Before this project, I carried a heavy burden about how I would educate, feed, or clothe my child. Now, I just concentrate on my books.

— Amanda Hlaure, student

3 mins read time
Published: 13th June 2025
Blog by Samantha Andrades

Tags:

Empowering Girls, Transforming Futures in Zimbabwe

How education, safety, and opportunity are changing lives in Zvishavane

In Zimbabwe’s mining town of Zvishavane, access to education is shaped by long distances, safety risks, poverty, and early marriage, especially for adolescent girls and young women. But a new chapter is unfolding.

Through the Transforming Education – Transforming Lives Education Project, communities are coming together to remove the barriers that keep girls out of school and limit their futures. Expanding from Malawi into Zimbabwe, this programme combines practical support, peer networks, and community-led awareness to help girls not just stay in school, but thrive. By June 2025, the project aims to reach over 20,000 young people, giving them the tools, confidence, and support they need to build brighter futures.

For Shylene Banda and Amanda Hlaure, that support has been life-changing.

Before joining the project, Shylene walked 10–15 kilometres to school, often spending more than two hours on the road. The journey wasn’t just exhausting, it was dangerous. Along the way, she regularly encountered illegal gold panners who sometimes tried to abuse her. Eventually, the risks and the distance became too much, and she considered dropping out.

Everything changed when Bethany and Oxfam stepped in. Shylene received a bicycle, school fees, and a uniform. Now, she arrives at school early, studies without fear, and gets home in time to manage her household responsibilities.

“My education has improved,” she says. “This programme is helping me a lot.”

Amanda’s story echoes the same resilience. She had dropped out of school due to early marriage and was struggling to support her child. Before the project, she relied on boyfriends to survive. Today, she is back in school, now in Form Six, and feels mentally free to focus on her studies.

Alongside education support, Amanda received start-up capital to begin a small business raising Sasol chickens. The income has allowed her to pay school fees for her child and regain independence.

“Before this project, I had a heavy burden,” she explains. “Now, I don’t think about any of that. I just concentrate on my books.”

These stories show what’s possible when education is paired with safety, dignity, and opportunity. In Zvishavane, girls are reclaiming their right to learn, to dream, and to decide their own futures.