In the quiet rural school at Figtree Centre in Matabeleland South, a powerful transformation is unfolding not only within classrooms, but in the lives of young people discovering their voices and a sense of belonging in society.
At the heart of this change is Aids Transforms Zimbabwe, a non-profit organisation founded by Zwelani Ndebele under unlikely circumstances from within prison walls.
Today, Ndebele’s life experiences have become the inspiration he uses to impact students not as a cautionary tale, but as a living example of redemption, resilience, and hope.
Working alongside his partner, Mbonisi Moyo, Ndebele facilitates educational outreach programs at Lighthouse Foundation College, the first secondary school established in the area.
Their sessions go beyond textbooks, tackling real-life issues often left unspoken in homes and classrooms including substance abuse, peer pressure, personal struggles, the effects of crime, and self-worth.
For many learners, these sessions have become a safe space.
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“It is an opening where learners get to express themselves,” Ndebele said.
“We have realised that there are many things pupils are failing to communicate.
“But through this initiative, they are finally sharing their thoughts.”
In a community where many young people face harsh realities such poverty, orphanhood, early pregnancy, and exposure to drugs and alcohol, such conversations are not just important; they are necessary.
School principal Isaac Chibona believes the programme is arriving at exactly the right time.
“They are doing a great job for our rural children. Many of them come from difficult backgrounds. What makes this initiative unique is that it speaks directly to their lived experiences,” Chibona said.
Perhaps even more impactful is Ndebele himself.
Once known for a troubled past, he now stands as a symbol of change, something students recognize and deeply relate to.
Inside the classroom, the atmosphere during these sessions is markedly different.
Students engage freely, ask questions, and open up in ways that teachers say they rarely do during formal lessons.
“We have been warmly welcomed. The students participate actively, and we also realise that they appreciate the knowledge we’re sharing, especially on issues they don’t usually get to discuss at school or at home,” Moyo said.
Teachers at Lighthouse say the program strengthens their own guidance and counseling efforts.
A teacher, Mandlenkosi Sibanda, noted that learners are more willing to express their feelings when speaking to someone from outside their immediate school environment.
“It is helping them open up about challenges they face both in and out of school. That alone is making a big difference,” Sibanda said.
With substance abuse increasingly affecting young people across communities, the initiative is also seen as a timely intervention.
Another teacher Obert Dube emphasised its growing importance.
“This programme comes at a time when drugs are slowly ravaging our youth,” Dube said.
“ We are grateful for the impact. Learners are beginning to understand realities they were previously unaware of.”
Through simple language, relatable experiences, and honest dialogue, AidsTransforms Zimbabwe is reshaping mindsets and rebuilding confidence.
For the learners of Lighthouse Foundation College, the sessions are more than lessons.
They are reminders that no matter where one comes from, change is possible.
And sometimes, the most powerful teachers are those who have lived through the very struggles they now help others to overcome.