Tonderai Saharo
Gutu- One of the best elite private schools in the country being run by the Church of Christ mission in Zimbabwe, Living Proof Academy has become a beacon of hope for academically gifted but less privileged children in the country’s remote areas.
Living Proof Academy is located 25km from Chivhu Town along Gutu Road, currently, the school has a total of 165 students, who are on scholarship and are being funded by the Living Proof, a Church of Christ educational sponsorship programme.
Living proof program is an international initiative being run by donors from the United States of America, who come together and sponsor the academic journey of academically gifted children in rural Zimbabwe.
Each donor from the pool of USA based donors caters for a child’s education which include paying school fees as well as buying uniforms and all other school requirements
However the beneficiaries should be enrolled at one of the 29 schools that are being managed by the Church of Christ, mission in Zimbabwe.
Currently the programme has 1 800 beneficiaries attending school on scholarship across the country, since its inception 11 years ago
However, the introduction of the elite boarding school which was officially opened in January last year and has state of the art facilities like hostels, Science Lab, Dining room and classroom blocks is bringing a new flare to the scholarship program.
The new educational institution was named after the donor name Living Proof donor program and caters for high school education for scholarship beneficiaries under one roof.
The school is also open for enrolment to other learners who wish to be part of the academic excellence, as it has the capacity to enroll over a 1 000 pupils from form 1 to ‘A’ level.
The academy offers Cambridge examinations.
Al Sarhel an American evangelist who led a delegation of donors from USA who toured the new academic centre during the Church of Christ ‘s annual conference last weekend said the programme is part of the church’s mandate to invest in disadvantaged but academically gifted children.
He added that despite catering for the children’s educational journey from primary to high school the Living proof program will now extend its scholarship to the beneficiaries who wish to attain a degree in bible Theology offered at the Central Africa Christian College
“Children under this program benefit the mind and soul those children are being moulded to become God fearing individuals who are upright in society,
“We provide bible study, we have patrons and Chaplins who work with the kids at least four hours a week beyond their educational timetables,” he said
Samuel Mahwehwe Church of Christ mission schools Education Secretary said all the 29 schools under the church banner have a living proof beneficiary and its impact has gone beyond education.
“Children under this programme have become role models in their communities, they have become champions in fighting and educating their peers against drug and substance abuse among their peers in different communities,” he said.
The principal of Living proof academy Ushe Paradza weighed in and said currently the school has a vision to become the leading private boarding school which moulds students with Christian values coupled with technical skills.
