Safe ground brings children back to school in Zimbabwe

In Rushinga District, something powerful is happening.

For years, hidden explosives made even simple routines dangerous. The walk to school was one of the greatest risks children faced. Girls were especially affected—forced to take longer routes or stop attending school altogether.

But today, safe paths are open again.

Children are returning to school. Families are breathing easier. And classrooms are coming back to life.

This Teacher Appreciation Week, their classrooms tell a powerful story of what happens when children can safely reach school.

The transformation in Rushinga was driven by targeted clearance around schools and pathways, combined with risk education sessions that equipped children with life-saving knowledge.

By prioritizing routes to school—and placing girls’ safety at the center—these efforts created immediate and visible change for both students and educators.

For teachers, safe access means more than full classrooms. It means children can focus on lessons instead of danger. It means students can imagine futures beyond survival.

And it means educators can do what they do best: help children dream bigger.

For thirteen-year-old Succeed Manyara, the change is deeply personal.

She once avoided school altogether, frightened by stories of devastating accidents in her community. The danger felt too close, too real.

Now, everything is different.

With land cleared and safe routes clearly marked, she walks to class without fear. Her focus has shifted to her studies and her future. She’s preparing for her Grade 7 exams and dreaming of becoming a nurse—a goal that once felt out of reach.

Safe access to education is about more than reaching school grounds.

It is a generational shift that opens doors to opportunity, healthcare, and livelihoods. It allows teachers to nurture talent and ambition in classrooms no longer overshadowed by fear.

In communities affected by landmines, restoring safety helps children return to learning, but it also gives teachers the chance to shape brighter futures for the next generation.

And in Rushinga District, that future is already taking root.