60-year-old headman goes back to school

SIXTY-YEAR-OLD Headman Sebastian Neluswi of Lubangwe in Hwange under Chief Shana has defied age and social status after he enrolled to do a short course on counselling with the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU).

While many use the old adage “age isn’t anything but a number” to try and justify love relationships with people younger or older than their age, Headman Neluswi, believes growing up opens one’s mind to global experiences and the need to acquire more education to be able to handle complex issues.

He is one of the 1 683 people that graduated with certificates after completing short courses in a programme facilitated by the First Lady through her Angel of Hope Foundation in partnership with ZOU recently.

The certification took place at the Hwange Colliery Stadium where Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo presented the certificates on behalf of the First Lady.

Headman Neluswi, clad in a graduation gown, was among the graduates that queued to receive certificates after he underwent an intensive training in counselling, a field he said needs enhances skills to address social issues related cases emanating mostly from gender-based violence, physical and sexual abuse, financial abuse, trauma and others.

He could not hide the excitement of being among his subjects and young people. The youngest graduate was 15 years old.

“I decided to do counselling because it is in our Traditional Leaders’ Act and because I handle many cases that need me to counsel people.

“There are people who survive gender-based violence, physical abuse and those who abuse drugs including men who are abused by women but fail to report because of the nature of our society.

“We counsel all these so that they are empowered to report or attend to their issues,” said Headman Neluswi.

He said GBV and other forms of abuse are prevalent in communities hence the need for those who handle them to continuously acquire new skills.

“I did this course because it is part of my job. Getting old is not an excuse for not going to school, you can’t stop learning because you are old. It’s a continuous process. Now that I have trained in counselling, it will help me in making decisions when faced with such cases. In short, I am now capacitated,” he said.

Headman Neluswi said while adults were reporting abuse cases, the challenge in the community was with young people who are more involved in GBV, drug abuse, sexual and physical abuse and other socio-economic challenges but hardly report cases.

He said besides reluctance to report cases, young people were also resistant to advice. Headman Neluswi, who trained in welding and fabrication before working at Hwange Colliery Company until his retirement, said strategies should be designed to handle issues affecting young people.

He thanked the First Lady for coming up with the programme saying more of such programmes will help shape society and restore cultural values as people will be empowered to work for development.

“I would like to thank the First Lady who saw it fit to start this programme. We are grateful as beneficiaries, especially that young people will be empowered to make decisions to stay away from practices and behaviour that affect their livelihoods,” he said.

Last year 726 people graduated.