Swift Current author shares passion for children’s right to education in new book

A strong belief in a child’s right to education without poverty being a barrier has motivated Swift Current resident Collin Nyabadza throughout his life.

He is sharing his ongoing journey and his commitment to the education of disadvantaged rural school children in his native Zimbabwe in his book All for the Children: The Passion Within.

“It’s something I’ve been thinking about, but I never really got to have the time to do it,” he said about writing the book. “Eventually I just decided let me do it. So it feels good that it’s now finally done.”

The book chronicles his experiences of growing up in Zimbabwe and working as a teacher in rural schools, where he witnessed the difficulties faced by educators.

His belief in the power of education motivated him to help student and improve the learning environment.

His experiences as an educator took place against the backdrop of political change in Zimbabwe that brought new hope and challenges.

The book tells the story of his difficult decision to leave the country of his birth and start a new life in Canada while still continuing his efforts in support of rural schools in Zimbabwe.

This commitment resulted in his decision to establish the Collin Nyabadza Children’s Voice Charitable Trust (CNCVCT) in 2012.

The book provides details about the work done by this non-profit organization and the connections he has created with individuals and organizations in support of the trust’s work. He therefore feels the book is a way to acknowledge the support of those who have been part of his journey.

“I felt there was a need to put that message across to people to say this is the results of your support,” he said.

“So I wanted to really share the rest of the journey with the people that have supported me over the years and also

COLLIN NYABADZA some of the children that I’ve worked with, especially in Zimbabwe. They’ve always been saying ‘Teacher, you should write a book.’ So I decided to take up that challenge.”

The book is dedicated to his deceased parents, who provided him with foundational values that continues to guide the activities of the charitable trust.

“Both my parents were my biggest influence,” he said. “My father valued education and he valued humanity. He always talked about the importance of being someone of integrity. … And my mother was exactly the same. She was a woman of few words. Just one look would tell you that she’s not amused by your behaviour. So that’s the way we were raised.”

The origins of the charitable trust can be traced back to the time he spent as a teacher in rural Zimbabwe, when he began to write letters to organizations to request support for school improvements and activities.

He grew up in and attended school in Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe. It was therefore an eye-opener when he started his teaching career at a rural school.

“The situation was just unbelievable,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like that. I was fortunate, because I went to very good schools. My high school was one of the best. We had almost everything. When I look back, I always say I was very fortunate. But then when I started teaching, it was the exact opposite. There was no way I could just let it be. It just forced me into doing what I’ve been doing now. I just started approaching people for help.”

Some teachers asked for transfers to other schools with better amenities, but Nyabadza faced the challenge. It was the start of a commitment to create opportunities for students, which is reflected in the CNCVCT motto that “No child shall be put down by poverty.”

There was a moment shortly after he began teaching when he made a decision that set the direction for the rest of his life.

He came to a point where he also felt a need to leave the rural school where he was located, but then he remembered a key lesson while studying at an education college.

“We’ve been told that teachers are the agents of social change,” he recalled. “So I said to myself, if we all come and go, who’s going to help these children? Who’s going to help these parents? That’s when I decided to stay. It was one of the most important and most rewarding decisions that I’ve ever made in my life, because that was the turning point.”

His life in Canada and in Swift Current has offered new perspectives and motivation for the work of the CNCVCT in rural Zimbabwe.

“I have learned so much, especially in the community of Swift Current,” he said. “It’s built on three virtues. The virtue of giving, the virtue of volunteering, and the virtue of giving back. This is what makes this community a very strong community. I feel like I’ve really been strengthened by living here and

I always try to pass it on to my fellow Zimbabweans.”

The process of writing this book was a time of reflection for Nyabadza about his journey and what he has been trying to achieve.

“As much as I’ve helped a lot of children, I still feel inadequate in the sense that I feel there are some children that I could have helped,” he said. “There are many times I really wish I could do more. I feel like this is not enough.” He realizes that the need he is trying to address is larger than what can be addressed through the efforts of the charitable trust, but he is committed to continue and to never lose hope.

“I’m somebody who never loses hope, and that’s the message I always pass across to every child I work with,” he said. “I always try to instill that sense of resilience.”

He trained as an elementary school teacher and later as a special needs education classroom practitioner in Zimbabwe.

He taught for close to nine years before coming to Canada in 2001. He currently works as an educational assistant at two schools in Swift Current and also as a direct support worker at Southwest Homes.

Nyabadza wrote the book in collaboration with Danai Lot Chitakasha, a former teacher in Zimbabwe who now lives and works in the United Kingdom.

Chitakasha is a published author and also assists others with their book projects. Nyabadza felt this collaboration made it possible to complete his book in a shorter time period.

He received a positive response to his book manuscript when he approached Itayi Garande, the founder of a publishing company in the United Kingdom, which resulted in the book’s publication by Dean Thompson Publishing.

Proceeds from book sales will support the work of the CNCVCT.

The book is available online through Amazon or contact Nyabadza by calling 306-774-4266 or sending an e-mail to collinnyabadza@hotmail.com