Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
AT just 16, Delice Chikomba should be worrying about homework deadlines, laughing with friends during break time, and dreaming loudly about her future.
Instead, her days are now filled with pain, silence, and loneliness in China Village, Honde Valley — a stark contrast to the vibrant life she once embraced last year in Mutare’s Hobhouse high-density suburb.
A year ago, Delice’s world was opening up in exciting ways.
Having grown up in the serene, but remote China Village under Chief Mutasa’s area, her parents had handed her a bold step towards realising her dreams by moving her to Mutare for her secondary education.
She enrolled for Form One at Alpha High School in Hobhouse, and stayed with her uncle, while her parents remained in Honde Valley, full of hope on what was to come in 2025.
She had a clear vision for her future.
“I want to be a doctor when I grow up,” she said softly, her voice trembling under the weight of uncertainty when The Manica Post caught up with her on Wednesday.
However, that dream was abruptly interrupted.
In March 2025 — a few weeks before her first term ended, she began experiencing pain on her right knee. At first, it seemed like something minor, the kind of discomfort many would dismiss — but the pain persisted, growing stronger with each passing day — until it became unbearable.
“I was so happy then, me, a girl who had grown up in the rural areas, having just started my secondary education in the city. I was ready for the school holiday so that I could go back home to Honde Valley, tell all my friends about Mutare, not knowing that this illness was waiting for me,” she recalled, tears welling down her cheeks.
The pain eventually forced her to stop attending school when the second term started.
What started as an occasional discomfort soon confined her to a life away from classrooms, friends, and routines she cherished.
She returned home to Honde Valley, where she remains holed encumbered by excruciating pain.
“I miss school. I miss my friends and my teachers. I just miss everything about school. I hope I get help and go back,” she said.
Today, Delice moves with the aid of crutches.
A wound has since developed on her knee, large, painful, and constant reminder of the battle she faces daily.
Delice said her days are a mix of quiet endurance and fading memories of a life she once knew — one filled with ambition, laughter, and possibility.
When she spoke fondly of her favourite subjects, History and English, her face briefly lit up at the mention of school.
“I really loved them. I just want to go back to school,” she said.
Her dream of becoming a doctor, though shaken, has not completely disappeared. It lingers, though fragile now — it remains present — waiting for a chance to be revived.
Her father, Mr Tendai Chikomba, said beyond his daughter’s physical suffering, the emotional toll has been equally devastating.
“Her once cheerful and energetic personality keeps fading every day, and it is sad and hurts because I cannot do anything about it. She used to be bubbly. Now she is always sad. As a father, it breaks my heart,” he said, his voice heavy with emotions.
Mr Chikomba explained that Delice had just begun settling into her new school life when her world summersaulted.
“The leg was just painful until she stopped going to school completely and came back home in Honde Valley, where we are now staying with her,” he said, adding that the family sought medical help, visiting various doctors in search of answers.
Eventually, Delice was diagnosed with cancer affecting her knee. However, their journey towards treatment was far from straightforward.
“We were yet to be transferred to a specialist. That is when we stopped visiting doctors because it seemed as if she was not getting any help, save for the painkillers they were prescribing her. We also did not have enough money for the specialists,” said Mr Chikomba.
With limited resources and no clear way forward, the family turned to traditional healers, hoping for relief, and it was during this time that her condition worsened, leading to the development of the wound that now troubles her.
“It is quite big. We are appealing to anyone who might help to do so,” said Mr Chikomba, adding that the financial burden has been overwhelming amid hope to raise enough money to consult specialist doctors who may provide the care Delice urgently needs.
As the youngest of five children, Delice holds a special place in her family, and her condition has affected, not only her physical health, but also her emotional and mental well-being.
“This has affected her, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too. She now spends most of her time crying, and when we ask her why, she just says nothing,” he said.
The pain runs deeper than words.
When visitors come to see her, Delice often withdraws, unable to bear hearing her story repeated.
“She disappears when people come. She cannot stand the thought of us narrating her ordeal to everyone,” added Mr Chikomba.
Yet, behind that silence is a young girl still holding onto hope that one day she will return to school, pick up her books, and continue chasing her dream of becoming a doctor.
At Alpha High School, Delice is not forgotten.
The school head, Mr Killian Sadziwa, said she was a bright and determined learner, who loved her studies.
“She was a bubbly girl. Even after she fell ill, she would beg her parents to take her to school just for a visit, but when we visited her as a school last month, she was just sad that she is not in school anymore,” he said, adding that the school community has rallied around her in whatever way they can.
“Her situation is heart-breaking and moving beyond words,” he said, adding that while the school has provided some assistance, more is needed.
“As a school, we have tried to stand with her and her family in every way we can, but the magnitude of the situation calls for a wider circle of compassion and support,” he said.
The Chikomba family is appealing to well-wishers, organisations, and anyone who can assist in helping Delice access the specialist medical care she urgently needs. Those willing to help can send contributions to her father’s EcoCash number, 0776138542, or his TN CyberTech Bank account, 1050887428.
