WUA students take Education 5.0 into Mabvuku through elderly-care campaign

Marketing students from the Women’s University in Africa partnered with corporates to support grandmothers caring for orphans and vulnerable children in Harare’s Mabvuku suburb.

WUA students take Education 5.0 into Mabvuku through elderly-care campaign

Marketing students from the Women’s University in Africa have taken part in a community outreach programme in Mabvuku, Harare, combining academic learning with support for elderly women caring for orphans and vulnerable children.

The initiative, the second edition of the Love Gogo Campaign, saw the students work with corporate partners to distribute food hampers to grandmothers on Friday, September 25, 2026. ZBC News reported the event as an example of how higher-learning institutions are applying the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 Model beyond the classroom. (zbcnews.co.zw)

Support for families under pressure

The beneficiaries described the daily strain of providing food, education and care for dependent children. Rebecca Mazivisa, who is caring for seven grandchildren, said the assistance would help ease the cost of feeding the household and keeping the children in school, according to ZBC’s account. (zbcnews.co.zw)

Another beneficiary described the difficulties of caring for grandchildren, including a disabled child, while also supporting a teenage granddaughter who had given birth. Her account illustrates the wider pressures facing some older caregivers, although the report does not provide broader data on the number of households affected in Mabvuku or across Harare. (zbcnews.co.zw)

Learning linked to community service

Students involved in the campaign said the experience had strengthened their understanding of social responsibility. One student said engagement with corporate representatives had encouraged her to remain involved in community work after completing her degree. Another, who was raised by her grandmother after losing both parents, said her personal experience helped her understand the challenges faced by elderly caregivers. (zbcnews.co.zw)

ZBC Chief Executive Officer Sugar Chagonda said the educational framework encourages students to apply their knowledge to real-world problems. WUA Pro Vice Chancellor for Academic, Research and Innovation Professor Chipo Hungwe said the campaign reflected an approach in which learning produces a practical benefit for communities. Their comments are statements about the purpose and impact of the initiative, rather than independent evidence that the programme has produced longer-term outcomes. (zbcnews.co.zw)

What remains unclear

The available report does not state how many households received assistance, identify all participating corporate partners, disclose the value of the food hampers or set out whether the campaign includes follow-up support. It also does not establish whether the Mabvuku activity forms part of a wider, measured programme across other communities.

For now, the verified development is the partnership between WUA students and corporate supporters to provide food assistance to elderly caregivers in Mabvuku. The next point to watch is whether the Love Gogo Campaign continues with additional outreach, monitoring or support beyond the reported distribution.

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