Former headmaster of Samahuru Adventist High School in Tsholotsho, Muziwandile Dube, has won the Netherlands Embassy gender champion award in recognition of his role in sourcing sanitary wear and distributing to needy girls in Tsholotsho, sourcing their school fees and embarking on other initiatives aimed at empowering the girl child.
Dube began his philanthropic works at Nemane Adventist High School also in Tsholotsho in 2008 as a teacher before being promoted to head Samahuru in 2015.
The special award was part of the Dutch Embassy’s 16 days activism campaign against gender-based violence aimed at recognising and supporting men and women making Zimbabwe a better place for girls and women.
Winners are chosen via a public nomination process with a panel of high profile Zimbabwean judges selecting the final 16.
The 36-year-old Dube was part of the 16 champions honoured this year.
He told CITE he felt deeply honoured to have been given the special award.
Dutch ambassador to Zimbabwe, Dr Magret Verwijk handed the award to Dube at a colourful ceremony in Harare last week.
“l accept it with a mixture of pride and humility; pride because of the recognition, but great humility because of the very weight and responsibility that is thrust upon me and upon my co-awardees to be faithful to the cause that is given, which is that of ensuring girls and women are given not just their rightful place, but an equal place at the table,” said the elated Dube.
He headed Samahuru from 2015 up to 2020 and has left a permanent mark at the school that he continues to work with in his philanthropic works to date.
In his charity work, Dube has worked with a number of organisations that include the Collin Nyabadza Children’s Voice Charitable Trust, Nozizwe Trust, Every Child Is Your Child, Our Oasis Charity, Rising Hope Foundation, Shoes2SchoolZw, Good Deeds Day Zimbabwe, Orphans Friend and Community Development Trust.
