TUDiki Magazine September Issue by TUDiki

SEPTEMBER 2021

Magazine

Hello Spring!

New season, new beginnings, & lots of love to go around!

April Marembo

The Sunrise Readers

A little, creative girl with big dreams & her journey to making them real!

Take a trip down memory lane with Co-Authors, Vivian Jenkins & Chrissie Lewis

Celebrating ZSL!

Can you spell your name in Zimbabwean Sign Language?

A childhood stolen

Breaking down Anna Machaya’s heartbreaking case

Recognising Substance Abuse

with Dr. Anesu Chinoperekwei

Our Team Content Manager Contributors

Design

Editor in Chief Shingie Mangwiro

Makaita Mawunganidze

Lucy Chivasa Dr. Anesu Chinoperekwei Vivian Jenkins Chrissie Lewis The Rogue Creative

theroguecreatives@gmail.com

For Advertising & Enquiries Contact Us sales@tudiki.com magazine@tudiki.com

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In This Issue 04

From the Editor’s Desk

A legacy of excellence

Sunrise Readers

We take a stroll down memory lane with the authors of the Sunrise Readers as they celebrate new beginnings!

26 A childhood, stolen!

As the nation mourns the death of Memory Machaya, we upacked the case with human rights lawyer Lucy Chivasa

38 Hello Spring! Check out our new Spring stock, available in all TUDiki stores!

44 DIY Tie-Dye Young, Proud Letters from Aunt 47 Jane & in-charge! 18 Cover Girl Friendship 51 Month April Marembo on living out her dreams as a fashion designer & business owner at only 9 years old!

22 23

Can you spell your name in Zimbabwe Sign Language (ZSL)?

Fascinating Facts about your baby’s sleep!

How important are friendships in your child’s development?

54 Health & Awareness

This month is Childhood Cancer & Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Abuse 60 Substance amongst Zimbabwean Youth What’s Cooking 64 66TUDiki Quiz Fun Spring meals for the family to enjoy together!

Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

From the Editor’s Desk

Dear Reader, It’s finally SPRING! We are excited to finally crawl out of our blankets and onesies to play out in the sun! A warm welcome to all our new readers and a happy hello to our returning friends! We hope you are as excited as we are for this new issue! Thank you for supporting us into our fourth issue! Your support, your encouragement, your suggestions and your stories are what is keeping us going each month! With Spring comes new beginnings and that’s the vibe we wanted for our cover. April is an inspiring young lady with a bright future ahead of her & her fashion brand, Kubvumbi! We are excited to have met this bright and colourful young lady! I’m sure everyone remembers the Sunrise Readers, and the joy they gave to children learning to read for the first time! I sure do! We took a trip down memory lane as we sat with the co-authors, Vivian Jenkins and Chrissie Lewis. They had plenty to share and some exciting news about the revised versions of their books so do make sure to read our interview! As a brand, children are at the heart of everything we do. This magazine has 4

given us a platform to not only amplify children’s voices and their endeavours but it also gives us a channel to air issue that affect children in our country. In August a horrifying case came to light about a young girl, Anna Machaya who was pulled out of school and married off at 14 years old. The case was harrowing and haunting and to make it worse, that young soul lost her life in childbirth. We felt it was our duty to not only share this young girl’s story but to also raise awareness on this practice, of child marriage, that is not only illegal but goes against several children’s rights! As always, we hope that you enjoy this issue. A lot of work goes into curating the most exciting content and current issues so that we keep you in the loop, and help you all grow as individuals. Until October, Shingie!

Celebrating our Anniversary!

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When you spend $50 or more from Monday 6 to Sunday 12 September 2021! PROMOTION VALID AT TUDIKI VILLAGE WALK ONLY Thank you for a year of support & love for the TUDiki Borrrowdale Branch!

International Literacy Day International Literacy Day (ILD) has been celebrated across the world since 1967! This day reminds us all about the importance of literacy as a human right!

8th Septermber

Educating the nation Interview with the Sunrise Readers’ co-authors,

Vivian Jenkins & Chrissie Lewis

The Sunrise Readers are books that every Zimbabwean student remembers using – they were woven into our educational journey as we began learning to read! Holding the reigns are 2 incredible women, Vivian Jenkins and Christine Lewis, who have been dedicated to educating the nation's children and empowering teachers for over 40 years. And as they begin a new journey they sat with us to talk about their journeys to becoming authors and how their faith has helped them through it all!

Q. What are your respective journeys to teaching; did you always want to be teachers? Vivian: I was born in Masvingo and growing up I’d always loved being around children. I think in my heart I always knew that I wanted to work with children but when I got to my O’ Levels I started considering going into nursing. I haven’t shared this story in a long time but when I was 16, on holiday in Beira, Mozambique, I was standing on the beach, alone, with the vast expanse of sky above me and I felt the presence of God there. I remember saying to Him, “Lord, if you are prepared to give me any gift, I would like it to be a gift with children.” And that’s what he gave me, but you know how we move on in life sometimes and end up forgetting these precious moments and special requests, but God never forgets them. So teaching is the path I ended up choosing. It also helped that the government would offer teachers grants because we didn't have much money in the family. I also got a scholarship to attend the Hillside Teacher’s College in Bulawayo. While I was there, everything just came so naturally to me and I knew then that God was keeping his promise to me. I don't often blow my trumpet, but I got distinctions in all my classes, something that hadn’t been achieved in a very long time. But when it happened to me, I realized it was just God's grace. As I became a teacher and began teaching, I found the same success in the classroom. I was so good with the children, and they responded to me. So, as much as teaching was the obvious option for me ﬁnancially, I believe that it was a heart calling. Chrissie: When I left school after A levels, I didn't know what I wanted to do. And 8

being the third child, my parents were very cautious about sending me off to university. My older sister had gone to university in South Africa and repeated her first year twice. My brother before me also did some stuff although he eventually did get back to university. So, they told me, you need to make up your mind before we start paying for university and sending you all over the place. I enrolled in a Technicon in Harare and I did a secretarial course where they teach you the basics of working in the office as well as typing – which, back in the day, was a specialist skill. But as I did that, I realized I didn’t want to stay in an office, I wanted to do something beyond that. I applied for the teacher’s college; I was invited to the interview and I thought I'll never get in. But I was accepted, and I absolutely loved it from the first day. I trained in early education which includes the early years and grades 1 and 2. After that, I completed my Bachelor of Education degree at the University of Zimbabwe one year after my teacher’s training. I started teaching from then on and I’ve loved every minute of it. Throughout my career, I’ve taught all the way to high school and beyond but my heart has always been in grade one, I just love those little guys!

Q. How long were you teaching before you started thinking about writing the books? Vivian: It was after about 2 years spent in the classroom but 5 years after I became a teacher. I took some time off; I got married, had children, and then I spent some time at bible school in Texas. When I came back to Zimbabwe, I came back with a vision to start a Christian School and I did just that. After we opened the school, we were looking for Christian teachers and Chrissie was an

exclusive interview obvious choice. Chrissie: We got a lot closer when I visited Vivian in the States. That’s where we kind of really got to know each other a little bit better.

we never really thought about getting a publisher. We were just fulﬁlling a need we saw in our own school. We never thought of making money from it. Around that time Peter Grifﬁths visited

Q. What inspired you to start writing? Vivian: It was around the time we opened the school. One of the parents was a bookseller and she expressed concerns about us getting books for the next year because there were forex restraints on imports and most of the budget allocated towards textbooks was going to high school textbooks. That’s how the idea was born really. I approached a friend of mine who was an artist and an infant teacher to partner with me on writing the books. I did a lot of research and collected a lot of material, but she decided it wasn’t something she wanted to do at the time.

1984/85 in Gweru, Zimbabwe our school, he was an Elim Missionary and was working with the Ministry of Education at that time as the head of the RE Department. He was really pleased with the work we’d done with our readers and gave us a link to Longman Zimbabwe. God’s hand was clearly at work.

Q. What was that publishing process like?

As a teacher myself, I knew that there was a lot more technical work involved with teaching infants. And Chrissie was an infant specialist, so I approached her and explained what I wanted to do and the rest, as they say, is history. A lot of work and research went into the Sunrise Readers and when we started,

Vivian: It was a lot of work, and to be honest if we had known going into it how much work it was going to be, I doubt we would have started the process. Longman needed to ﬁnd out whether they would have a market for the readers before publishing, and we also had to get approval from the Ministry of Education so that our books would have access to the government schools. We had a difﬁcult time trying to get our books approved. As Christians, we had

incorporated our faith into our books. And more than that, we had written books we felt reﬂected the people. We wanted to create something that the children we were teaching could relate to – situations and circumstances they came across every day unlike the British books they were reading but we were met with quite a bit of resistance especially in terms of our faith. Eventually, the books were approved and we were published. But even then, there was a lot we weren’t happy with, for example, we didn’t get to use the same artist across all the books which meant from one book to the next the children looked different. There were a lot more things that made us feel we were compromising on the standards of excellence we wanted to uphold but it was all out of our hands.

