By Kudakwashe Pembere
Under the blazing Hatcliffe sun on the outskirts of Harare, a resilient community keeps growing against all odds. Among its youngest members is Ruvimbo, a Grade 5 pupil whose dreams take root in both soil and study.
For her, a brighter future begins with education. Each day, she walks to school — now closer to home after transferring from Hatcliffe 2 Primary.
On this sunny Monday morning, she kneels beside a Rotary Club Msasa member to plant a tree. As they chat, she opens up about her journey.
“I am the only child and things are a bit tough for us at home. Last year, I used to walk a long distance to school. Sometimes my mother, who sells vegetables from home, would pity me and give me kombi fare,” she says.
Asked how life has changed since moving to Hatcliffe 3 Primary, Ruvimbo smiles.
“It has saved my energy. Before, I would be too tired going to and from school.”
Her biggest wish now is simple — to have textbooks both at home and in class.
“We don’t have books,” she says softly. One day, she hopes to become a teacher.
Community Builds Hope Through Education
Hatcliffe 3 Primary School was built by the local community to shorten the long walks to school faced by many children. Today, it serves 735 pupils. Though listed on Google Maps and staffed by teachers with mobile phones, the school still struggles with limited materials and temporary structures.
The school is implementing Zimbabwe’s Heritage-Based Curriculum (HBC), introduced in May 2024 to promote cultural identity, patriotism, and practical skills for development. But the shift from the colonial-era syllabus to CALA and now to HBC has been challenging for under-resourced schools.
“We do not have books here,” says headmistress Lydia Halimani. “The new syllabus is being used, but we don’t have any books for teachers or pupils. They just use their phones.”
The school reached out to Rotary Club Msasa for help.
“They brought a few books for teachers, but the pupils still don’t have books. We’re so happy about what they’ve done,” Halimani adds.
The learning environment also remains far from ideal.
“We don’t have proper structures like other schools. We have temporary classrooms, which are not allowed by government. We’re just trying to help the children,” she says.
The lack of resources has affected results.
“Our pass rate is less than 40 percent. Guardians do not have the capacity to buy books, and even paying fees is a problem. Most are guards, vendors or self-employed. Some are grandparents.”
Rotary’s Mission: Uniting for Good
Last Monday, Rotary Club Msasa donated textbooks and stationery to the school.
“We’ve donated textbooks for teachers, exercise books for pupils, and other materials,” said Mwaka Zamchiyaa, Service Projects Chair for the club.
She explained that the donation followed a needs assessment.
“Our Rotary theme this year is Unite for Good. We decided to support basic education and the environment — two of our seven focus areas.”
Rotary International’s seven areas of focus include disease prevention, environmental protection, and education support.
Greening Hatcliffe: Planting Trees, Nurturing Minds
To promote environmental stewardship, Rotary partnered with Green the Ghetto Environment, a local organisation planting trees in low-income areas.
“Today we’re planting trees to provide shade and fruit for the pupils,” said Zamchiyaa. “Our district governor, Marshall Chilenga from Malawi, joined us. We planted our first tree together and plan to plant 30 in total.”
Tafadzwa Gwini, founding director of Green the Ghetto Environment, said they focus on suburbs with low tree density.
“We target areas like Hatcliffe and Kuwadzana, which look like deserts compared to Mt Pleasant or Borrowdale. We see that as environmental injustice. By planting fruit trees, we aim to close the gap and promote environmental justice.”
He painted a stark contrast:
“In leafy suburbs, there can be up to 30 trees per square metre, while high-density areas may have just one. Trees are the first doctors. If we don’t have them, especially when people can’t afford medical care, that’s gross environmental injustice.”
The Healing Power of Trees
“Trees filter pollutants, protect our lungs, and promote mental wellbeing,” said Gwini. “Lack of green spaces can lead to asthma, lung cancer, and even lower serotonin — the ‘happy molecule’. A community surrounded by trees is a healthier, happier one.”
He linked their work to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“SDG 11 talks about access to green spaces. Grass and trees filter pollutants so they don’t enter our lungs. Without them, people face health risks, mental fatigue, aggression, and depression.”
A Plea for More Support
As the sun set over Hatcliffe, children watered the newly planted trees — small but powerful symbols of hope for a community determined to grow.
“We ask the corporate world to help us,” said Mrs. Halimani. “These children deserve better learning spaces and resources.”
