THE Government’s decision that schools
should serve children at least one hot
meal everyday is true of Zimbabwe’s
ethos.
The Government has set aside US$199
million to assist schools with this
programme and has invited parents to
volunteer their labour to this feeding
scheme.
Whenever there is a problem, such
as this drought-induced hunger,
Government must pitch in, but the people
themselves should, as much as they can,
contribute to their own welfare.
People should be encouraged to be selfreliant,
to do things that make life easy for
themselves.
The situation is not too difficult, but if
people do not do what is correct, then life
seems impossible.
If each child grew a cabbage, a head
of lettuce, made a chair, sewed a dress,
made a wooden spoon, knit a reed mat,
wove a mat, raised some fish, made a
shoe, tended an orange tree, a mango
tree, a banana tree, a paw-paw tree; if
each school kept some goats, pigs, sheep,
chickens, quail, rabbits, dairy and beef
cows, they would be self-sufficient and
save Government much expense.
If each school grew maize, rapoko,
mapfunde, mhunga, wheat; if school
children make bricks, window frames
and door frames; if each knit a school
jersey and they mended their shoes; if the
community donated not only labour, but
cows, goats, sheep, grain so the school
could begin productive activities, schools
would generate so much more than
US$199 million.
Our communities will never be found
wanting when it comes to making
meaningful contributions to the welfare of
the nation.
These mothers and fathers,
grandmothers and grandfathers, without
assistance from anyone, fed and clothed
freedom fighters during the liberation
struggle.
They created superbly organised
networks to ensure freedom fighters were
fed every day, clothed sufficiently, that
their laundry was done and security was
impregnable.
If this were to be quantified in monetary
terms, the figures would be staggering and
yet they did it very successfully.
It is therefore cynical to condemn
people who successfully financed the
material sustenance of thousands of
freedom fighters to dependency.
Those who condemn our people to
dependency are being malicious because
they know very well what they are doing.
It is a very disabling mechanism and
when the people are disabled, the nation
is disabled.
It sinks into malaise and debilitation.
Our people can, because together with
their sons and daughters, they brought
Zimbabwe home.
There will not be any other challenge
greater, because they had to do this under
the barrel of the gun and with limited and
ever-dwindling resources.
Compared to this daunting task which
they accomplished with flying colours,
contributing to Zimbabwe’s development
is something they can do blind-folded.
They can, and are willing.
A nation’s greatest resource are its
people and our war of liberation is
impecable testimony to this.
Therefore when it comes to feeding
their children, it is a done deal, what they
need is the opportunity.
When you see all those buses and
cars at schools donated by School
Development Associations (SDA), all
those projects by the SDAs, they are
testimony to what parents are capable
of, what the community is capable of
and what the community has been
contributing to the welfare of their
children.
If the community can buy those
expensive vehicles, they can surely buy
tractors, hoes, hosepipes, seed and
fertilisers.
They can fund chicken farming, dairy
farming, donate goats and sheep.
They can also offer expertise in various
areas, engineering, farming, hospitality
and culinary arts, among other areas.
In the community are doctors, nurses,
dieticians, drivers, technicians, pottery
experts, artisans, craftsmen and women,
the list is endless.
The parents have everything; love and
commitment for their children and for the
development of their country and this is
their greatest gift, but their channels of
participation have been limited.
If our government provided land which
the government of Zimbabwe can never
fail to do and the Ministry of Primary and
Secondary Education invited parents and
their children to work this land, miracles
would confound those who ever say
Zimbabwe has failed.
With such varied expertise among the
parents, it does not have to be farming
only.
Children can be assisted to produce
much more, for themselves, for the school
and also raise revenue.
The varied expertise from other
Government ministries can also make a
special contribution and everything will
be so much greater.
It is our country, our Zimbabwe.
Nothing can limit us except ourselves,
we can do what we want; no-one should
be allowed to clip our wings because we
have to fly as far as we want.
Why should our schools not produce the
best in town?
After all, it will be done in the most
scientific way.
Why should our schools not produce the
best chickens in the locale and why should
our schools not run the best chicken takeaways?
Why should our schools not make shoes
to rival other shoe companies?
Children love to work with animals and
plants.
They derive so much pleasure feeding
and raising rabbits, fish, tending plants,
watching them grow and bear fruit,
harvesting and taking them home to their
mothers.
It gives them a great sense of
accomplishment and purpose in life.
They love doing what their parents do,
engaging in meaningful labour.
Young people need to be meaningfully
engaged.
They enjoy taking responsibility and
are formed and disciplined by meaningful
labour.
When their bubbling energies are not
wholesomely harnessed, they become
prey to things that dissipate them
psychologically and become vulnerable to
drinking, drugs and promiscuity.
We gain so much more than materially
when we raise our children to be
responsible for their lives and make
meaningful contribution to life.
Our children are heirs of Zimbabwe.
They are not paupers.
6 THE PATRIOT FEATURE March 18 – 23 2016
‘We are not paupers’
Children can be assisted to produce much more for themselves and for their school while generating income.
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