Welcome back to the second entry in our new series, choosing a photo from the archives & explaining it in more detail. Here is the photo chosen this time:
This picture was taken in September 2018, not long before the end of a brief holiday in Zimbabwe. At the time this was taken, I hadn’t been back to the school – Pakati Secondary – since 1992.
I was about to revisit the school, and was feeling a bit nervous if I am honest, not knowing if I would be remembered at all, or welcomed…
Well, I should not have worried!
My friend and driver – Felix – accompanied me and took many of the photos shown on here from the afternoon we spent at Pakati. He made sure things went well, as I met the (still current) Head of Pakati Sec, Mr Mugove Chifaka – see the second picture above.
We spent some time in his office, and he said he had heard about me, but didn’t think I existed! He gradually brought in some if the staff to introduce me, and had some photos taken in the staffroom…
I was then shown around the school, accompanied by Mr Chifaka, Mrs Pindura (Deputy Head), Mr Chizena & Mrs Munatswa.
It was great to see the developmemts at the school since I had been there in 1989-91, with new buildings, curriculum changes, external decor, and more teachers accommodation. There was even a Car Park!
It was after the walk around the school that the duscussion I had with Mr Chifaka took place which lead to Friends of Pakati coming into being. I asked him what other developments would he like to see at the school, and he said one word – ‘computers’ – and that was all it took!
We discussed what it would mean for the school, and he instantly said we should include the Primary school too – thus Friends of Pakati was born👍, and it ultimately lead to the delivery of the first batch of IT equipment a year later.
I am so glad I revisited Pakati, and am now involved in some way once more. As we say…
