CHIREDZI, Zimbabwe, Oct 10 (IPS) – Rejoice Muzamani studies in preparation for her next paper during the final exams at Mwenje Primary School in Chiredzi, south-east Zimbabwe.
The 13-year-old girl, who is in grade 7 or the last year of primary school, is not concerned about leaving school early to make the seven-kilometre journey home before sunset, risking being attacked be by wild animals.
Muzamani, who is staying with her grandmother because her parents live in neighboring South Africa, will still get there in time as she will be pedaling the narrow unpaved dirt road in this part of Masvingo province.
“I go to school on time and I don’t have to miss classes,” she told IPS. Although it was her first time owning a bicycle, learning to ride was easier with the help of her friends.
“I also go home on time, so that I have enough time to do my homework.”
Built for long distances and rugged terrain, Buffalo bikes help keep vulnerable girls in schools in rural areas.
Muzamani, who received hers in mid-2021, is one of more than 62,248 students in Zimbabwe who have received bicycles since 2009 from a US-based charity, World Bicycle Relief.
About 70% of these are girls.
Born into a family of five, Muzamani lives in one of the most remote and poorest regions of Zimbabwe, where there are insufficient schools, forcing many to walk 20 kilometers to get to the nearest school.
Girls face numerous challenges during their education in rural Zimbabwe.
As a young girl, as part of tradition, Muzamani is expected to do household chores: cooking for the family and cleaning the house.
This takes up most of her time and she cannot afford to lose more time if she has to walk long distances to school.
Hyena attacks also pose a threat to these girls in rural areas surrounded by game reserves.
“I used to be late and miss classes. I felt blue. Despite waking up early in the morning, it was difficult to reach school on time because of household chores,” says Muzamani.
“I remember one day in winter, it was so dark that I was afraid to go to school. I started walking with others. I also couldn’t do homework because we had no electricity. I have to be home early and use daylight.”
Faith Machavi, a student at Mwenje Dumisani Secondary School, says some of her friends have dropped out of school, while some have gotten married early due to the long distances to school.
“I remember almost giving up when I was in primary school. I told my mother that I was tired and that I couldn’t do this anymore. Walking to school every day against the backdrop of the fact that I was a girl, of which I was expected to do all the house chores are demoralizing,” she says, adding that her desire to become a lawyer kept her going.
“At some point I might stay in the bush until others are discharged and go home with them.”
Machavi, who is preparing to write for her Ordinary Level final exams in October, received a bicycle in 2022 after paying a small fee of less than $5.
“I was so happy. It was a relief,” she says, adding that she had learned to ride a bike a few years earlier from other privileged children in the village.
Born into a family of five, Machavi no longer has to walk more than five kilometers to go to school.
She no longer misses classes and no longer has cramps.
Child rights activists say education is a refuge for girls.
Maxim Murungweni, a Zimbabwean child rights expert, says cycling gives girls access to education.
“The cycling initiative for girls not only improves their mobility but also psychologically empowers the girls, giving them the ability to manage their daily activities as they can now plan knowing they have the mobility to maneuver. he says.
Although Zimbabwe banned child marriage in a landmark constitutional court ruling in 2016, some of its existing laws had yet to be brought into line with the country’s constitution.
But in May 2022, President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed the Marriages Act, which bans the marriage of minors under the age of 18.
In Zimbabwe, one in three women marry before adulthood, and more than one in five adolescents give birth, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Child marriage has devastating consequences for girls, including dropping out of school and premature pregnancies.
Sean Granville-Ross, executive director of programs at World Bicycle Relief, says this education-focused initiative is crucial for girls in Zimbabwe, where many have to commute three to 10 kilometers every day to get to school.
“This distance leads to significant dropout rates, especially among girls, due to safety concerns, exhaustion and the risk of child marriage. Bicycles help reduce travel time, increase attendance and increase feelings of safety, with a 35 percent reduction in days late to school and a 35 percent increase in the number of students feeling safer while traveling.” , says Sean Granville-Ross.
“For girls, this means more opportunities to stay in school, pursue higher education and avoid early marriage and pregnancy. By providing girls with bicycles, we not only improve their access to education, but also provide a tool for broader community development, as bicycles are often used by their families for economic and domestic activities.”
Machavi, a junior councilor in this community, says many of her friends were married before they reached the legal age of marriage.
“Most of my classmates who married early are now abused. I teach others about the impact of child marriage. Bicycles help girls stay in school. There is a policy that you cannot leave your bicycle outside without permission during working hours. This means no hanging out with boys from the community during school hours,” she says.
Murungweni said they continue to encourage the government and other development partners to scale up such initiatives that help marginalized girls easily access education by improving their mobility.
Granville-Ross says they plan to expand the initiative to reach more girls across Zimbabwe over the next three years.
Muzamani, whose bicycle is maintained for free at school, says she wants to study accounting at university after graduating from high school.
“Becoming an accountant is one of my dreams,” she says.
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