Q. What’s in the new Sunrise Readers? Vivian: We have upped our game in the new Sunrise readers, and we've had more leeway to incorporate our faith into the stories. We also modernized the readers. There is technology incorporated into our stories and a lot of things have changed since then. Over and above adding technology, we really tried to very carefully adjust our stories to ﬁt the lives that kids are living today and to create scenes they can relate to and identify with. We also had to reshufﬂe the family structure. Chipo and Tatenda live with their mum, dad, and their grandmother. But Jenny and David now have a single mum as well as an aunt and uncle that play a big role in their lives.

Q. When was your ﬁrst book published? The ﬁrst books were out in about 1985 or 1986.

Q. Did you imagine this level of success? Chrissie: Not from the beginning no. We saw the need for the books in our own small little sphere of our school so that's as far as we were looking. It took somebody from the outside looking in and seeing a bigger picture. But even once we got that going, I don't think we ever envisaged that schools all over Zimbabwe would be using them as much as they did and still do. And now with Pearson Africa, there are no more borders! So far besides Zimbabwe, we are being marketed in Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, and now in South Africa. Vivian: There have been a lot of obstacles of course. But the growth we have experienced is amazing! 10

We also felt very strongly about empowering our girls and also the conservation of wildlife – all issues that are relevant today. And as we’ve mentioned faith was something that we

exclusive interview really wanted to include in the readers. We don't preach; we’ve found ways to seamlessly include our faith like how Grandmother prays with the children before they go to bed at night. So far we have been approved by the Ministries of Education in both Zimbabwe and Zambia. The process is a little bit different in South Africa but the wheels are already turning. I think the best part is we got to maintain all of our characters’ original names across the region.

Another thing we’ve been working on is supplementary readers that the children can use as they are reading to help them practice each level even more. These are available on our website.

Q. Do your books cater to children with reading or learning disabilities? Chrissie: I think one of the most important things that we focused on from the beginning and even more so with this revision is the importance of phonics in understanding how the language works. The books are very simple, and they carefully and incrementally help a young reader grow their vocabulary. They allow the reader to naturally graduate at their own speed. We’ve included a lot of supplementary work and activities young readers can do. These materials can be found on our site. We also have teaching tips to help teachers and parents. The teacher’s manual also gives a lot of detail on how to approach the teaching of reading with loads of tools and tips. We also include lots of links to more resources to help because that's our passion. We love to enable teachers to help children become competent readers. Vivian: Whether it's dyslexia or any other reading or learning disability, the Sunrise readers are so carefully led from one level to another that they are the ideal when teaching children how to read. The reader is the one that decides the pace they can read at.

Q. You offer a lot of extra resources for teachers, can parents also use them at home? Vivian: Everything is super simple and easy to use so that non-trained people can use it too. You can access our resources on our website and our Facebook page.

Q. Now with the revised versions, would you say that you’ve had more autonomy in terms of content with your new publisher? Vivian: I believe we did. An added advantage was having a tried and tested product that was so loved. So many people have learned to read using the Sunrise Readers and, because they’re so well known, the publisher trusted us more. Also, having been through the whole writing process before made us relatively easy authors to work with. Chrissie: Vivian and I have even been asked to run a marketing training session

for the Pearson marketing representatives in South Africa. We will be training the people who will go into the provincial education areas. We enjoy the level of involvement in the marketing of the book that we’re given. We are happy to work alongside the marketing manager and get the chance to light the ﬁre about what the books are all about.

Q. What are the different levels of the books? Chrissie: Well, that depends on whether English is the child’s first or second language. Most of our students are first language readers and they typically complete the Sunrise readers by grade four or five. And for our second language learners, they can be reading up to grade 7. Vivian: In theory, the Yellow Books are for Grade 1, the pink for grade 2, then the blue and red up to grade 5. But our system is quite elastic in that it grows with the child and works at their reading speed. There are a lot of factors like what other books the children have available to read. But if they're just reading Sunrise from beginning to end, our guide is more or less accurate. The reading speed is also obviously linked to the student's English level because the books are in English. In some parts of South Africa, they only start learning English in Grade 3 so they would only start the first readers in Grade 3. And because the language is so simple, the Sunrise Readers are ideal for children who are learning English for the first time.

Q. Are there any techniques or tips parents can keep in mind when: teaching their children how to read and teaching their children to read a second language Chrissie: I think for teachers and parents 12

who are trying to homeschool their children or just introduce them to reading the Teacher’s Manual is a great resource. For second language learners, the biggest hurdle is usually learning the way English pronunciation works and what it looks like in print. And the Teacher’s Manual also helps with tips. Vivian: We deliberately kept the Teacher's Manual simple and user-friendly so everyone can understand it.

Q. Is there anything else that you want people to know about Sunrise readers? Vivian: I really want to highlight the levels we have gone to be inclusive with the revised Sunrise Readers. We have included representation for children with disabilities, one of their friends Tari is in a wheelchair and there’s another character who suffers from albinism. I would also really like the parents and teachers to know that Chrissy and I really appreciate and respect them. As much growth as we’ve experienced in this past year, Zimbabwe is always in our hearts. It’s in our DNA. Chrissie: For me, I think the biggest thing is that we wrote these books with the child in mind. It's our passion. To see the books being so well received even here in Australia was a really magical moment for me.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Vivian Jenkins Trained as a primary school teacher, Vivian Jenkins spent the first fifteen years of her career in education teaching at most levels of junior school, & English at secondary school. Vivian was actively & practically involved at the inception of both the Midlands Christian School & Midlands Christian College in Gweru as a founder, teacher and board member, Zimbabwe. She then moved into tertiary education in teacher-training as founder-principal at Midlands Christian Training Centre - a registered tuition & examination centre with the University of South Africa. Vivian’s career as an author began in the mid 1980s when she co-authored twenty early readers, the Sunrise Readers – published by Longman, Zimbabwe. In 2018 she & Chrissie Lewis revised the first ten Sunrise Readers, published by PEARSON Africa. She also wrote her parents’ biography, “In the Hollow

of His Hand”, & a novel, “Let the Walls Come Down”. All in all, she has authored thirty-three children’s reading and text books, a biography and a novel. Having lived and worked in Zimbabwe for over thirty years in education and as a missionary’s wife, Vivian and her husband, Peter, spent over three years pastoring an inner-city church in North London. They continued their mission work in Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo until 2019, whilst based out of Cape Town, South Africa. Vivian and Peter are proud parents of four grown up children, three lovely daughters-in-law and two grandchildren.

MEETTHE THEAUTHOR AUTHOR MEET

Christine Lewis Chrissie’s introduction to teaching started with a 3-year teacher training diploma specialising at the "Infants Level" (now called junior primary). After that she attained her B.Ed at the University of Zimbabwe with a major in special needs education. She stayed with Pete and Vivian in Dallas while travelling in the early 1980s. When they were all back in Zimbabwe, they invited her to join them at the Midlands Christian College. At the time she was living on Fothergill Island in Kariba, working as a governess for the children of the Safari operators! The Sunrise Readers began as a means to an end, and from this small beginning, the Sunrise

Readers grew to become the core reading scheme for schools across Zimbabwe. With the publishing of the new edition of Books 1-10 (& with the hope to be commissioned for books 11-20), the Sunrise Readers can potentially be marketed across Africa; wherever Pearson Africa has presence! Chrissie is also a qualified as a Christian Counsellor, working with groups, families, couples, and individuals. She has since branched out into career guidance & works as a trainer in adult education. Her husband Kevin, teaches visual art (https://bit.ly/2Y231aP). Chrissie is now based in Australia & works as a Pastoral Practitioner in a residential aged care facility. She enjoys working with the elderly and learning from the stories and wisdom they share. Chrissie also delivers training in basic English skills - reading/ writing/ listening, and social/life skills to adults living with intellectual disabilities.

