My name is Takudzwa Muparuri. I was born in 1997 on the 8th of November. I was raised by a single mother. My father separated from mother when I was young. My mother took me to primary school. She struggled for my needs at school until I finished my primary in 2012. Although she lacked financial support, she tried her best again and took me to secondary school. She is a farmer, so she used to sell her products and pay my school fees. I also used to help her during holidays to raise money for stationery and school uniforms and even food. She was never tired of supporting me until I finished my O level. I was also very much fortunate enough that I impressed her with the results I obtained, 10 subjects including Maths and English. This I guess energised her to take me further to higher education. She struggled again as before but this time it was a bit more difficult because the fees were high. I even used to absent myself from school because I wanted to help her to do some work like selling, doing part time jobs in the fields and looking after cattle for some people so that we could make a living. She never ceased until I eventually wrote my A level exams. I obtained 12 points in science subjects.

After I finished my A level I stayed at home, busy planning with my mother on how I could go to University. This gave my mother real pain because she never wanted to see me out of school when my friends were at school. However, this was beyond her control. She could do nothing because the expenses were five times those at A level. That had been so hard for her that her health was effected and she had had a stroke.

In 2019 the Sisters at St Francis Nhema in Shurugwi got me into ‘TARIRO’. I greatly appreciate the gap that you have covered for my single parent. My life has completely changed. I have now been studying for a degree in Civil and Water Engineering at University in Bulawayo since May 2019.

I am grateful that you always support me in every need at university since I started. TARIRO is keeping me like a son. I am grateful that you supply me with tuition fees, rent, Wi-Fi data bundles and my allowance for my upkeep, counselling, workshops and recently you provided me with a laptop for my studies.

Without a shadow of doubt, I can now bravely see my dream of becoming a structural engineer coming true. After finishing this degree, I would like to further my education. I want to do a master’s degree in structural engineering.

To show gratitude, I would like to give back to TARIRO after getting employed and maybe help to build a house for other youngsters at St Francis, Nhema.