Breaking the Cycle: How a Study Pack Changed the Lives of Zimbabwean Students

In the Mutare rural district, many young people are trapped in a cycle of poverty, hindered by inadequate education and scarce resources. For Lisa, a 17-year-old Chitora Secondary School Zimunya Ward 21 student, this was a common case she knew affected her community. Like many students, Lisa found it difficult to imagine a future beyond secondary school, as the consistently low Ordinary-level exam pass rates cast a shadow over her aspirations. Also, the lack of resources and support made the journey seem overwhelming and challenging. 

Lisa's family situation further compounded her predicament. Her three older siblings had struggled to navigate the education system, leaving Lisa with little guidance or hope. With her parents struggling to make ends meet, it was Lisa's dream to transform the family’s standard of life for the better and a good education was the gateway to that dream. 

"I was facing immense difficulties with my studies," Lisa confessed, her voice filled with a hint of despair. "My academic performance began to plummet, and I reached a point where I was on the verge of giving up. It was not just me; my peers could not attend classes regularly because we struggled to complete our homework due to a lack of understanding. The absence of motivation loomed over us all, as we believed that pursuing Advanced-level education was an unattainable dream, considering the limited number of individuals who had achieved it in our community." 

Lisa and her classmates at Chitora Secondary School in a class session. CARE Zimbabwe

But in 2022, things took a turn for the better. CARE’s Supporting Transition, Retention and Training for Girls (START4Girls) project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, brought hope to Lisa and her community. This project was designed to improve access to and completion of education for adolescent girls and young women, including those with disabilities, in crisis-affected areas of Zimbabwe.  

The project provided study packs to 51 schools in Mutare Rural District including Lisa's Chitora High School in Zimunya Ward 21. These study packs contained materials for five subjects tailored to the Form Four O’Level curriculum. With the study packs, Lisa and her classmates finally had the resources to grasp the concepts and prepare effectively for their exams. 

“The study packs made life so much easier for us. We also started Girls Network Study Groups which helped us to share valuable information. I became a study group chair facilitating other students to study. When we wrote exams, I was surprised to see exactly what we had studied. I passed my O level with flying colours. I am now the first of my 6 siblings to proceed to A’ level.” 

The impact of the study packs transformed the lives of these students. The O-level pass rate at Chitora Secondary School jumped from a modest 18.6% in 2022 to an encouraging 26.3% in 2023.  

With newfound confidence, Lisa began to dream bigger. She knows firsthand the transformative power of knowledge and wants to dedicate her life to making education accessible to all. "Now, as an A-level student, I have found renewed determination," she declares. "I aspire to become a nurse or a development worker, with a specific focus on teaching and training in the field of education. I want to improve access to quality education and empower others to overcome the challenges I faced. It is my way of giving back to my community and creating a brighter future for those who come after me."