Keep up with us Visit our blog for more information and for all our supplementary materials

https://sunrisereaders.wordpress.com/ Follow us on Facebook and stay updated on all things Sunrise Readers!

www.facebook.com/sunrisereaders Check out our channel!

https://youtu.be/WEYgJ9sc49w

Buy our books To order Sunrise Readers in Zimbabwe contact: SchoolBooks4Africa +263 8677 189 607 +263 787 975 804 sales@schoolbooks4africa.com

For more information Contact Us: sunrisereadersorders @gmail.com 00 27 21 532 6000 (ask for PEARSON AFRICA SALES)

Back TO SCHOOL Get all your school supplies from us!

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MASK UP Make sure you’re ready to get back to school! Shop our protective & stylish face masks Available in assorted colours!

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Tanatswa April Marembo Young, Proud, & In-Charge! At 9 years old, April with the help of her parents launched her brand, Kubvumbi. We spoke to her about her journey and the joys of living out her dreams.

Q. Tell us about yourself! My name is Tanatswa April Marembo. My favourite colour is Purple. I go to Midlands Christian School in Gweru. My favourite place to go is our farm because I get to ride horses, quad bikes and I get to see how our dairy cows are doing! I also like swimming. I like seeing people happy. I love trying out new recipes, drawing & experimenting with making outﬁts for my dolls. I don’t like sweets and bananas. I hate 18

bullies and people who gossip and make others feel less of themselves which, in a way is still bullying right? I also don’t like dresses (but my mum inﬂuenced me on this one). Q. What do you like to do in your spare time? I love tie-dying and coming up with designs for bleached clothes. I am still too young to handle bleach so I come up with the concepts & tell Mummy what

exclusive interview

needs to be done. I also enjoy drawing, interior designing using virtual home design apps, cooking and sewing clothes for my dolls. Q. How and when did you get into fashion designing? I started designing clothes & accessories when I was 3. I don’t really remember how I started but I know that I’ve always found it interesting.I have loved fashion for as long as I can remember. I love

colour and how it brings life to clothes and pretty much everything! Q. How was your brand born? I watched a lot of YouTube videos, then I asked my Granny to get me a tie-dye kit. At ﬁrst I only wanted to try it out but I fell in love with how it looked. From that moment, I would constantly ask my mum or dad to let me experiment on their clothes. I also won awards for creative fashion designing at school.

My parents could see my passion, and that convinced them to register a company on my behalf. They also got me a brand strategist to help structure my vision and bring it to life!

Q. When did you sell your ﬁrst piece as Kubvumbi and what did that feel like? It was in 2020. Some months before the launch, my dad bought the very ﬁrst t-shirt I made; he paid $20. It felt really nice, especially because I MADE IT! .

international people will know and acknowledge Zimbabwe as the country that allowed the dreams of a kidpreneur to grow.

Q. What inspires your designs? I do a lot of my research on YouTube. And sometimes I just experiment with the ideas in my head & they always come out beautifully. I am also inspired by nature - one of my designs, The Sun and The Sea was

Q. Why Tie-dye?

It allows me to play with colours! And it allows me the time to balance my passion and my school work. For now, I only design clothes from scratch for my dolls. I haven’t really sewn anything for an adult- yet. That’s a skill I am still learning.

Q. Why did you name your brand Kubvumbi? It’s my middle name in Shona, I also wanted the name in my mother tongue so that one day when Kubvumbi goes

inspired by how the sun and the sea complement each other on a bright summer day. I have also made some red, pink and yellow hoodies which were inspired by the sunset.

Q. What is your main aim with Kubvumbi? What do you want to achieve, what do you want people to know about you and your brand?

I want people to know that anyone can do anything they want, at a young or even old age. I also want the world to 20

exclusive interview know that things are not just hopeless in Zimbabwe. I hope to grow my product range, maybe add shoes to my collection.

Q. How does it feel being a designer at 9 (soon to be 10) years old? It makes me feel like I can do anything. It gives me room to express my feelings through my art. And since I am doing it at such a young age, I hope I inspire other kids too.

Q. What has the response been like from friends, peers and the public? My friends and my parents’ friends have been really supportive! Our brand has been received warmly even by people we didn’t know before & it makes me so happy.

Q. It’s pretty evident that God & your faith have a huge impact on your life. Was it important for you to incorporate your faith into your brand & the work you do? Yes, because none of this would have been possible without God.

Q. What does the future look like for April and for Kubvumbi? My dream is to study design in Paris. I don’t want to limit myself to fashion designing only because I am passionate about all things design, including houses and cars. I also want to travel and sell my brand in across the world so that Kubvumbi becomes an international brand.

@kubvumbi

@kubvumbi1

Q. And lastly, what words of advice do you have for other young girls with big dreams and goals? Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it! I also hope more parents and guardians can be supportive of their children’s dreams the same way my parents have come through for me.

+263 719 429 334

Did you know that like spoken languages, sign languages are different and unique to each country? Zimbabwe Sign Language (ZSL) is recognised as an official language by the constitution. And, ithas its own unique alphabet!

23rd September

International Day of Sign Languages

Can you spell your name in ZSL?

Fascinating Facts about Baby’s Sleep Here are some fascinating facts that might help you understand the nature of babies’ sleep and appreciate why your baby’s “sleeping like a baby” means that you get barely any sleep at all! www.tinylove.com

Did You Know? Babies Have Shorter Sleep Cycles

There’s a Reason for Babies Light Sleep

Babies moves from light sleep (known as REM) to deep sleep (known as NREM) every 50-60 minutes. Babies tend to wake up during the REM stage; some manage to get back to sleep alone while others require comforting.

Babies’ light sleep actually has signiﬁcance. For example, in the ﬁrst few months, it allows hunger to wake baby up and demand the sustenance she needs.

Shut Eyes Don’t Mean Baby is Fast-Asleep

There’s no use trying to deprive your baby of sleep during daytime to make him sleep better at night – a baby who is well-rested will go to sleep more easily and sleep better at night than a baby who isn’t.

Fluttering eyes, a ﬂexed body and erratic breathing mean that baby is still in REM stage. Make sure your baby is deep in sleep to increase the chances he won’t wake up when you put him down.

Sleep is Strongly Related to Development Sleep has a direct link to infants’ development and growth.

Sleep Begets Sleep

Darkness has Significance Enjoying plenty of daylight and avoiding strong lights at night will help your baby distinguish between day and night. Later, it will also help regulate the production of melatonin, the sleep inducing hormone naturally released by our bodies.

A Childhood,

STOLEN!

For the past month, the nation has been mourning the loss of the life of Anna Machaya. Anna is a girl whose childhood was interrupted by an outdated and damaging practice that forces young girls into marriages. Although child marriage is illegal in Zimbabwe, to this day the practice is still happening. We wanted to know how and why the practice still exists. We sat down with human rights lawyer, Lucy Chivasa to discuss the matter and to dissect this issue that stains Zimbabwe's cultural cloth. 26

Q. Is child marriage legal inZimbabwe? No, it is not. We have a constitution that was enacted in 2013 and it has a section that deals with marriages. It clearly states that no person should get into a marriage if they are below the age of 18. It also highlights that anyone who is under the age of 18 is a child and cannot consent to marriage. Furthermore, there is a whole section that also deals with children and their rights. To understand the nuances of Anna Machaya’s case we need to unpack marriage law in Zimbabwe. The Marriages Act or Chapter 37 as it was known represents Civil Marriages in Zimbabwe. Before the 2013 Constitution, that act allowed children who were 16 and older to get married with their parent’s or the

exclusive interview minister’s consent. The Guardianship of Minors Act says the High Court of Zimbabwe is the upper guardian of all minor children in the country. That meant that the minister could consent to the marriage of a child under the age of 18. But the 2013 Constitution overrode this. But one of the biggest issues with Zimbabwean marriage law is that each union has its own Act, and all of them are divorced from each other. The Civil Marriages Act states that the age of consent to marry is 18. We also have the Customary Marriages Act where the age of consent is 16. Child Marriages often fall into a forgotten niche where bride price is paid but the marriage is never registered. At law, this is actually no form of marriage. And it's only considered a marriage union where there is a determination to be made on either divorce, sharing of property, or a determination on issues of child custody and child guardianship. Another piece of legislation that outlaws child marriage is the Domestic Violence act. Our deﬁnition and scope of domestic violence is broad; it covers issues of psychological, emotional, and

economic abuse. And most importantly, the Act has a whole section dedicated to harmful cultural practices – and child marriage is listed as one. To sum it up, the Zimbabwean Constitution is clear that no child under the age of 18 can consent to any form of marriage. Even though we have some contradictions in our Marriage laws, the Constitution is the supreme law.

