The initiative also reached vulnerable households in Mbembesi Village, with 200 food parcels, blankets and wheelchairs distributed to elderly residents, while nearly 400 young girls received dignity pads.
Afribiz Invest
Zodwa Mkandla returns to her roots, bringing new hope to rural Zimbabwean learners
From a classroom in Mbembesi Village to a successful businesswoman and philanthropist, Zodwa Mkandla has come full circle, donating a science laboratory to her former school in a move set to expand opportunities for learners and uplift vulnerable families.
Success often tells a story of ambition, sacrifice and opportunity. For Zimbabwean businesswoman and philanthropist Zodwa Mkandla, it has also become a story of remembering where it all began.
Mkandla has returned to Sojini Secondary School in Mbembesi Village, outside Bulawayo, with a contribution that could reshape the educational experiences of generations of learners: a modern science laboratory built through the Zodwa Mkandla Foundation.
The donation brings new meaning to giving back, transforming a personal milestone into an investment in the future of a rural community.
For learners who have had limited access to practical science facilities, the laboratory offers an opportunity to move beyond textbooks and engage directly with the experiments and discoveries that bring scientific subjects to life.
From medicine and engineering to technology and other science-related careers, access to practical learning can help young people develop the skills and confidence to explore opportunities that may once have seemed out of reach.
The project was delivered in partnership with South African company Afribiz Invest, which constructed and completed the facility in just two weeks.
The laboratory was officially handed over at a ceremony facilitated by the Office of Zimbabwe’s First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa. A government delegation led by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Torerayi Moyo, attended alongside officials and community leaders.
But the impact of the outreach extended beyond the school grounds.
The initiative also reached vulnerable households in Mbembesi Village, with 200 food parcels, blankets and wheelchairs distributed to elderly residents, while nearly 400 young girls received dignity pads.
These interventions brought together education, dignity and social support, highlighting how philanthropy can address different community needs through one coordinated effort.
For Mkandla, the return to her former school carries a significance beyond the unveiling of a new facility. It reflects the possibility of using personal success to create opportunities for others, particularly children growing up in communities where resources remain limited.
Her story also challenges young people to see their circumstances as a starting point rather than a limit to their ambitions.
The collaboration between the foundation and Afribiz Invest further illustrates the role that private-sector partnerships can play in supporting education and community development.
While the laboratory took only 14 days to build, its real value will be measured over time: in the practical skills learners acquire, the careers they pursue and the opportunities they create for themselves.
At Sojini Secondary School, a place that formed part of Mkandla’s own journey, the donation offers a powerful reminder that giving back can be more than an act of generosity. It can be a way of helping the next generation imagine a different future.
