Muthomi Ireri
On Tuesday morning, 5-year-old Talent should be in school, but instead, he’s foraging for fruit to sustain his family after their crops withered in the heat. The El Nino phenomenon, exacerbated by climate change, has severely impacted the African continent, particularly Zimbabwe’s rural northeastern Mudzi district. For many in this region, crops are essential for survival. With failed crops, families lose their income, making it impossible to afford the $25 for school fees or uniforms. Two of Winnie Chihota’s own children are at risk of dropping out of school, and little Talent never had the chance to start.
The lack of crops also means there’s no food for children to eat at school. “One child fainted recently at the school due to hunger,” Chihota said as she sorted through the fruit Talent and other children brought home. The fruit will be dried for future meals, as many families now only eat one solid meal a day, usually corn or sorghum.
Children are most at risk after El Nino caused some of the hottest days in decades and severe flooding in southern and eastern Africa. These weather extremes destroyed many small farm plots that sustain families. Over 60% of Zimbabwe’s population lives in rural areas where agriculture is the primary source of food and income. The immediate concern is hunger, with 580,000 children in Zimbabwe at risk of malnutrition, according to the United Nations children’s agency. El Nino has exacerbated the ongoing humanitarian crisis, including economic hardship and disease outbreaks such as cholera.
The larger issue is the impact on children’s education. School has become a luxury, with children dropping out to work. Teenage girls often skip school due to a lack of water for hygiene during their periods or because they need to babysit siblings while parents search for work. Some girls are forced into marriage to ease financial burdens, according to the U.N. humanitarian agency.
This crisis is overshadowed by other global conflicts, making funding from donors difficult to secure. “There should be a sense of urgency,” said Yves Willemot, UNICEF spokesman for Zimbabwe. The drought threatens the education of nearly 2 million children in Zimbabwe, with some dropping out permanently and others frequently missing class. More than 45,000 children dropped out of school during the previous El Nino in the 2015-2016 farming season, and the government is still gathering figures for the current El Nino.
Other regional countries also face similar challenges due to extreme weather. In Malawi, a vicious cycle of floods and drought over the past three years has led to decreased school attendance. At some schools, half the pupils are usually absent, according to a report by local and international humanitarian organizations, including the Malawi-based Youth Net and Counselling. The report stated, “Families must choose between feeding their children or sending them to school.” Volunteer teachers are no longer reporting to some schools, further deteriorating the quality of education.
Neighboring Zambia is addressing the issue with a school feeding program targeting over 2 million children to boost attendance. Zimbabwe recently launched a similar program due to concerns about increased absenteeism and dropout rates caused by the drought. Taungana Ndoro, the director of communications and advocacy in the education ministry, said, “The assurance of at least one decent hot meal per day has been a strong incentive for families to prioritize sending their children to school.”
However, it may be too late for many who have already dropped out, especially girls. Nyaradzo Mashayamombe, an activist and founder of Tag a Life, highlighted that marriage often becomes an immediate defense when drought hits. “The mere offer of a way out, an escape, can be very luring to a girl or even the parents,” she said, noting that many girls end up trapped with older, abusive husbands. “There is no way out. It takes away their potential, their dreams are cut short, and the poverty cycle continues.”
Silverio Omari
