Youths can soar from humble beginnings
FOR more than one-and-a-half years, life took a calamitous twist for Julius Mafara, as he lived on the streets of Harare. He had nowhere to call home. Having grown up as an orphan, Mafara’s life had always been littered with struggles, as he was raised by foster parents, hopping from one well-wisher to another.
However, through sheer determination and perseverance, Mafara transformed his life, and the 34-year-old is now a household name in the field of human development.
Through his organisation Proud Africa, he conducts adventure-based education for a wide spectrum of stakeholders that include schools, corporates and international agencies.
The affable Mafara, who has a natural passion for empowering young people, focuses on life skills training, leadership and team development.
The long list of educational institutions he has worked with includes Midlands Christian College, Mubeena Ebrahim School, Heritage Group of Schools, Gateway Primary School and Prince Edward High.
Within the corporate world, he has built a large clientele.
Over the years, his company has become a leader in the provision of innovative products for education, with its programmes that are anchored in Godly principles registering commendable success.
Given his accomplishments, it is hard to believe he came from humble beginnings.
“My childhood was tough. I am an orphan and never knew my father and mother. I was raised by well-wishers. To this day, I am not even aware of the person who gave me my name - Julius. Because of staying in different environments, I experienced a lot of physical and mental abuse at some of the places.”
At age 11, Mafara lived at St Joseph’s House for boys in Harare’s Belvedere suburb before he was released at the age of 18.
From there, he had nowhere to go and decided to live on the streets.
That is when he found himself staying near Montagu Shopping Centre in Harare’s Avenues area.
He survived on menial jobs such as washing cars.
It was while washing cars that a friend of one of his former foster parents spotted him and took him to a boarding house for boys.
He then started attending the Celebration Church and his life took a positive twist, as he developed a passion for teaching children.
Since then, he has not looked back. Mafara credits Celebration Church pastors
Bonnie and Tom Deuschle as well as Allen Graham for mentoring him.
He then worked for an organisation called Camps Unlimited as a camp facilitator for seven years. He focused on early child development training.
After his experience at Camps Unlimited, Mafara founded Proud Africa.
Although he is now living a fairly comfortable life, he still remembers his childhood experiences and feels compelled to assist vulnerable children.
To that end, he is supporting several underprivileged children so that they can achieve their dreams.
“Today, as Proud Africa, we are working with a lot of schools in the country and within Africa. We are sending eight children to school. Other children that I have adopted have already advanced to college. I have one young man I am staying with who completed his O-Levels recently.”
◆ If you know of any trailblazing youth, please email: fatima.bulla@zimpapers.co.zw