By Tendai Makaripe Life for 14-year-old Tinotenda Pasira from Rydaleridge Park, a suburb about 27 kilometres from Harare’s central business district, has been a continuous struggle since his birth in 2010. Unlike other teenagers enjoying their youth, planning futures, and participating in school activities, Tinotenda faces a harsh reality. He is confined to a wheelchair due to hydrocephalus, a serious condition that affects one to three per 1,000 infants globally and can cause severe disabilities and life-threatening complications.
Hydrocephalus is characterised by abnormal fluid accumulation in the brain’s ventricles, which widens them and puts pressure on brain tissues. This condition poses a significant global health burden, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where around 180,000 new cases are reported annually, according to American paediatric neurosurgeon Benjamin Warf. Despite the fundamental human right to education recognised in various local, regional, continental, and global frameworks—including The Education Act [Chapter 25:04], the Zimbabwean Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—many children like Tinotenda are marginalised and unable to enjoy this right.
This publication conducted a one-and-a-half-month-long investigation across several provinces, including Harare, Mashonaland East, Manicaland, and Masvingo to understand the challenges hindering educational access for children wit.