Q. Are there any mandates to register a customary marriage? You have a choice to either get the marriage registered or not. But not getting registered means you are not married. These are called Unregistered Customary law unions. So, if your spouse dies you will have to get people who were present to sign afﬁdavits that verify that you were married and they witnessed it.

The biggest issue we have on our hands is the disharmony within our Marriage laws. As much as the Constitution outlaws child marriages, there is no legislative framework in place as yet. The last attempt to introduce a new marriage bill was met with backlash from the public. One of the most important things that the marriage bill was proposing to do was to harmonize our marriage laws and protect the spouses within those unions; most of which, as I’ve said before are young girls in unregistered customary marriages. Unfortunately, the bill was reduced to 'they are trying to legalise small houses.' But that was not what the bill was about at all.

Q. In Anna Machaya’s case can the

husband still get charged for rape? To understand this question we have to understand what constitutes rape. The deﬁnition of rape states that you cannot force yourself onto someone and, it goes on to add that people under the age of 16 cannot give their consent. In Anna’s case, there’s a high probability that she had sex when she was much younger because she died at 14. So yes, it was rape. But let’s say she was a “consenting partner”, the law says that even though she might have given her consent, given her age she could not consent. The perpetrator’s charge is reduced to having sexual intercourse with a young person, which is a very minor offense that can have someone charged with only a caution or community service.

tell their story. But from a legal point of view, I would say that it is clear that the young girl was most probably not consenting.

Q. Is there a law in Zimbabwe against not sending your kids to school; is education mandatory?

The Constitution says that children have a right to free primary education but like I mentioned there are a lot of laws that need to be aligned and implemented. At the moment you can't be prosecuted for denying your child education.

Q. Have Anna Machaya's parents committed any crime?

Yes. As we already know they committed identity fraud. Anna was using the ID Card of a different family member. But more than that, parents are supposed to protect their children from any form of Q. Anna Machaya was a young girl who abuse. And this includes not marrying off a child. So, they can be charged with was pulled out of school against her child neglect as well. will. How will the court determine

whether or not she was a consenting partner in that sexual relationship?

I agree that proving that will be a stretch and we’ll have to keep watching to see how it all unfolds. So far, we know that the husband has been arrested for rape. We’ll have to see if they can sustain the rape charge. Anna Machaya’s death brings a whole new dimension to the case. We no longer have a complainant to

Q. If a child were to get married, does this make them emancipated, or does guardianship transfer to the spouse until they're 18? That’s a difﬁcult question. But in practice, guardianship could transfer to the spouse because marriage does not change your age status. If you are under 18, you are a minor, no matter the consequences. But even then this is such a blurry issue because you actually cannot transfer guardianship like that. In my opinion, when you marry off a young person they are now no one’s child. No one is concerned about their human rights. No one cares about their day-to-day living. Think about it, if a man is willing to marry a literal child they are most likely not prepared to be a guardian for that child – they are looking for a wife. Think about the amount of stress that would put on a young mind. Not

exclusive interview only do they have to look after themselves, but they also have to look after their husband and soon, their own children and that’s a heavy burden to carry at such a young age. Maybe that's why the girls in these situations feel they cannot even do anything. They can't run away. They can't report and they become disempowered. The people who are supposed to protect them are no longer there and in most cases, they have put them in that predicament.

Q. How prevalent would you say child marriages in Zimbabwe?

Very much so. It is unfortunate that these cases only come to light when something heartbreaking like a death occurs, but children are getting married off every day and I feel that poverty and religion play a massive role in this. While I was practicing, I used to go to court often and we would get a lot of rape cases that would end up being dropped because the perpetrators would offer marriage and the girls’ families would accept. I would always try to dissuade them but the argument would always be the same, “After representing us, you're going back to your house, but who do you want to look after this child and their baby? As long as they want to get married, let them get married so we don't have a burden.” So a lot of child marriages that happen are sort of solutions for the family. And these types of marriages also happen between 2 minors. We also have child marriages that happen as a result of religious beliefs as in Anna Machaya’s case. In these communities, this practice is so normal to them and they are not willing to end it.

Q. That’s an important observation. If people wanted child marriages to end,

they would. At the heart of it, if the communities are married to these ideas then it'll take a long time for us to eradicate the practice.

That’s very true. How I see it, the communities are not ready to end child marriages and we’re not getting much support from the law enforcement agencies either. The lethargy with regards to dealing with the issue of child marriages is bafﬂing. Maybe they are afraid of making laws that cannot be implemented or maybe they have a political interest in maintaining the status quo, I don’t know. But I don't see what's stopping them.

Q. Are there any other cases you came across while practicing? There is an ethnic group I came across in Masvingo, the Shangani people. They believe that when young girls menstruate, they have come of age. They perform the Komba ceremony to

celebrate this milestone. And while there, girls are tested for their virginity. The girls who are still virgins are marked and from then on, these girls are ready to be married. In this case, even the girls see marriage at such a young age as an achievement. That’s why we need to realize, that to rid ourselves of child marriage completely, our communities will need to change their ways of thinking and some of their core beliefs.

Q. Is child marriage an issue in other cultures and countries across the world? Most deﬁnitely. Many cultures still practice child marriage to this day. But more than that, I think it’s important for us to characterize child marriage as what it really is, child abuse. And once we do that, we open up an even larger can of worms. In South Africa, they now provide contraceptives to their primary school students so that, no matter what happens to them, at least they are protected. But Zimbabwe, on the other hand, is stuck in this space between being modern and maintaining traditional and conservative values. So we won’t provide contraceptives to our kids but when they are now stuck with pregnancies we force them into marriages. The biggest issue is that we have put being married, having a husband, and lobola and bride price on such a high pedestal. Even the young girls buy into these ideals.

Q. I know you brieﬂy spoke about it, but does child marriage affect girls only? I think it affects both girls and boys. We have already discussed situations where two minors are forced into marriage because the young girl is now pregnant. But like I mentioned, child marriage is, at 20

the core, child abuse. A lot of children suffer from sexual abuse at the hands of parents, guardians, family members, close family friends, and neighbours. The only difference is that girls have visible consequences in the form of pregnancy. I also ﬁnd the term child marriage to be quite problematic. Anna Machaya was not married to that man. She was not at an age to give consent to that marriage, and her parents had no right to marry her off. I think we need to start calling it as it is. Anna Machaya was raped, she was abused, and her human rights were violated. The more we use these glossy terms and normalize this behaviour and these cultural practices; we make them more palatable. © THE ADVOCACY PROJECT/ ALEX KOTOWSKI

Q.Why does child marriage keep happening, & what are the government & local leaders doing to stop it? In my opinion, neither the government nor the community is doing anything to stop it and until they do, it will keep happening. As we discussed, there are pieces of legislation in Zimbabwe that allow for young girls to have sexual intercourse. And even more alarming, we have people in positions of power who

exclusive interview uphold these views. A few years back, we had a sitting Attorney General saying that girls aged 13 should be allowed to get married. It then came out that he was part of an Apostolic Sect that believed in child marriage. In as much as religion plays a massive role in the continuation of the practice, we also can’t ignore the political aspect. For as long as politicians get votes from the Marange community, I don’t think we will see much action against the issue in that area. There is a general lack of willingness to have clear-cut laws with punitive measures to uphold said laws. But more than anything, I think that if we could get legislation in place that would

amendment, a company was a separate legal entity from the owners. But a lot of people used this to defraud people and then claimed they, as individuals, were not connected to the company’s operations. So, what the amendment did was effectively piercing the corporate veil. Now directors can be held responsible for malpractice in their companies. If we apply the same principles to the issues we are experiencing with child marriage we will most certainly see a dramatic decrease in the practice.

This case’s ups and downs have been crazy from start to ﬁnish. The way the story was framed at ﬁrst, we were led to believe that the mother was against the union. Now, it turns out that the mother was involved in the faking of Anna’s documents, changing both her name and her age. But in cases where one parent is not consenting, what steps can they take to protect their child?

They need to report their case to the police. You can also report to © ERIKA KYTE/ GETTY any child protection committees in your community. give personal liability to everyone That being said, I believe that her mother involved we would see much swifter change. If the parent who gives ‘consent’ probably did report the case. As a religious case, you have to understand for their child to get married thus aiding that to some of these women this and perpetuating the abuse of a child is practice is commonplace. She probably personally liable, they are less likely to didn’t see anything wrong with it until consent to the marriage. If the person they were being denied access to their who pays lobola for a child would suffer child, whom they were told was signiﬁcant consequences for such deceased and buried. And, I do think that actions, they would not do it. If the the story got to the media through their repercussions were bigger and more relatives who also didn’t realize that punitive I think people would have more Anna's marriage itself was a crime. personal responsibility in ensuring they are not in such situations. I was invited to a webinar recently to discuss, not only Anna’s case but child I'll refer to the Companies Act that was marriage in general. And, one of the amended recently. Before the

students shared their experience. She expressed that women are usually the custodians of these practices. Most of them were married off at 11 or 12, so they don’t understand why she didn’t want the same. Luckily her parents were more progressive; they listened to her and didn’t force her into a marriage.

answer. The risks involved in pregnancy and giving birth are taxing on a young body. And most importantly, parents have an obligation to protect children from neglect, harm, and abuse. And so does the government. This practice is so damaging in so many ways and it needs to end.

