SOURCE : Jointed Hands Welfare Organisation (ECOZI Member)
Lower Gweru is one of the areas which recorded high school dropouts when schools opened after a long closure in the year 2020. The emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the education calendar resulting in long school closures. This year, schools closed in the first week of June and school gates opened first to the examination writing classes on the 30th of August and for the rest of the classes on the 6th of September 2021. This means that learners had to spend more than 3 months at home. This further increased the divide between different social classes with vulnerable children experiencing a double impact of the pandemic.
The campaign took into account diverse issues and challenges which were noted to be causing learners to drop out of school. These challenges include school fees challenges, social and cultural norms against children with disabilities, child marriages, violence against children and climate change resulting in hunger. To that effect strategic partners providing services answering the noted barriers were incorporated in the campaign as a strategy to inform communities about the available support and services.
JHWO in partnership with the MOPSE and other partners is committed to working with communities to ensure no learner is left behind. With support from USAID under CRS JHWO is providing school fees and examination support to vulnerable children through the DREAMS and Pathway projects. Every learner has the right to access education even those who would like to return to school.