Tariro student Ashley B.
On Thanksgiving Day, I wanted to write a short post giving thanks for yet another Tariro success story! After meeting with our program coordinator Fadzie Muzhandu last month, I have updates about several students who are making good progress and achieving impressive things. I’ll begin by sharing the story of our student Ashley B.
Ashley’s background
From the rural area of Mhondoro, Ashley attended Rwizi Secondary School. Already enrolled in Form 4 when she joined Tariro in 2008, Ashley was looking forward to completing her Ordinary Level exams, and hoped to join another Rwizi student, Tatenda C., for Advanced Level study. Like many of our students at the time, however, Ashley’s chances of success were crippled by the economic and political crisis facing the country in 2008, and her exam results were not high enough for her to be admitted for her A-Levels.
Overcoming initial failure
Undaunted, Ashley joined Tariro’s embroidery club, and began to sew panels, saving the proceeds from her work in order to pay the required fee to retake her O-Level exams. No longer enrolled in school, she continued to study on her own, using whatever time she could spare from doing household chores.
On her third attempt, Ashley’s dedication finally paid off, and she passed her O-Level exam. Given how hard she had struggled to pass, Ashley made the decision not to pursue A-Level study. Instead, she decided to concentrate on finding a paying position in the formal sector right away- not an easy task in a country with unemployment levels that range between 80-90%.
Finding a job
As you might imagine, Ashley approached finding a job with the same motivation she had put into her studies, researching her options, and ultimately deciding to join the Zimbabwe Republic Police. After successfully completing her training, she is now working as a policewoman in the city of Bindura, located 65km north of Zimbabwe’s capital city, Harare.
Giving thanks for successful outcomes!
Nine years ago, Tariro began sponsoring our first, small group of students in the Mhondoro rural areas, where Ashley grew up. Today, we’re thankful that we’ve been able to expand and maintain our program over the years, empowering girls like Ashley to complete a high school education.
As we approach our tenth year, we’re incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of so many of the donors and friends who have enabled our work. Thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving!