A Century-Old School Trapped Between Two Rivers Appeals for Global Support to Move Children to Safety

In the remote Manama Mission area of southern Zimbabwe, a 113-year-old primary school stands within fifty metres of two encroaching rivers, forcing hundreds of rural children to learn each year in classrooms threatened by seasonal flooding.

Every rainy season, the rivers surrounding Seboza Primary School swell and spill onto the school grounds. Water seeps into classrooms, roofs leak and access roads become impassable. Lessons are frequently interrupted as teachers move children to safer spaces or parents arrive to escort younger pupils home through rising water.

For many families in this marginalised region near the Botswana border, Seboza Primary School is the only pathway to education. Yet today, the school itself has become vulnerable.

“When the rivers flood, the children cannot concentrate because they are afraid the water will come into the classrooms again. Sometimes we must stop lessons completely. It is heartbreaking because education should never be disrupted by something as preventable as the location of a school.”— Headmaster, Seboza Primary School

Founded in 1913, Seboza Primary School has educated generations of families across this arid region of Matabeleland South. Climate change, upstream erosion and severe river siltation have dramatically altered the surrounding landscape, leaving the school increasingly exposed to flooding.

“Education should never depend on the weather. We have reached a point where relocation is not optional—it is essential to protect these children.”— Dr James Ross Goddard, project sponsor

A Safe New Location Identified

A fully surveyed and secured site 2.5 kilometres from the current school and 11 metres higher in elevation has been identified for relocation.

The total project cost is US$1.4 million. Confirmed sponsor contributions total US$200,000, leaving a US$1.2 million funding gap. J R Goddard Contracting (Private) Limited has donated engineering, design and planning services and will undertake construction at cost.

The Human Cost of Waiting

“When the rains come, we worry every day if our children will return home safely. We know the school must move. This project is about protecting our children’s future.”— Seboza parent

More than 200 learners attend Seboza Primary School, supported by dedicated teachers working under challenging conditions. If relocation is not completed before the next rainy season, another year of disruption and safety risk is almost certain.

Strong Governance and Transparent Oversight

• A dedicated trust account held at Stanbic Bank Limited
• Independent transaction advisory oversight
• Pro bono reporting and project management by GGF AFRICA
• A transparent digital reporting platform for donors and partners

Construction is expected to take seven months, allowing the new school to open before the next rainy season if funding is secured in time.

More Than a School Relocation

• Improve teacher retention through better facilities
• Increase student enrolment as infrastructure improves
• Provide digital education access in a remote rural region
• Convert the old site into a community revenue-generating centre
• Strengthen disaster resilience for the surrounding community

A short documentary film titled Between Two Rivers documents the human stories behind the initiative and supports international fundraising.

Opportunities for Global Partnership

Philanthropic foundations, development agencies and corporate partners aligned with education access, climate adaptation and rural development are encouraged to engage.

A Race Against the Next Rainy Season

“This school has served our community for more than a century. With the right partnerships, we can ensure it serves another hundred years—safely.”— Dr James Ross Goddard