In a small village nestled in the heart of Goromonzi in Mashonaland East province, a remarkable story of courage and resilience is unfolding.
The Johanne Marange Apostolic Church, a prominent faith community in the region, has embarked on an ambitious mission to build a school that will serve as a beacon of hope for young girls who are vulnerable to child marriages.
With child marriage rates soaring in Zimbabwe, the church's initiative is a timely and crucial intervention.
For a church known to be a culprit of the vice, by providing access to quality education, the church aims to break with its notorious tag and equip girls with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make informed choices about their lives and futures.
"As the school's foundation takes shape, so does a vision for a brighter future," said the church's leader high priest Nimrod Taguta.
Driven by a conviction that education is key to unlocking the potential of young girls, the indigenous congregation wants to empower girls to become leaders and change-makers.
"We believe that education is the greatest equalizer, and that it has the power to break the cycle of poverty and child marriages that have held our community back for far too long,” Taguta said.
When Nimrod took over from his late father Noah Taguta in 2022, the youthful yet respected leader has been criss-crossing the country, officiating at ground breaking ceremonies for school projects now numbering more than 40.
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His father had just completed the construction of St Noah High School in Manicaland.
But now, in Mashonaland East province, six schools are under construction while in Mashonaland West three primary schools are being built — all in rural areas where the church has a footprint.
"The idea is to bring education to the people. The high priest wants every province to have a school," said Cuthbert Rungwe, the church's secretary for education.
“The late high priest Noah Taguta was on a crusade of constructing schools and his successor is upping the gear to continue with his legacy.
"So far we have 40 primary schools and seven secondary schools that are being built in Zimbabwe.
“We have 10 in Mozambique and in Zambia as well. We are spreading to every corner we have a membership at.
“The high priest takes education very seriously especially the empowerment of the girl child.”
For years the sect was known for child marriages and has been in the limelight for the heinous act.
The sad story of Anna Machaya is the recent episode Nimrod seeks to overturn and write a new history for himself and his congregation.
Politically, the church is known for supporting the government and it has been often accused of using the proximity to authority to perpetuate child marriages.
But according to Rungwe, the narrative has to change.
"At every given opportunity, the high priest wants to empower the community,” he said.
“We are helping reduce the school backlog which we gather stands at 3 000. We will build as many schools as we can afford, bring vocational training to our young people and fight poverty through education and skill development.
“As an indigenous church we believe in a skilled generation. A productive youth that believes in God. Faith and knowledge are inseparable.”
According to the church leadership, the schools will offer a comprehensive curriculum that includes academic subjects, life skills, and vocational training.
But it's not just about academics — the school will also provide a safe and supportive environment for girls to grow and thrive.
'We want to create a space where girls can be girls, without fear of judgment or exploitation,” Rungwe said.
"We believe that every girl deserves the chance to reach her full potential, and we're committed to helping them get there.'"
In 2022 December, a dark cloud hung over Bvumbura Village in Chivhu after news that a 14-year-old girl from the Johane Marange apostolic church had died three days after giving birth.
According to Rungwe such incidences are the reason the church is on a move to empower the girl child through education.
Child marriage is a crisis that hides in plain sight.
Every day, girls as young as 10 are forced to marry men decades older, in fact statistics by Unicef suggest that one in three girls are married off before the age of 18 years.
"Chief Chitsungo, a respected traditional leader in Mashonaland East province has also thrown his weight behind the initiative,” Rungwe said.
“As a traditional leader, I have seen first-hand the devastating effects of child marriage on our girls and our community," the traditional leader said.
"I believe that education is the key to unlocking a brighter future for our children, and I applaud the church's efforts to provide our girls with access to quality education.
“We must work together to protect our girls and ensure that they receive the education they deserve."
