It’s home ground celebration for Ndadzingwa ECD tomorrow

BY EDUCATION REPORTER

The name Ndadzingwa evokes a feeling of being chased away, a displacement that typically offers little hope for those affected. Yet, the Ndadzingwa Early Child Development (ECD) Centre near Kopa in the Rusitu Valley is transforming that narrative, bringing hope instead of distress to the community of Chimanimani. The centre has solved a once-dire situation where children under five were forced to foot more than seven kilometres to reach the nearest school.

Marking a significant milestone in this journey, the Ndadzingwa ECD Centre is now preparing to host its very first graduation ceremony on its own home ground. The event is scheduled for Thursday, 20 November 2025 and is being held with the support of its mother centre, Dzingire Primary School.

In an interview, the institution’s director, Thomas Mapanda, revealed that the development of the ECD centre has been a lifesaving intervention for the community.

“Children under the age of six used to foot long distances to the nearest school, Dzingire Primary. For some, particularly those from Duri Village, the journey was nearly seven kilometres to the school, then another seven on the return trip,” Mapanda explained.

“This wasn’t healthy, especially during the rainy season, worse still during tropical cyclones. The community also reported multiple cases of kidnappers targeting those vulnerable children on these isolated routes. Now it’s a thing of the past,” he said.

Approximately 300 delegates are expected to attend this historic graduation, a celebration of both the children’s achievements and the community’s renewed sense of security and promise.