Online Reporter
Robin Muchetu [email protected]
Mawaba Primary School in Bulawayo is the focus of today’s tour by journalists from various media house in Zimbabwe.
The tour is being facilitated by the National Aids Council (NAC) as they tour projects around HIV in Bulawayo Province.
Mawaba Primary is a Bulawayo City Council run school that houses 1321 learners, 691 boys and 630 girls.
NAC Provincial Manager for Bulawayo Mrs Sinatra Nyathi has emphasised the need for strengthening of guidance and counselling classes in schools to ensure that life skills are imparted to the young learners.
“We want learners with adequate life skills and educational skills so that they can face the world.
We do not want a learner with excellent academic skills but is silent in the grave after being infected with HIV,” she said.
Mrs Nyathi also said parents must empower their children too starting from household level to ensure that they are safe from being infected with HIV.
Mawaba Primary School headmistress said the school Mrs Nokuthula Sibanda is leading by example by ensuring learners are equipped with life’s kills on top of educational skills.
The school is also assisting children who are coming from compromised households where they liaise with the police to deal with issues of sexual abuse.
The school is engaged in several projects to empower learners with skills such as rabbit and chicken rearing and horticulture.
Other recreational activities like netball and soccer so as to ensure learners have activities that occupy them and prevent them from being idle and eventually engaging in early sexual debuts.
During the sporting events they learners are also educated about HIV from various stakeholders for free. The community also takes part in accessing services like testing and counselling during these events.
