives of young people.
She added that the children were at the centre of her heart and she would continue to invest in their lives in any way she could.
Mrs Gara further said that her organisation does not give because they are rich, but they give because it is a pleasing exercise to give. She concluded that her organisation has a vision of assisting thousands of vulnerable school-going children across the country.