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Hazel Marimbiza

Last Wednesday (16 June), the African continent celebrated the Day of the African Child (DAC) under the theme: “30 years after the adoption of the Charter: Accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2040 for an Africa fit for children”.

Agenda 2040 is guided by the African Children’s Charter and supervised by the African Children’s Committee to provide an effective continental framework for advancing children’s rights.

In commemorating DAC this year it’s important to ensure that one of Agenda 2040’s aspirations which is to ensure every child benefits fully from quality education is fully realised.

A focus on the right to education for children in Africa is timely for a number of reasons. To begin with, education is a tool of empowerment for children in Africa, enabling them to achieve their maximum potential and enhancing their capacity to benefit from other entitlements that promote their well-being. Education is critically linked to Africa’s quality and magnitude of development and is therefore a key component of Africa’s development agenda. It is a great driver of social, economic and political progress. As people learn to read, count and reason critically, their prospects for health and prosperity expand exponentially.

But advances in education have not benefited everyone equally and school enrolment rates tell only part of the regrettable story. Millions of children who start primary school are unable to finish and still more miss out on secondary school. Today, some 69 million adolescents in African countries are receiving no post-primary education.

According to a recent African Union report, Africa remains the most conflict-prone continent in the world. Approximately 57 million children in the world do not attend school and 30 million of those children are in sub-Saharan Africa. Living in a conflict zone not only makes attending school unsafe but also affects children’s emotional health.

In Zimbabwe economic challenges have affected the education of some children but Government has come up with intervention programmes such as Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).

Lack of quality education is a primary factor preventing poverty stricken families from opportunities of growth. Without quality education, the underprivileged children are unable to unlock their full potential and end up begging on the streets.

The need to build a better future for the less privileged children has probed some individuals to help these children realize their potential through education.

To have an appreciation of individuals striving to realize one of Agenda 2040 aspirations which is ensuring children attend school, Chronicle interviewed Ms Panashe Bwoni, 30, who through her foundation (Ropafadzo Foundation Trust) use education as a weapon to break through the cycle of poverty by creating opportunities for income, growth and sustainable development.
Ms Bwoni, who is a lawyer by profession, has helped pay school fees for children in Harare.

“Through Ropafadzo Foundation Trust we have provided stationery and paid school fees for children who reside in Mbare suburb and other orphanages in Harare. We particularly target those children who are in Grade Seven, Form Four and Six,” said Ms Bwoni.

She said a number of reasons motivated her to pay for the education of underprivileged children.

Ms Bwoni said she has always been someone who wanted to help children.

“My grandfather who will be 90 years old this year has been a social worker all his life so I take it from him, it’s something that’s just within me,” she said.

Ms Bwoni also wants her work of providing education to children to inspire other young Zimbabweans to give back to their communities.

“We have so much to say about what’s wrong in this country, in fact I was one of those people who used to complain but I realised that it’s better to be an active member in my country than to always complain,” she said.

Ms Bwoni said she believes all children deserve an education so as to better their future.

She expressed sadness at the plight of most children in Mbare suburb she said faced socio economic challenges resulting in them being denied the right to education.

“Many of the children are not attending school because they cannot afford to pay for their education,’ said Ms Bwoni.

In addition to paying fees for the less privileged children, Ropafadzo Foundation Trust has provided 150 pairs of school shoes.

Being a lawyer Ms Bwoni, envisions that most the children she helps will one day turn out to be like her.

“I myself being a lawyer I feel as if I’m training a couple of lawyers, law clerks and magistrates,” said Ms Bwoni.

Ropafadzo Foundation Trust is truly advancing the aspirations provided for in Agenda 2040 because some of the children who have benefited from the foundation have excelled and been accepted in local institutions like the University of Zimbabwe.

Although she has recorded numerous successes in aiding the children, Ms Bwoni says she is facing some challenges.

“Sometimes we are overwhelmed by the numbers of children that need help given our limited resources. You have as many as 200 children needing help but you probably have resources for 50 or 60 children,” said Ms Bwoni.

The Government in a bid to ensure that all children including those from poor families are not denied their right to education, has said no child should be sent home for non-payment of fees or levies.

Girls that fall pregnant are also no longer excluded from school as was he case before. — @HazelMarimbiza.