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Leonard Ncube, Sunday Life Correspondent
TICHAWANDA Ncube from Monde area outside Victoria Falls is a young, intelligent man with a bright future.
He recently completed his Advanced Level and attained 16 points in Economics (A), Business Studies (A), Mathematics (B) and Further Maths (D).
He says at some point he thought he would never pursue his dream of becoming an actuarial scientist as his parents couldn’t pay for his school fees.
Being the first born in a family of three, his mother and stepfather struggled to pay for his primary education which was later paid for through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) as his parents couldn’t afford.
“I want to do Actuarial Science. I know I’m good at risk and calculation. I am grateful to Mr Mhangarai Tivatyi for what he has done for me. I never thought I could come this far in my education but he managed to encourage me and pay for my fees,” said Ncube
Ncube’s siblings are aged 16 and five years while his stepfather works at Makomo Resources in Hwange.
He now needs help to pursue his education and dreams of enrolling with the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) to do Actuarial Science.
It was when he was still doing his lower secondary education that Tivatyi, a businessman in Victoria Falls identified his potential and started sponsoring his education.
Now more hands are needed to help the young man.
Mangarayi Tivatyi, who runs Lucky Joy Enterprises, which deals in dairy products, says the future of the society lies in those who have made it financially to help disadvantaged children and keep them out of the streets.
He says he is determined to help disadvantaged children from the resort town and surrounding areas to realise their goals in life and has so far assisted 12 such with school fees.
Some of them have passed their high school and gone to college while some are now working abroad.
“I visited Sizinda Secondary School with a girl I was sponsoring who had opted to learn outside town. I discovered that the school is remote but has talent and that’s when I spotted this boy who was doing well in class but failing to pay fees,” said Mr Tivatyi.
He said he sat down with Ncube and told him that he could pay for his school fees if he focused on school work.
At Ordinary Level Ncube passed nine subjects — Mathematics (A), Geography (B), Integrated Science (A), History (A), IsiNdebele (A), English (C), Religious Studies (A), Commerce (A), Biology (B).
He went to Hwange High School for A Level and attained 16 points.
Tivatyi has implored the business community and individuals to give back to the community by helping build the future of children.
“I want to pose a challenge to the Victoria Falls business community to come on board and help disadvantaged children who have potential in life. They could be the ones to develop our community in future if we help them to become effective to the economy,” he said.
“I have helped this boy and I feel he needs more helping hands. He is determined and I can’t dump him at this stage as his future can be wasted. I may not do enough and so I am appealing to colleagues out there and the tourism community to chip in.”
“I started helping disadvantaged children in the early 2000s. Initially I was targeting the girl child but later extended the hand to boy. I can count 12 now and some of them have made it in life. I feel happy whenever they call or I hear of what they are doing for their families. I always tell them that they don’t it to me but for the community because whatever I have is from the community.”
Tivatyi currently adopted a girl from Binga who has enrolled for A-level at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School. The tourism sector in Victoria Falls has also been urged to assist the less priviledged.
@ncubeleon
Online Reporter