Zimbabwe: Empowering Underprivileged Children Through Education and Community Support

My name is Karren Makonokaya, a young leader from Kadoma, Mashonaland West. I serve as President of the Brookside College Interact Club, Junior Deputy Mayor of Kadoma, and a member of the Debate Club and Zimbabwe United Nations Association (ZUNA). This is the story of how youth leadership, collective action, and compassion helped restore hope and opportunity for underprivileged children who were slowly being pushed out of education due to poverty. In Kadoma, many families struggle to meet basic needs.  

School fees, uniforms, stationery and transport costs place unbearable pressure on caregivers. As a result, countless children, especially girls, face disrupted schooling, repeated dropout cycles and long-term poverty. This reality inspired our Interact Club to act. Before our interventions, learners from low-income households regularly missed lessons. Many lacked the confidence to remain in school because they felt inferior to their peers. My parents felt helpless. Youth in the community, despite their passion, had limited structured channels to contribute meaningfully to development. 

Our mission became clear: to empower disadvantaged children through education and support their families with sustainable livelihoods, while encouraging young people to lead change themselves. Before we began our work, the situation was dire. Some children stayed home for weeks due to unpaid fees. Others attended school without stationery and were punished for being unprepared. The emotional toll on girls was especially heavy, and many were at risk of early marriage, exploitation or permanent exclusion from school. 

Families lacked stable sources of income. Youth rarely participated in community initiatives beyond school activities. Education was viewed as a luxury rather than a fundamental right. The transformation has been remarkable and deeply rewarding. Through our Interact Club’s annual prom and other fundraising initiatives, we managed to pay school fees for more than twenty underprivileged children, ensuring they returned to school with dignity and confidence. We also supported over fifty families with seeds to start home gardens, allowing them to grow vegetables and earn income throughout the year. 

Our partnership with Campbell Theatre marked a major milestone. We approached Mr. Banda and the board requesting their venue for a youth-led fundraising event. The community responded with enthusiasm. Residents, students, teachers, and parents joined hands to support the cause. The prom became more than a social event, it was a symbol of collective responsibility, community unity, and youth-driven empowerment. It demonstrated that young people are not too young to lead meaningful, impactful development. 

Families regained hope, confident that they could support their children's education. Children who once missed classes are now attending school regularly, equipped with uniforms and learning materials. Youth volunteers in our club gained leadership skills, empathy, teamwork, project management experience, and a deeper understanding of community needs. Kadoma is now a more compassionate and motivated community because its young people chose to lead with purpose. 

Karren Makonokaya, Zimbabwe