By Kudzai Chingwe and Eveline Chikwanah
Jan. 6, 2023 | HARARE, Zimbabwe (UM News)
Over the past three years, the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area witnessed the dawn of a new era as The United Methodist Church founded two state-of-the-art private schools in Harare. An international high school for girls is set to open its doors in Mutare early in 2023.
“Our church has a very strong rural and peri-urban education system,” said Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa, Zimbabwe Episcopal Area, “but we didn’t have any schools in the urban areas.
“I think it’s a very good phenomenon that we now have city schools, which provide top-notch education. Barrington School and Revelation College are starting to do that.”
The church’s women’s organization, Rukwadzano Rwe Wadzimai, runs Barrington Christian School in Harare and has set up Mutare International Girls High School.
“Barrington Christian School is a women’s organization project designed to generate funds for mission work, while providing holistic education and enhancing Christian, moral and social values to the surrounding communities,” said Michael Nhamburo, school manager.
“Many women in the church bemoan the loss of their children to other faiths when they attend schools of other churches,” explained Joyce Chikuni, Barrington board chair.
Greater Taremeredzwa Nhiwatiwa, RRW area president and wife of Bishop Nhiwatiwa, said, “Our God is good. In 1989, this place was a chicken farm. Today it has a state-of-the-art school because of our efforts.
“The dream to establish a school came into being in 2018,” she continued. “In 2020, we started to renovate the buildings and named it Barrington Christian School. As women, we are aiming to establish a university of our own because we believe that nothing is impossible through prayer. We prayed for the establishment of Africa University. With that experience, what can prevent us from having a UMC women’s university?”
Located in a new residential area, Barrington offers early childhood development (kindergarten) and primary education up to fourth grade with an enrollment of 35 pupils. It is supported by RRW members in Zimbabwe and beyond.
