FROM SURVIVAL TO SUCCESS: Epworth’s Mayor Weaponises Education To Break Cycle Of Poverty

 

The air in Epworth has long been thick—not just with the dust of its unpaved roads, but with the heavy, static weight of uncertainty.

In this community, located on the periphery of Harare, economic struggle isn’t just a challenge; it is the atmosphere.

For decades, Epworth has carried the stigma of being a “marginalized settlement,” a place defined by industrial decline, soaring unemployment, and a desperate daily hustle for survival.

However, this past Saturday, that silence of despair was shattered. It was replaced by a vibrant symphony of hope as Mayor Nyarai unveiled a transformative initiative designed to do more than just provide temporary relief.

She is weaponizing education to dismantle the very foundations of indigence.

Mayor Nyarai’s approach deviates from the traditional “charity” model,understanding that small, sporadic donations are merely Band-Aids on a systemic wound, she instead brokered a strategic alliance with local business moguls and industrial leaders.

This wasn’t a request for a handout; it was a call for investment in the community’s human capital.

The results of these negotiations are staggering.

The Mayor secured comprehensive funding that covers:

Full Tuition Fees: Eliminating the “pay-to-learn” barrier that halts many young lives.

Providing the uniforms, books, and tools necessary for dignity in the classroom.

The program currently serves 21 primary and secondary students and 15 tertiary scholars, ensuring a pipeline of talent from early childhood through to professional specialization.

During a poignant handover ceremony, the Mayor spoke with a clarity that resonated through the gathered crowd.

She didn’t frame the scholarship program as an act of kindness, but as a non-negotiable defense of human rights and the cornerstone of regional development.

“We have embarked on a mission to bridge the chasm created by poverty,” Mayor Nyarai asserted. “Education should not be a luxury reserved for the affluent.

By engaging our business community, we are ensuring that the circumstances of a child’s birth do not dictate the horizon of their potential.”

Her words hit home for a reason.

In Epworth, the fundamental right to education is a luxury frequently sacrificed at the altar of daily survival.

When a family has to choose between a bag of maize and a term’s school fees, the stomach almost always wins over the mind. Mayor Nyarai is changing that math.

The “ripple effect” of this intervention is already visible in the eyes of the parents and the posture of the students,for the parents, many of whom described the intervention as a “milestone achievement,” the weight of a crushing financial burden has been lifted. One emotional parent remarked, “We were in the dark, but now we see light.”

But the true impact lies with the scholars,for the 15 tertiary students, the path to becoming doctors, engineers, and teachers is no longer a pipe dream—it is a funded reality. The community is undergoing a psychological shift: they are moving away from the “settlement of survival” label and toward becoming a hub of empowered, educated citizens.

The Vision for the Future

Mayor Nyarai isn’t stopping with these 36 students. Her vision is institutional, not incidental. She is currently in the process of formalizing these corporate partnerships into a permanent framework. The goal is to create a sustainable “Education Fund” that will scale every year, ensuring that no child in Epworth is sidelined by a lack of resources.

As this program grows, it represents more than just receipts for paid school fees. It represents a systemic shift in how the community views its future. By securing the minds of the youth, the Mayor is ensuring that the next generation of Epworth residents won’t be fighting for survival—they will be leading the success.

The heavy air of uncertainty has finally begun to clear, and in its place is the sound of a cycle of poverty finally being silenced.

 

TOP PIC: Mayor Nyarai Rutsito (in dreadlocks) with the beneficiaries of the education initiative.