admin
Fadzayi Maposah Correspondent
Last week I talked about my temporary teaching days at St Annes Goto in Hwedza with housemates Rudo and Tafadzwa who were just beginning their teaching careers.
These women that I knew from my adolescent days are now award-winning teachers who are still leaving imprints on the lives of many families.
In the last two articles I am keeping a promise that I made so many years ago.
As we sat in that lounge, in a corner each with many echoes because it was empty, we talked about our future aspirations. We shared that we wanted to make impact in the communities in which we lived and always doing our best. Tafadzwa and Rudo asked for my plans because I would not be a temporary teacher forever.
When I shared that I wanted to become a journalist, they were excited.
When I would be on radio, I would have to greet them. We would laugh that as soon as I was settled, I would make time to greet my two older sisters and I would make it consistent, until people knew Rudo and Tafadzwa.
I have been on radio many times but in all instances, I have never had an opportunity to greet the St Annes housemates. After studying journalism, I learnt that there were procedures and that one could not just greet people as and when they wished.
How can one just greet Tafadzwa and Rudo on a current affairs show unless one wants to land in big trouble?
One of the highlights of my teaching stint at St Annes, was going on a sports trip to St David’s Bonda. I enjoyed the exciting build up to the trip, the team selection, the preparations.
For me the certainty that I would be on the team was the biggest motivating factor of all.
The roles had changed from the year before when I was a student, now I was on the deciding team.
The trip to St David`s Bonda from Hwedza was long. The organising team decided that the school team would leave Hwedza around 3 o’clock in the morning so that the team could get to rest before the games began.
I remember one student who was a shining star. Her athletic prowess was stunning to say the least.
She however did not have adequate basics for her night’s stay at the school.
She was not keen to put up at the school because she would be left exposed and she did not want to provide content that could be used to start a school bulletin.
She approached Rudo and told her that she would ask her uncle to accompany her around 2 am so that she would be at the hired lorry just in time.
Someone could be thinking that the word after hired is wrong. It is not.
At that time, St Annes did not have a bus. I am so happy that students now travel safely in buses.
On cold and chilly days, the school children would be huddled close to one another just to keep warm.
There would be distance between the males and females and teachers of both sexes would be in the back of the lorry with the pupils. Two teachers would be at the front with the driver.
Rudo brought the news home.
We had to do something, she said otherwise the rate of cheerleading would be decreased because the star athlete would be absent.
It was upsetting news. We devised a plan.
We would pack a bag for our star and would give her when she came to school at dusk.
Since Rudo taught her, it was easier for Rudo to be the contact person.
Rudo had an office which would be a safe place to discuss the plan.
We could have taken her into our house, but other girls would want to join her.
We were elated when the star athlete said that she loved the plan and she would share with her parents. When the feedback came, there was dancing to our own singing in the lounge!
At dusk on the day of the sleepover, the star athlete brought us treats from her parents.
They were willing to share what they had. Everyone has something to give. The star athlete did not want her lack to be exposed but she too learnt that they had what we did not have.
She carried her bag to the classroom that had been allocated to the girls.
It had everything that she needed for the night, from a T-shirt to serve as a night dress, and basic toiletries, one blanket to put on the floor and another to cover herself and a ‘loaf’ (large pack) of cotton wool just in case in the excitement and anxiety the period would pay an unexpected visit.
Rudo, Tafadzwa and I were willing and able school team cheer leaders. We sang, we danced with the school children.
We were young teachers who had a few months before been students. We had lots of fun.
On some occasions we sang and laughed at the same time. The students on the school teams and the ones we taught were just a few years younger than us.
Rudo and Tafadzwa taught some students who were the same age as me.
Adolescents and young people have different issues and some of them if they do not get necessary support may not fully enjoy their youthfulness and reach their full potential.
One-star athlete almost missed an opportunity to shine because she did not want to be ‘exposed’.
Exposure can be in so many ways. People are not always kind. Every girl needs a Madam who reaches out to help. Every boy needs a Sir to assist.
Who better to understand adolescence than the ones who have walked the same road and are just a few metres up the same road with the same hormones at work in their bodies?
Online Reporter