We spoke about the charges the husband and the parents are facing in the Anna Machaya case. What about the church?

Sadly, it seems that child marriage is something that's woven into some people’s cultural identity which demonstrates just how much work there is to be done. That’s true and several touchpoints must be addressed for us to get lasting change. Firstly, there is a need for a lot of human rights education around child marriages to let people know that it's wrong and the practice is not normal. Secondly, we need to align and amend our laws so that they all deﬁnitively speak against child marriage. And once in place, these laws need to be implemented. Thirdly, I think it’s important to call on religious communities and traditional leaders to take a ﬁrm stance against child marriage as the custodians of customary law. Customary law should also respect and protect children’s rights. Additionally, we also need to tackle the issue at the family level. We need to educate families that once a child gets pregnant marrying them off is not the 32

The moment that child passed away, her body became a crime scene. The proper procedures were ignored; the police weren’t called, no post-mortem was performed, and the child was buried without a burial order. And with no body, we won’t be able to determine whether this was a murder or a natural death. At this point, we don't even know where the grave is. Therefore, the church is very liable to be charged with causing someone's death. While it may not be called murder, someone is going to have to answer for the death of that little girl because they had no reason to bury that child without the police involved.

Do you have any closing remarks? Eradicating child marriage needs to be a team effort between the government, traditional and religious leaders, the communities we live in, down to the family unit, & the beliefs we individually hold about marriage. I need every parent to know that it's their duty to protect their child & make sure that the child has information on what is abuse. Sometimes they don't even know that they are being abused. You must talk to your children about these things and keep those lines of communication open so that your children know when they are being harmed.

LUCY CHIVASA

Human Rights Lawyer Lucy Chivasa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the University of Zimbabwe and a Master’s Degree in Constitutional and Human Rights law from the Midlands State University in Gweru, Zimbabwe. She is also a Fulbright Alumni 2018-2019 (Hubert. H. Humphrey fellow law and Human Rights) from the University of Minnesota, Hubert Humphrey School of Public Policy, U.S.A.

Miss Chivasa is a Human Rights Lawyer and Constitutional law expert with over 10 years' experience in juvenile justice, women's rights training, litigation, research, advocacy, and community mobilization. Lucy has dedicated her career working to enhance the human rights of marginalized groups. She is also passionate about promoting law and policy reform as well as encouraging citizen participation in issues of governance and Democracy. Lucy Chivasa is board Chairperson for Women’s

Academy for Leadership and Political excellence. She is also the board chairperson of the Female Students Network Trust. Lucy also sits on the management board for the St Theresa’s Hospital and the Economic Justice for Women project board, where she provides leadership and legal opinions. Lucy is a registered lawyer practicing with Ruvengo Maboke and Associates. She is also a media & communications officer for Amnesty International Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwean authorities must take decisive action to prohibit and end child marriage 13 AUGUST 2021

Zimbabwe authorities must immediately take decisive action to protect girls from the harmful practice of early and forced child marriage, Amnesty International said today. The authorities must end impunity for sexual abuse and child marriages, especially within the Apostolic Church sects.

developed and the prevalence of home deliveries in mostly poor rural communities involving children without decision -making powers contributed to Memory’s death. Memory’s parents had taken her out from her ﬁrst year of high school at a school in the Mhondoro district of Mashonaland West aged 13 and betrothed her to an adult man Evans Momberume, a member of the Apostolic Church. At the tender age of 14, her potential, her future, her dreams and her career died with her at the church shrine. Memory’s tragic case has become emblematic of the prevalent cases of child marriages in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is one of four SADC states with high levels of child marriages. According to UN Women, one in three children in Zimbabwe are married before they reach 18 years and UNICEF in 2015 stated that 31% of the girls in Zimbabwe are married before their 18th birthday. Child marriage is both an outcome and driver of gender inequality and discrimination.

On 15 July a 14-year-old child bride, Memory Machaya died during childbirth at a Johanne Marange Apostolic Church shrine. She did not have access to health care professionals. The lack of urgency on the part of the adults involved during childbirth for young girls not physically

Child marriage creates a cycle of poverty, unintended pregnancies, barriers to education and lost opportunities for the girl child. In 2016, the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe struck down section 22(1) of the Marriage Act, which for years had allowed children under 18 to get married, with parental consent. In practice child marriages have not stopped in line with the Supreme Court judgment. This is even though Zimbabwe is a signatory to

the Maputo Protocol which prohibits marriage of children under 18 and prohibits all forms of harmful cultural practices including child marriages. The failure by the state to effectively combat child marriage and tackle some of the root causes including poverty, gender discrimination, harmful practices, and barriers to education and sexual and reproductive health services and information have worsened its occurrence. Research from Amnesty International has documented how child marriages have led to human rights violations, including sexual abuse, disruption with their education, impeded access to healthcare, the potential risk of developing a ﬁstula during childbirth, the tragic occurrence of maternal mortality and morbidity during home deliveries and lack of family protection of the girl child.

“Amnesty International found that in early child marriages, the girls face challenges in making decisions about their health and continuing with their education. We call on Zimbabwe authorities to immediately pass into law legislation that prohibits child marriages. Although the 2019 Marriages Bill, prohibits and condemns child marriages, it is yet to be passed into law by the Parliament of Zimbabwe. The Marriages Bill is currently at its second reading stage before Senate. According to the Marriage Bill, parents who betroth their children in marriage could be prosecuted and the man who marries a child below the age of 18 faces a similar fate. The obligation of authorities in Zimbabwe goes beyond prosecuting child marriage offenders, as 36

the state should further pass laws and policies that prohibit the marriage of children under 18, reduce the discrimination and marginalisation of the girl child, and ensure that all marriages are registered in terms of the law. We call on authorities to conduct a prompt, effective, impartial and independent investigation into the circumstances of the death of Memory Machaya and ensure those responsible are held accountable in accordance with their right to fair trial. The state must also investigate the practice of child marriages in the Apostolic Church and mostly rural communities in Zimbabwe. Amnesty International welcomes and acknowledges the public outcry and the commitments made by the police to investigate her death, concerns by the Gender Commission, and calls by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises to end child marriages and urges the authorities to translate their public commitments into swift action. The Zimbabwe Gender Commission in 2019 reported that “Twenty-two women are raped daily in Zimbabwe, one woman is abused every 75 minutes and an average of 646 women are being sexually-abused monthly and one in three girls is raped or sexually assaulted before they reach the age of 18.” The Sexual Offences Act and the Criminal Law (Codiﬁcation and Reform) Act contain gaps of concern to Amnesty International. The Sexual Offences Act set the age of consent to sex as 16. However, the Criminal Law (Codiﬁcation and Reform) Act creates an offence of extra-marital sexual intercourse with a minor and provides a defence to a charge of statutory rape of a child aged between 12 and 16 if there was “consent”. The legislation has been criticised for

creating confusion within Zimbabwe as to the age of consent for sex and limiting access to justice for child rape survivors. Perpetrators exploit the gaps by legitimising sexual abuse of minors through forced marriages and enjoy the entrenched impunity. If there was enough political will the Domestic Violence Act could be used to prosecute child marriages. The Domestic Violence Act describes child marriage as a form of domestic violence or abuse derived from a cultural practice that discriminates against or degrades women. Section 4 then criminalises any act of domestic violence as defined in section 3 of the Domestic Violence Act. At the regional and international levels Zimbabwe is a state party to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Children (ACRWC) which provide for the principle of the best interests of the child, rights of children to education, health, family protection, dignity and freedom from torture and sexual abuse. Section 21 of the ACRWC enjoins states to, “Take all appropriate measures to eliminate harmful social and cultural practices affecting the welfare, dignity, normal growth and development of the child” including practices that are prejudicial to the health and life of a child. Section 21 further provides that “Child marriage and the betrothal of girls and boys shall be prohibited and effective action, including legislation, shall be taken to specify the minimum age of marriage to be 18 years and make registration of all marriages in an official registry compulsory.” It is time for Zimbabwe to immediately live up to the international and regional norms they signed up to and ratified. The authorities must ensure that

ofﬁcial statement

adolescents have access to sexual and reproductive health services and information. Traditional and religious leaders in rural and peri-urban communities must take steps to stop these harmful practices amongst their church and community members. Civil society organisations must continue to advocate behaviour change in communities and push policymakers to make legislative reforms and hold perpetrators accountable using available alternative laws. We believe with sufﬁcient political will, the state could hold accountable perpetrators of gender-based violence.

