By Flata Kavinga
Former Sherwood Park Primary School pupil Joel Mbano has donated learning materials and paid school fees for underprivileged learners at his former school in Sherwood, Kwekwe, in a gesture aimed at supporting disadvantaged pupils and staff.
Mbano donated 15 pairs of school shoes and socks, 15 satchels and paid school fees for five learners for the current school term. He also provided teaching and learning materials, including three boxes of chalk, 10 reams of bond paper, four boxes of markers and two boxes of red pens for staff use.
Speaking during the handover, Mbano said his decision to assist was motivated by his own difficult upbringing and the support he received while attending the school.
“I attended my primary education at this school up to 1999. After the death of my father, it became a struggle for us to continue with school, but this institution gave me opportunities that I still value today,” he said.
Mbano recalled participating in a Schools Cultural Exchange Programme in 1996 at Hiltingbury Junior School in Southampton, United Kingdom, an experience he described as life-changing.
“That opportunity exposed me to the world beyond my community. It is one of the reasons I felt compelled to come back and assist, even in a small way,” he said, adding that he hopes to continue supporting the school as his business grows.
Sherwood Park Primary School headmistress Dzokerai Mapiku welcomed the donation, saying it would benefit both learners and staff.
“We are grateful that Mbano remembered his former school and the community. His support will go a long way in assisting learners who lack basic school requirements,” she said.
Sherwood Park Primary School caters for hundreds of learners from surrounding communities, many of whom come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
