ZIMBABWE: Winning the 2019 Future Africa Leaders’ Award (FALA) has paved a way for a Social Work student to extend her passion for improving socio-economic development across the country.
21 years Rufaro Mutyamaenza has participated in different activities ever since she won the award in 2019.
In an interview, Rufaro told Transcontinental Times that she was inspired by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s words, “Africa can only be built by Africans.”
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Source of aspiration
“It became my aim to give back to the society since people are in need and change can only come when one person stand and commit themselves to make a change.
” Future Africa Leaders Foundation(FALF) has trained me to be a leader who can plan and deliver excellent projects despite the possible challenges that might come my way”, she said.
Initiating a borehole project
With the stipend from FALF, she ventured into a borehole project in Chitungwiza.
Unfortunately, the project was hindered by the lockdown.
“Harare now has a prevailing problem of water shortages so l can’t imagine people paying for water that other people access freely.
“I came up with this project because water is a necessity especially in homes, schools, and other places where people gather.”
She also said she was hurt by scandals that occur at public water points in times of water crisis.
There have been high records of sexual harassment, abuse, pregnancies among others that were the results of the water crisis in the country.
Addressing sexual health challenge
Additionally, the skyrocketing of sanitary wear prices has come to her concern after winning.
She started a re-usable campaign where she taught people how to make sanitary wear.
“I have discovered that sanitary wear has become a challenge to many people especially in Manicaland Province where people use cow dung and other unsafe materials.
” The project started end of last year and the aim is to equip young girls to be able to make them for their uses and even doing a business”, she said.
Remarkable activities before winning the Award
Before she won the award, she participated in different notable activities to improve the well-being of citizens in many communities.
Soon after Cyclone Idai wreaked havoc in Chimanimani in 2019, she voluntarily worked with Red Cross to distribute food to affected families.
Dedicating salary to community development
To fulfill her dreams before participating in FALF, Mutyamaenza worked for her parents’ company and commit her salary to projects that include distribution of water guards in Mutare, donating sanitary equipment, brooms and dustpans soon after the outbreak of Cholera in Budiriro.
Currently, she is studying Social Work at the University of Capetown.
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