GET IN TOUCH MAILING ADDRESS

54 Midlothean Avenue Eastlea Harare, Zimbabwe info@amnesty.org.zw +263 772 163 544-6 @AmnestyZW @amnesty_zim

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Step 1: Soak In Vinegar

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Step 2: Choose your design & Rubber band your item. You can try different styles, check the next page!

Step 3: Make Your Food Coloring Tie Dye

Fill the water bottle with a 1/2 cup of water and approximately 16 drops of food coloring. Use a different bottle for each color of tie dye you make. 44

Step 5: Wrap it up

Wrap your design in plastic wrap or in a ziplock bag to let the dye set. Let sit for at least 8 hours, or overnight to ensure optimum results!

Step 6: Set the Tie Dye with Salt Water Mixture

Dissolve 1/2 cup salt with enough cold water to cover the material. Let it soak for 15-30 minutes for the best results.

Step 7: Wash Your Newly Dyed Item!

Take the rubber bands off & use plastic gloves to avoid staining your hands. Rinse your material with cold water until the water runs clear. Make sure to wash it separately for the first 3 washes so the dye doesn't stain your other clothes.

Choose your design! Spiral

1. Pinch the middle of your tshirt & swirl it into a disc. 2. Keep the shirt as flat as possible, & add 3 rubber bands evenly spaced so you have 6 sections on the shirt. 3. Add different colours to each section as desired.

crumple

1. Crumple up your shirt into a pile. 2. Spray dye onto shirt in random squiggles. 3. Add as many colurs as desired!

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1. Decide where you want the center of your colour burst to be. 2. Pull up the fabric in a cone shape, tying at the points you want to add new colours 3. Apply dye between banded sections.

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Letters from

Aunt Jane

Dear Mum & Dad How have you been since our last letter? (Please don't give me the generic answer. Really close your eyes and take your time to analyse how you have been feeling?) In the last letter, we got to talk about the importance of emotions and how we should be able to guide our little ones in expressing their emotions. It might seem like a difﬁcult task and to some, it may seem unnecessary but with practice, it is so doable, it is necessary, and you can do it! In this letter, we'll be diving deeper into what it means to be an emotionally intelligent parent, and how emotional literacy can enhance the way to parent your children. As a mum or a dad, our biggest dream for our children is for them to grow up happy and satisﬁed with life but also

Jane Jambaya is the emotional intelligence officer! She is a registered social worker with a passion for people and helping them to realize their full potential.

respectful and disciplined to the people around them. It's only normal for you She is also a business owner, and a mother to to want to see an amazing 3 year old. your child healthy, kind, behaved, and morally ﬁt. The question is, how many times have you been able to keep your cool whilst trying to build the child you envision? How many times have you behaved in ways that you had probably sworn you wouldn't? Parenting is an interesting journey where you'll ﬁnd your child pushing boundaries and doing things you never thought they would. It's a journey with lots of delightful highs and plenty of bumps and potholes along the way. Remember, mum and dad, as stated in our

previous letter, children are perfect mirrors. This means that the trick is not to sing the "do as I say and not as I do" song. For your child to learn emotional intelligence you must model emotional intelligence. And to model it, you have to be an emotionally intelligent parent. By now, you are probably wondering what is emotional intelligence? Social workers and psychologists deﬁne emotional intelligence as the skill of being able to understand your own emotions as well as the emotions of others. It also means understanding why we have emotions and the role they play in our everyday lives. An emotionally intelligent parent can realize that joy is an emotion for celebration as it gives us pleasure inside. Whereas an emotion like fear is a warning which leads us to be vigilant. It is a protective measure that helps us create healthy boundaries. An emotionally intelligent parent does not ignore or disregard their own feelings; they embrace and value their own feelings. They know how to think through their emotions before they act; they are in charge of their actions. And they understand that emotions are inevitable, that they deﬁne us but they don't have to rule us. There is nothing wrong with being angry, happy, scared, or disgusted. Our reactions determine whether we are emotionally intelligent or emotionally ignorant. Mum and Dad, I want you to realize that emotional intelligence is not about controlling other people's behaviours. Don't even set yourself up for failure! It is mission impossible to try to control the behaviour of a 3-year-old and even a 15-year-old. Emotional intelligence is realizing that, as a parent, you should not be quick to discipline your child when they've done wrong. If you do, you're going to react from emotion and not 48

logic. Take a breath, calm down and try to understand how your child must be feeling. And to know that we need to be in touch with our own feelings. As a parent, you have to seek age-appropriate skills to regulate your own feelings. This means when your 3-year-old is throwing a ﬁt in the supermarket because they want a lollipop you can't cop out and say, "I will buy it if you stop crying." An emotional parent would calmly say, "I have listened to you crying for a long time. And we are still not going to buy a lollipop. How about we go home and watch Peppa Pig?".

And, to the 15-year-old who seems grumpy and is not interested in doing any chores you have tasked them, try not to attack them with words like, "You are in my house and must follow my rules. I will not tolerate your grumpiness." Rather say, "I understand you might be frustrated. But as your mother/father I have expectations, and it is my expectation that you fulﬁl the tasks I have given you." An emotionally intelligent parent is aware of where they have power and where they do not have power. As a parent, you have the power to potty train

a child, but you can't stop your child from wetting the blankets. You have the power to send your child to school, but you can't be sure that they will understand everything they are taught in school. You have the power to buy a bed, but you can't force that child to sleep. You must understand the things you can control and the things you can't. Take some time now to reﬂect on that. Emotional Intelligence gives you the skills to teach your little ones to accept a NO! It is normal for a child to cry or blow things out of proportion. When that happens an emotionally intelligent parent does not declare their authority automatically, they won't judge their child or compare themselves to how their own parents would have reacted. They strive to understand why their child does not accept a no. The skill of accepting a no is a very essential life skill that is invested within an emotionally intelligent parent.

“Mum & dad, life is a bag of mixed emotions. Some days will be good days & others will be bad.” One moment one can be exceptionally cranky, and another moment one can be so full of joy; that is LIFE and we cannot try to ﬁx it, judge it, or shame it. Living

life to the fullest means talking about emotions and creating a safe space in honour of emotions. Remember, parenting should never be about perfection. Here are some emotionally intelligent tips for better communication between you & your child: 1. Get down to their level. Being at the same level with your child makes them feel more comfortable. 2. Maintain eye contact. This is a tool that can help you to determine if your child feels safe. Your child needs to realize that they have your full attention. And eye contact is one way to let them know that and to create a safe space for them. 3. Be honest about your own feelings. Openly share how worried you are about your work deadlines or anything else you're worried about. This creates space for your child to be honest and aware of their own feelings. As a parent, it is okay to state when you are hurt, disappointed, happy, or proud. Emotional intelligence is an ongoing process and once you get the hang of it, it becomes a natural and innate skill. In the same way we abide by the laws of physics, it is my hope that you, mum and dad, will also learn to abide by the laws of emotion. This does not mean you become weak as a parent. I believe emotional intelligence and awareness actually make you stronger. It brings about a more positive outlook on life and yields fulﬁlling relationships. I encourage you to do more research on emotions and to start practicing living as emotionally intelligent parents. Yours with love, Aunt Jane (MissSocialWorker)

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Celebrating Friendhip Month

Childhood Friendships

& How They Affect Your Child’s Development Creating friendships is a vital step in a child's emotional and social growth. There are countless benefits to children making friends. It is our job as their parents, guardians, and teachers to guide and promote these early relationships. The skills they learn at these early ages will form the basis of the person they become in society. The benefits of friendship in childhood The benefits of friendship in children are similar to the benefits that adults gain: friendship gives us a sense of belonging, security and helps reduce stress. Having friends boosts happiness, well-being, and self-confidence! 1. Social Development Children are naturally inclined to be selfish and to think only of themselves and what they want. But, being in friendships and engaging with other children can help them learn that their

actions have consequences. They also learn to communicate effectively and to share their belongings with the people they like and love. 2. Emotional Development Friendships help children to develop empathy. Through interactions with their friends, they learn how other people react to their actions. And, they learn not to repeat actions that cause negative reactions. 3. Physical Development Children can push themselves physically

when they have friends through games and competition. And the biggest physical beneﬁt is that they experience less stress when they have friends. How do I support my Child’s friendships? Here are some tips that parents and guardians can use to support their children in this developmental milestone.

