Bushu Secondary holds a health service jamboree || A case study of community-led transformation

Posted by Khanyi Khuzwayo on 11 December 2024, 15:05 SAST

Bushu Secondary School, a modest institution located in Zimbabwe’s Shamva District, stands as a testament to the transformative power of community-led initiatives.

The reality of Bushu is that of a community operating within a socio-economic context marked by school dropouts due to the lure of artisanal gold mining, early marriage and substance abuse. Yet through its involvement in the FutureLife-Now! Programme, the school is emerging as a beacon of hope, confronting these challenges head-on.

The school’s proactive approach is exemplified by the recent self-initiated and self-funded “health service jamboree” it held in November. Over two hundred learners, parents and members of the community gathered together, providing the FutureLife-Now! country team and various of its partner organisations with a platform to disseminate vital information and foster community engagement.

The jamboree was graced by the presence of Chief Bushu, who articulated his strong endorsement of the FutureLife-Now! programme:

We welcome programmes such as FutureLife-Now! because they speak to the real challenges that we face in our communities, and they empower us to be able to solve them ourselves.

He emphasised that the programme integrates ubuntu—the ancient African philosophy of our humanity through others—highlighting the significance of upholding traditional values within a framework of progressive social development.

Youth-focused organisations such as SIYA (Simukaupenye Integrated Youth Academy), played a pivotal role in the jamboree, conducting informative sessions on critical issues such HIV&AIDS awareness and prevention. But it wasn’t all serious stuff! Learners, for example, enriched the proceedings with vibrant performances of song, dance and drama that focussed on themes such as gender equality, climate change mitigation, youth agency and health and wellbeing.

Bushu Secondary offers a compelling case study in community-led transformation. Through its strategic adoption and implementation of FutureLife-Now!, it has addressed critical challenges and fostered a sense of collective responsibility and empowerment. The school is a shining example of how to translate FutureLife-Now! principles into tangible actions; it has empowered its students to become agents of change within their community, thereby laying the foundation for a brighter future for the young people of Bushu.