Nurturing kindness in learners for a better community

Gabriel Manyeruke  

EVERY school day, children across Zimbabwe hope to learn something new.

THEIR circumstances, however, differ.

Some learners arrive at school in polished shoes and clean uniforms, while others come barefoot — their clothes torn; their stomachs empty.

There are some who are dropped off in cars, while others walk for kilometres through the cold, biting wind of winter mornings just to reach a school that may not even have enough desks, books or other critical resources.

This is the reality of our education system: a meeting place of dreams and disparities.

And in the face of such inequality, one thing has the power to bind us together, to lift us all — kindness.

A world of unequal journeys

In marginalised schools, many learners face unimaginable hardship.

Some come from homes where having basics such as food, uniforms and school fees is a daily struggle.

Others are orphans living with guardians who may not have the means or will to support them.

These children often learn on empty stomachs, in classrooms without adequate resources, yet they remain determined, brilliant and full of hope.

For them, education is not just a right but a lifeline.

Even in elite private schools, where resources are abundant, learners are not immune to suffering.

Some come from broken homes, where their parents’ divorce, domestic violence or substance abuse cast long shadows over their young lives.

Others live with guardians who are emotionally distant or even abusive.

These experiences, though hidden behind neat uniforms and tidy classrooms, leave deep emotional scars.

We never truly know what someone else is going through. This is why kindness matters.

Kindness

Kindness is not a weakness.

It is not a soft option.

Instead, it is the strongest, most courageous choice we can make.

It is kindness that inspires someone to become a doctor, motivated not by wealth but the will to heal the sick.

It is kindness that drives a teacher to stay behind after school to help a struggling learner. It is kindness that compels a leader to serve, not rule.

Kindness is humanity in action.

It is the decision to care, to listen and to help even when it is inconvenient.

It is the force that makes us truly human. And when young people choose kindness, they become powerful agents of change in our society.

Young people leading with compassion

Across the country, there are inspiring examples of learners who have chosen to act with compassion.

At Wise Owl High School, the LEO Club, the INTERACT Club, Toastmasters and The Ladies Legacy Club, among others, have taken it upon themselves to support less-privileged learners.

They occasionally donate food, sanitary pads and even school fees to bring hope to other disadvantaged communities.

This is achieved through organised fundraising efforts at school.

I was also touched by Watershed College in Marondera.

On their official Facebook page, they recently shared a post that received great appreciation from online community members about their heart-warming donation of a complete classroom block to Bromley Primary School.

This was an initiative led by the college’s Alpha Leo Club. It was a powerful gesture of kindness and solidarity to improve learning
and make a difference in the community.

When Churchill School in Harare had its dormitories gutted by fire last month, other schools joined forces, contributing supplies and funds to support the affected learners.

The Government engaged in efforts to reconstruct the buildings and help the children.

These are not just acts of charity but of leadership, empathy and unity, which are the hallmark of a civilised nation.

This is the type of kindness we must nurture in our schools — kindness that sees beyond privilege.

Building a kinder generation

Kindness teaches us to value others, appreciate diversity and reject pride and selfishness.

It builds empathy, which is the ability to feel what others feel.

It teaches us that leadership is not about being the loudest voice in the room, but about being the one who lifts others up.

To learners who consider themselves fortunate, spare a thought for those who are not.

Use your voices, resources and time to make a difference.

Be the reason someone stays in school.

Be the reason someone smiles.

Be the reason someone believes in their future again.

Let us raise a generation that leads with kindness.

Let us teach our children that true strength lies not in power, but in compassion.

Let us remind them that every act of kindness, no matter how small, has the power to change a life.

So, let kindness begin with you.

Let it be your legacy.

Let it be the quiet force that changes the world, one heart at a time.

Gabriel Manyeruke is an author and educator at Wise Owl High School in Marondera. Contact details: 0774122288/[email protected]