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Report on Rights Club visit to Yemurai Secondary School Dzivarasekwa
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
March 07, 2007

Students from Girls High School Rights Club presenting donations to Yemurai Secondary School in Dzivarasekwa

As part of the ongoing Rights Club outreach programme, the Rights Club had a visit to Yemurai Secondary School today. The purpose of the visit was to facilitate exchange amongst rights Club members and to facilitate the launch of the Club at Yemurai Secondary School in Dzivarasekwa. One other objective of the visit was to facilitate a donation by the Rights members at Prince Edward Boys High School and members at Girls High School Harare.

The exchange programme where students collect items of clothing, foodstuff, books and even money was pioneered by Girls High School in November 2006 after a realisation that the Rights Club can have a positive impact by assisting the needy and less privileged children in society. Although ZLHR is not a humanitarian organisation but a human rights one, the idea was embraced and given support in the sense that such gestures would facilitate the launching of the Club in less privileged schools where children more prone to abuse of various kinds and are faced with greater human rights problems than in well funded schools.

Mr Chiware was accompanied by 53 students from both Prince Edward Boys High School and Girls High School Harare and two of their teachers. Upon entering the residential area of Dzivarasekwa, the students were met with an air of sorrow and mourning as they came across mourners who were gathered at several different houses. Apparently, there was a fatal accident which left 35 people dead. The whole community was in a state shock and the atmosphere was testimonial to this. May their souls rest in eternal peace.

Upon arrival at the school, the students were welcomed by the Headmaster, Mr. C Maramba and Mrs Mhaka, an English teacher who volunteered to become Rights Club Patron. The headmaster informed the visitors that there had been no schooling the previous day as most of the students had lost a parent or a loved one in the tragic train and bus accident. Some of the teachers had also lost their relatives in the accident. At least the presence of the visitors was a consolation to the school and the children as it brought joy to the faces of most students who felt that at least someone remembered them in the midst of their sorrow.

The school was created for children whose parents lived in the nearby squatter camp which the government called a transit camp eleven years ago when it promised to house them. An undertaking which it has dismally failed to honour. Most of the classrooms are an innovation of durawall blocks put together to form a classroom. The School is not at all equipped, neither does it have electricity or running water but the determination of the Headmaster and teachers keeps it open and functional. The headmaster thanked the Rights members and called for an assembly of all the students.

At the assembly Mr Chiware was given a chance to address the students and he began by encouraging the students to mix and mingle together as equals. He highlighted the importance of the Rights Club and how it is a useful tool in protecting the Rights of the Child in Zimbabwe. He commended the efforts made by students at Prince Edward and at Girls High school as it showed that the Rights Club is bringing up children in a positive manner. The donations made exposed that the future looks brighter given that it was solely and exclusively a student's initiative which did not have the influence of any adults. Tafadzwa of Justice for Children Trust also made a brief presentation, in which he highlighted the role of JCT and the work it does for children. He indicated that there is a partnership and link between Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and Justice for Children Trust in the sense that they both have a stake in issues affecting students and children at large.

After his brief presentation, the donations were made to the Headmaster and the teachers. Both schools donated $125 000-00 to two talented but less privileged students who are finding it difficult to raise examination fees. Some clothes were also donated and the responsibility to select the well deserving students was left to the headmaster and school authorities.

At the end of the gathering some problems emerged and these were noted. Many of the Children indicated that they did not have birth certificates and that some of them had deceased parents. Issues of assistance in raising school fees were brought out. The Headmaster also called upon Zimbabwe Lawyers For Human Rights to assist in sourcing basic educational textbooks and any other reading material which may be useful to the students. In addition to that Mr. Chiware was then invited to have an opening Club Session with the students and teachers on Friday the 10th of March.

It hoped that the Rights Club visits and outreach project will gather momentum and that more schools will join in the project. Churchill Boys High School has also expressed a desire to collect books to donate to a school in Mutoko.

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