Let your child be!

Some children are extroverted and outgoing and easily make lots of friends while others are more reserved and content with one or two friends. Try not to compare your child's friendship skills to other children or their siblings. Each child is unique &, all that is required of you is support, love, and a listening ear.

Encourage their friendships

When your child makes a close bond with a peer that they like spending time with, try as much as possible to support & nurture the friendship. Things like spending time with each other outside the school and setting up playdates will help. Provide your children with as much opportunity to make new friends. Enroll them in holiday camps, play centres, and other places they can meet & play with other kids their age.

Model the friendships you want them to have

Children are mirrors. They will do as you do, not as you say. So, through your actions, model what good friendships look like with your friends, your neighbours, & your colleagues.

Listen to your children! Your role is to guide your children as they navigate these unchartered waters. Arguments & disagreements are inevitable. Your job is to gently guide them through these difficult moments. When you give them the support & guidance they need, you’ll be surprised how well they will develop the necessary skills on their own. 52

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health & awareness

SEPTEMBER September is

INTERNATIONAL

CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Children can get the same cancers as adults do. The difference for children is that most Childhood cancers occur suddenly, and without early symptoms. Childhood cancers also have a high rate of cure at 80%. According to the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe, our country’s high death rate in Childhood cancer cases is due to late diagnosis, the HIV and AIDS pandemic, and poor healthcare across the country. To raise our survival rate we need to be aware and alert to the early signs & symptoms of childhood cancer. The most common children's cancer is leukemia. Other cancers that affect children include brain tumors, lymphoma, and soft tissue sarcoma. Symptoms and treatment depend on the cancer type and how advanced it is. Treatment may include surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy. Cancer is a group of diseases caused by the abnormal growth of body cells. Under normal circumstances, cells divide and multiply in a controlled orderly manner. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new cells. But, sometimes this orderly process goes wrong, cells do not die when they should and they continue to multiply uncontrollably, forming a mass or tumour. These growths are considered either benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). The causes of childhood cancers are largely unknown. There are however a few conditions, such as Down syndrome, other speciﬁc chromosomal and genetic abnormalities, and ionizing radiation exposures, that explain a small percentage of cases. Children commonly experience cancers of the white blood cells (leukemia), brain,

bone, and lymphatic system (lymphoma). Although they are all caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells, each of these cancers behaves differently. Cancer Cases (by gender)

41% GIRLS

In a 2006 study of 151 Childhood cancer cases (0-14 years), 89 were boys & 62 59% were girls. BOYS Zimbabwe National Cancer Registry

Early Detection is key! A cancer diagnosis is difﬁcult for the whole family & the young patient. There will be many questions and decisions. It’s common for both the parents & their child to feel that life has spun out of control, especially if you don’t have the information you need to make decisions.

Common Symptoms of Childhood Cancer • • • • • Do your research and join support groups; talking about cancer can help you and your family feel more in control and more involved. Knowing what to expect also helps put things in perspective and it makes decision-making easier for both you and your child

Take Note! Although the most common cancers in Zimbabwe present these signs, the symptoms can also be caused by other diseases or conditions. When you detect any of these symptoms seek medical assistance as soon as possible. If the symptoms persist after treatment, report back to the health facility for further investigations as soon as possible. Early diagnosis, leading to early treatment of cancer, giving you the greatest chances of success. Cancer can be prevented & it can be cured if diagnosed and treated early. 56

•

• • • •

Enlarged head Abnormal lump or lumps on the body Swelling (Unusual swelling or abnormal mass) Listlessness & a high temperature that won’t come down Sudden weight loss & poor appetite Changes in the eye or vision (White spots in the pupil, sudden squinting, bulging eyeball, blindness) Unexplained bruising or bleeding (Persistent bleeding or development of purple marks indicating bleeding beneath the skin) Difficulty balancing Headaches (Often and with early morning vomiting) Personality change (Change in behaviour & development) Aching bones (Aching bones, joints or back, or fractures that happen easily) For more information: Visit The Cancer Association of Zimbabwe 60 Livingstone Ave, Hre education@cancer.co.zw 707444 / 705522

health & awareness

OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Ovarian cancer is a group of diseases that originates in the ovaries or organs around them including the fallopian tubes and the peritoneum. The peritoneum is the tissue lining that covers organs in the abdomen.

As with all cancers, early detection is KEY! Although the exact cause is unknown, some gene mutations have been known to raise your risk for ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancers come in a variety of different tumor types. The most common tumor type is high-grade serous carcinoma, occurring in about 70% of ovarian cancer cases When ovarian cancer is found in its early

stages, treatment works best. Ovarian cancer often causes signs and symptoms, so it is important to pay attention to your body and know what is normal for you. Symptoms may be caused by something other than cancer but, the only way to know is to see your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional.

Do you know the symptoms of ovarian cancer? Vaginal bleeding (particularly if you are past menopause), or discharge from your vagina that is not normal for you.

Pain or pressure in the pelvic area.

Abdominal or back pain.

5 3

The best thing for you to do is to pay attention to your body and know what is normal for you. If you have unusual vaginal bleeding, see a doctor right away. If any of the other signs last for two weeks or longer and they are not normal for you, see a doctor. They may be caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to know is to see a doctor. 58

A change in your bathroom habits, like more frequent or urgent need to urinate and/or constipation.

Feeling full too quickly, or difficulty eating.

Bloating

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Youth Substance Abuse in Zimbabwe BY: DR. ANESU ISABEL CHINOPEREKWEI

Dr. Anesu is a female Psychiatrist based in Harare. She runs Serenity Mind Center, an outpatient mental health facility. She is passionate about mental health & is working towards making a difference in untangling stigma, discrimination, myths & fears on the mental health in Zimbabwe. She is married, & a mother to 3 children. Contact Dr Anesu at Serenity Mind Center 19 Divine Road, Milton Park, Harare 0712252245 serenemindcenter@gmail.com

There is no denying that substance abuse into their teenage years, we now see is becoming a massive problem in our children as young as 13 and 14 abusing country, and with the rising Crystal Meth substances. epidemic, we are seeing younger and younger kids sucked into this black hole. To understand what we are dealing with as parents, we have to understand what we are facing.

Substance abuse is a mental health condition characterised by the continued use of a substance despite the harmful effects one gets from it. These substances do not only affect the physical health of the individual; they also inﬂuence other spheres of life. Physically, one may suffer from neurological problems like memory impairment. And then, depending on the substance, organs like the liver, kidneys, and heart may also be affected. Their emotional health will also be affected. People may become more prone to aggression and depression. They may also be unable to lead a normal social life with family, friends, and the people in their communities. Additionally, substance abuse almost always results in failing to maintain or cope with academics, work & other responsibilities. There are many types of substances one may use and abuse. When we look at Zimbabwe, we commonly see cases of the following substances: alcohol (especially in middle-aged and older adults), Cannabis, and Broncleer or 'Bronco', other prescription pain killers, and cough mixtures. And more recently, Crystal Meth usage has risen among the youth due to its cheap cost. Although the majority of youth cases we see start well

There are many reasons why young people are abusing substances these days. The most common ones we see include but are not limited to: i. ii. iii. iv.

v. vi.

Peer pressure For experimentation To fit in within gangs or cliques that abuse substances. Failure to cope with life stresses • Being orphaned • Poor grades • Experiencing significant & multiple losses due to covid Physical and sexual abuse Having untreated or undiagnosed mental health problems such as bipolar disorder, depression

So, whatever reasons lead your child to start, in most cases, he/she may be using for only "a short time" intending to stop. But, because of the addictive nature of the substance, they then ﬁnd themselves unable to stop. In contrast, they may gradually increase their intake of the substance as their bodies grow more and more accustomed to it. This phenomenon is called tolerance. In other words, the user may ﬁnd themselves trapped and unable to stop even if they try to. This is a reason I constantly hammer into my young

patients – it is always better to have never started because once you do, it may be very difﬁcult to stop and the loss will almost always be greater than any euphoria you'll achieve. And, the losses are endless; shattered dreams, imprisonment for crimes committed while intoxicated, unwanted pregnancies, failure to progress in life due to poor academic performance, or being dismissed from work.

