Story by Fairstars Mukungurutse
A local humanitarian organisation is offering a lifeline to vulnerable but academically gifted students across Zimbabwe through fully-funded scholarships to study Law and Medicine at the University of Zimbabwe.
Twenty students drawn from the country’s ten provinces have been awarded the scholarships under the Bridging Gaps Foundation programme, which aims to expand access to higher education for disadvantaged learners.
Speaking through a representative, the organisation’s patron, Dr Kudakwashe Tagwirei, said the initiative was designed to bridge the education gap by identifying high-performing learners from challenging backgrounds.
“In partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, we searched this country for the most vulnerable yet most academically gifted learners double orphans, child-headed households, and children living with elderly, infirm grandparents,” he said.
“Some of them were raising younger siblings while studying for their A-Levels. Some shared one textbook among four students. Some studied by candlelight because there was no electricity. And despite all of that, they obtained fifteen points and above to study Law and Medicine at our national universities. We selected twenty. That is not luck, that is not privilege, that is grit, that is excellence, and that is exactly what Zimbabwe needs,” he added.
The selected students were visibly emotional during the handover ceremony, describing the opportunity as life-changing.
“I want to express my gratitude to the Bridging Gaps Foundation for affording me this life-changing opportunity to become someone in life,” said one beneficiary.
“I promise to work extra hard because this opportunity comes once in a lifetime,” added another.
Government has welcomed the initiative, describing it as a step towards strengthening access to education.
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Honourable Torerayi Moyo, said the programme reflects an enabling policy environment under the Second Republic that encourages partnerships in national development.
“This noble initiative has been made possible within the enabling environment created by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, and the Second Republic,” he said.
“Through policies that encourage active participation by local partners in national development, the President has demonstrated that nation building is a shared responsibility. As a result, patriotic Zimbabweans such as Dr and Mrs Tagwirei are increasingly stepping forward to complement Government efforts in transforming lives and creating opportunities for our young people. This is the practical expression of the President’s philosophy that ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’ a nation is built by its own people.”
Director in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Engineer Ganda, said the initiative reflects a coordinated approach to education delivery.
“This handover reflects the Whole-of-Government Approach being championed by the Second Republic. Education is a continuum, and the success of our learners requires seamless collaboration between ministries and institutions,” he said.
Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Angeline Gata, urged beneficiaries to work hard and give back to society after completing their studies.
“When you become a doctor or a lawyer, remember the child behind you who is still waiting for a chance,” she said.
Government says it will continue working with development partners to expand access to quality education and strengthen support systems for learners from vulnerable backgrounds.
