New Tariro student Audrey
As promised, this week’s post is a profile of new Tariro student Audrey M. This profile was assembled from information Audrey included on her application form for sponsorship from Tariro, as well as from a home visit conducted by Tariro program coordinator Fadzi. This short profile gives a good idea of the kinds of challenges and situations facing many of our students:
Audrey is 18 this year and doing her Form 4 at Highfield High. Because she had no one to finance her education, she has missed close to two years of school, making her much older than her classmates.
Audrey currently lives with her paternal great-grandmother. When her father died, Audrey’s mother remarried and her new husband refused to take care of Audrey, who hasn’t seen or spoken to her mother in 5 years. Audrey initially moved to Chitungwiza with her paternal grandmother, who later died. This is when Audrey began living with her great-grandmother, who is in her late 80s or early 90s, although the exact date of her birth is unknown. Audrey’s great-grandmother survives by subsistence farming on the outskirts of town. Although her granny tries hard to take care of Audrey, she has chronic backache and can no longer tend to their farm. This has meant that Audrey has had to take on some of the farming to provide food for the both of them.
Because of her obligations to assist her great-grandmother, Audrey began to miss school because of lack of money, and sometimes her great-grandmother would become verbally and emotionally abusive, especially when there was no money for food or for school materials.
Audrey believes being a member of Tariro gives her peace of mind, as she no longer feels she is a burden to her grandmother. She is confident about passing her exams and proceeding to “A” levels. Audrey enjoys drama and drawing, and would like to be an actress or an ambassador when she finishes school. She is very confident and seems focused on her career goals. She has been to both English Club meetings and is always eager to participate.
We are happy to be giving Audrey, who was highly recommended by her teachers and the senior woman at her school, the chance to continue her education and pursue her dreams. Thank you for helping us to give Audrey, and other Zimbabwean girls, hope for the future!