Housemaid From Gokwe Acquires Teaching Diploma
A woman from Gokwe rural who was employed as a domestic worker in Bulawayo was among the 201 students who graduated with teaching diplomas from the privately run Blended Education College of Southern Africa (BECSA) on Thursday last week in Bulawayo.
The college is an affiliate of the University of Zimbabwe.
Trinity Mawana (pictured) relocated to Bulawayo from rural Gokwe to work as a housemaid after passing one subject at Ordinary Level.
Speaking to State media, Mawana said she was fortunate enough to have an employer who encouraged her to further her studies.
She revealed that she supplemented until she passed six subjects at Ordinary Level which enabled her to study for a course in teaching. Said Mawana:
When I came to Bulawayo in 2013, I got a job and my employers urged me to pursue my studies.
I had passed one subject at O-Level and following encouragement from my employer, I decided to do private lessons.
I wrote O-Level and passed six subjects. I recall one day while walking in town on my way to collect my employer’s child from school, I came across a new college that had just been established.
My employer encouraged me to apply and I did exactly that and was accepted to study teaching.
While I brought my employer’s child, in between, I would do my school work.
Mawana said it was difficult to work as a housemaid while going to school at the same time.
She said at some stage, she contemplated quitting her studies as she struggled to raise the fees and had to sell tomatoes during weekends to supplement her income. Said Mawana:
At some point, I wanted to give up, but my mother, lecturers, colleagues, and friends gave me words of encouragement…
When I tell my friends out there that I was a maid some can’t believe it. So as a word of encouragement to others in the same predicament, I say, “Don’t give up”.
Mawana, who is presently working as a conductor, said she is looking for a teaching job as it has always been her dream to be a teacher.
More: Pindula News