2. Know your children’s friends and their parents as well as their values. Some friends are not worth having.

Preventative measures: 1. Develop a good relationship with your child so that you know them.

3. Be involved in your child’s life.

As a result, you may be able to pick up behavioural changes that come with early substance abuse much quicker. Behavioural changes may include: • A tendency to keep to oneself • Irritable and irrational behaviours • Mood swings • Falling grades • Skipping school • Unusual smells (more evident with alcohol and cannabis abuse) • Changes in physical appearance • Yellowing of ﬁngernails in cannabis abuse • Bloodshot eyes • Excessive yawning and lethargy • Diarrhea in opiate/Broncleer abuse • Unexplained lack of sleep or abnormal energy (crystal meth abuse) • Lack of interest in family & things they used to enjoy doing, or at the other extreme, excessive interests in certain activities. 62

This does not mean you should be snoopy & cause unease in your children. Knowing who they are hanging out with can come from a simple friendly conversation. The question is, "Do you as a parent have a relationship with your child, or are you nothing more than the rule-maker and disciplinarian?"

4. Have informative discussions on substance abuse and the harmful impact it has from as early as your children can understand. Make sure to share this information in a manner that is understandable to your child. The depth of the information given will expand as your children’s ability to comprehend increases with age.

As long as you as a parent or guardian have tried your best and your children are failing to stop abusing substances, it is time to seek professional help. There is no use in waiting – the longer you wait, the harder it will be for your children! As long as you have noticed the changes in behaviour mentioned, and you have had open and honest discussions which provide both education and guidance to your children and, despite all this, there has been a failure to break the habit, then it's time to get a professional to help! You can also do the following to help support your children on their health journeys. • Talk about it openly • Offer support. Once the habit develops, it is difficult to break. Support and patience under the guidance of a mental health practitioner will help. • Be firm and define the rules of your household • Reach out to a mental health • professional and have your child

screened for any underlying physical & mental health conditions which may have precipitated the addiction. If need be, send them to a rehabilitation facility for help.

Contact the following organisations for youth mental health & Substance abuse support: The Friendship Bench Visit: www.friendshipbenchzimbabwe.org Email: jermaine.dambi@friendshipbench.io Call: +263784845294 Twitter: @youthbench | Instagram: @youth_bench_zimbabwe S.A.L.T Africa (Someone Is Always Listening To you) Visit: www.saltafrica org, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook: @saltafrica263 Call or Whatsapp: +263783306663 Email: info@saltafrica.org Anxiety Support & Awareness Centre Trust (ASAC TRUST) Visit: www.asactrust.co.zw Email: outreach@asactrust.co.zw Whatsapp: +27652918095 Call/SMS: +263779262766 | +263719555772

Fresh Spring Kitchen Treats

Fresh & Tasty

Ingredients FOR THE TACOS

3 tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil 4 chicken breasts cut into strips

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. 2. 3. 4.

Assorted Spices Tortillas or Wraps

FOR THE TOPPINGS

sour cream sliced red onion diced tomatoes grated cheese

6. 7. 8.

Chicken Tacos

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until golden, for about 6mins. Add spices: 2 tsp. chili powder, 2 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. paprika, and 1/4 tsp. cayenne Stir until coated for about 1 min. (If needed, add a little more oil or water to help spices coat chicken.) Build your tacos! In tortillas, layer chicken & your desired toppings. Serve with lime wedges.

cubed avocado Recipe from: delish.com

Spring is ﬁnally here and what better way to celebrate than with food! Here are some delicious treats to enjoy as the weather warms up The recipes, are fun and easy, making it easy for the whole family to join in on the fun!

Ingredients 4 cups (1kg) cubed watermelon

Watermelon Lemonade Slushie 1.

1/2 cup sugar

Cool completely at room temperature,

juice of 3 lemons (1/2 cup)

Blend 1/2 the frozen watermelon & strain the basil/ mint syrup into the blender,

(use the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to press down on the herbs to extract as much flavor as possible)

bunch of fresh basil/ mint (optional)

Place cubed watermelon in a single layer on a rimmed baking tray, and freeze until completely frozen, like ice cubes, for about 2 hours. While waiting, cook sugar in 1/2 cup of water over for 5mins on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat when the sugar is melted and add the chopped basil/ mint & stir.

Add lemon juice, & blend until mixture is smooth, then add the remaining watermelon Blend until mixture is completely smooth & serve & enjoy!

Recipe from: foodnetwork.com

Are you

smarter

than a 5th grader?

TUDiki Quiz QUESTION 1 What is the name of the sea bordered by Europe to the north and North Africa to the south?

QUESTION 2 What is the roman numeral for 100?

QUESTION 3 What are the three states of matter?

QUESTION 4 What is the name for animals without a back bone?

QUESTION 5 What species can live both on land and in water?

QUESTION 6 The interior angles of a triangle always add up to _____.

QUESTION 7 How many sides does a hexagon have?

QUESTION 8 Other than water, what is the most-consumed beverage in the world?

QUESTION 9 A father has 7 daughters and 100 dollars. If he wants to give each daughter an equal amount of money, rounding to the nearest dollar, how much much does each daughter get?

QUESTION 10 What is the difference between ocean water and tap water?

QUESTION 11 How many continents are there? And can you name them?

QUESTION 12 How many planets are there in our solar system?

QUESTION 13 What is the river that separates Zimbabwe and South Africa?

QUESTION 14 What are the big 5?

QUESTION 15 What is the largest waterfall in the world?

BIRTHDAYS Help us celebrate you! Send us a message with your picture, your name, your birthday and your age! And tell us what you want to be when you grow up! Each month we will be celebrating the birthdays of all the people in that month so make sure to send us your details!

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“My little princess Charity, happiest of birthdays to you my daughter. "Charity is kind,long suffering,envieth not, endures all things & above all Charity never Faileth.'' I see all that in you my little princess. Wishing you many many more years of good health & prosperity! Love you lots my bundle of joy...”

Charity 5yrs old

Matisha “Happy 4th birthday, Matisha Kajese! We wish you more blessed years to come! Be a good girl like always. We love you so much.” 70

Phil

“Happy 5th bi Zvinow

lip

thday, Philip anda!”

STARS Happy Birthday Princess Danita! When we count our blessings we count you twice, our bubbly little blessing! Keep shining little star and there are zero limitations for you. Happiest Birthday Danita Camila Dzingirayi, we love you so much!

Danita 5yrs old

t s a w n a a T

“Happy birthday Princess on your 5th birthday! Wishing you many, many more. Mum & dad love you very much!”

answers

The Mediterranean Sea

Solid

Liquid

Invertebrates

Amphibians

Gas

The Roman Numeral for 100 is...

A hexagon has 6 sides

180º Tea

quiz answers

$14 Dollars

There are 7 continents: Africa, Europe Asia, Australia, Antarctica, North & South America.

Salt

The Limpopo River

There are 8 Planets in our solar system

14 The Big 5 Rhino, Buffalo, Cheetah, Lion & Elephant

The Victoria Falls are classified the largest, world's largest sheet of falling water based on its combined width of 1,708m & height of 108m.

SAVE THE

RHINO

18th SEPTEMBER

Zimbabwe is home to the world’s fourth largest black rhino population after South Africa, Namibia and Kenya. However, between 2007 and 2009, organised gangs of poachers slaughtered nearly a quarter of the country’s rhinos. Poaching continues to be the main threat against the country’s rhinos. Today the Black Rhino is listed as critically endangered and the White Rhino as Near Threatened. Today there are less than 13,500 adult black and white rhino remaining in the wild. Black rhino numbers are down to about 3,500. There are many organisation dedicated to saving the rhinos. visit their websites to find out more about how you can help!

RHINOS.ORG

SAVETHERHINO.ORG

Know your

+ Rhinos

There are only 2 rhinos that are found in Zimbabwe naturally, the black & white rhinos! Here are some facts about them!

Black Rhino - There are 3 black rhino sub-species. - Also known as hook-lipped rhinos. - Can live to be 35 – 40 years in the wild. - Black rhinos are not black. - Their name is probably as a result of trying to make a distinction from the white rhino and/or from the dark local soil that covers its skin after wallowing in mud.

VICFALLSWILDLIFETRUST.ORG

White Rhino - Only 5 countries hold 99% of Africa’s white rhinos! - Also known as square-lipped rhinos. - Can live to be 35 – 40 years in the wild. - Their name comes from the Afrikaans word describing its mouth: “wyd” meaning “wide”. Early English settlers misinterpreted the “wyd” for “white”.

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