“Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible” – Helen Keller
In sub-Saharan Africa children are growing up in an era of a plethora of challenges that hamper their education and personal development. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates of education exclusion. Over one-fifth of children between the ages of about 6 and 11 are out of school – UNESCO, 2016. 234 000 children between the ages of 7-14 are out of school in Zimbabwe alone.
These statistics though disheartening are the reality. The rural student faces a myriad of barriers to accessing the kind of education that can change their lives and the rest of their community. Urban students have greater access to many resources and therefore have opportunities that are not easily accessible to rural students. Most children in the rural areas come from low income families that cannot support their education journey.
While family background is the most crucial and weighty factor in determining the academic performance of learners (Adell, 2002: 91), rural students also face limitations in terms of learning resources, exposure to innovative educational resources and also have to endure long arduous distances to their school due to the absence of schools nearby. For the rural student these challenges and difficult circumstances stand in the way of them exceling in their studies and having aspirations.
Every child has the right to dream and achieve their dreams. Every child has the right to access quality education and lifelong learning opportunities; and the knowledge, skills and values needed to effectively contribute to their communities.
We believe that giving every child access to our e-learning platform Ruzivo Smart Learning we are giving these children an equal chance to go for their dreams and change their lives. Challenges paint a very dire picture for rural students but we strive to give them hope. As Helen Keller said “Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible” so we believe that by giving rural students hope and resources we give them a fair shot in life. They too can access quality content that they would not have had access to due to their geographical location and backgrounds.
Ruzivo Smart Learning transcends limitations and barriers. By installing Ruzivo in schools across Zimbabwe we are allowing every child regardless of their background and circumstances to have access to blended learning that equips them with the necessary academic prowess to go further in life. Ruzivo is exposing rural students to a world they aspired to know and it is challenging them to up their performance and it is being a channel of hope for many students using it.
“I have discovered that Ruzivo is waking up our minds and I love it, “stated Rachel Ncube of St Christopher Primary, Gwanda. “Through Ruzivo I have discovered many things that I did not know,” added Sandiso Mpofu another student of St Christophers Primary.
“I become very happy when I see Ruzivo personnel as I wish that one day I will be like them helping people. Ruzivo is making me work even harder every day!” voiced Shallom Muleya of Mupambe Primary, Binga.
With its diverse spectrum of subjects Ruzivo is making rural students learn better and smarter. They say “ Learning gives creativity, Creativity leads to thinking, Thinking provides knowledge, Knowledge makes you great” and that is what we are giving rural students- they type of learning that will make them realise their place in the world, believe in themselves and be great leaders.
To learn more about Ruzivo Smart Learning click here: www.ruzivodigitallearning.co.zw
