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Herald Reporter—

Miss Maud Chifamba, the youngest graduate in Africa, will on Monday host a dinner at Meikles Hotel in Harare to fundraise for her former school, Hurudza Primary in the Midlands Province.Miss Chifamba told The Herald on Wednesday that pupils from her former school were conducting lessons under trees and in makeshift shade.

She said the school, located in a farming community, had no proper classroom blocks.

“Initially, they were using tobacco barns, but now they are learning under a tree and in makeshift shade.

“This is the school where I learnt for the better part of my primary education, and I feel for the kids there, particularly during the rainy season,” she said.

Miss Chifamba said she was looking forward to raise about $35 000 from the fundraising dinner, with all proceeds channelled towards the school’s development.

“The money will be channelled towards construction of a classroom block, which is at foundation level right now, so the money will cover all the costs including labour and fur­niture needed,” she said.

She appealed to well wishers, individuals and corporates to participate in the dinner.

Donations, she said, were also welcome from all those who could not be part of the dinner, but were willing to assist in development of Hurudza Primary School.

“No donation is small, all sorts of donations are welcome and even those in the Diaspora can also take part via online.

“So I am appealing to everyone to come through and take part as their contribution will go a long way,” she said.

The dinner will be graced by UZ Vice Chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura and Minister of Primary and Secondary Educa­tion Dr Lazarus Dokora.

Entertainment will be pro­vided by Cynthia Mare, Baba Shupi, Tariro NeGitare and Bustop TV.

Miss Chifamba grabbed international headlines when she enrolled at the University of Zimbabwe at the age of 13 after successfully completing her secondary education in just two years.

Born on November 19 1997, Maud attended Chiurayi Primary School in Gokwe before transferring to Connemara Primary School on the outskirts of Gweru and proceeded to Hurudza Primary School in Gweru.

It is from Hurudza Primary School, where she was mistakenly given a Grade 4 Mathematics paper instead of a Grade 3 paper during final examinations, which she aced.

Having realised her intelligence at that age, Maud requested to sit for Grade 5 final examinations and she came tops.

She then skipped Grade 6 and proceeded to sit for her Grade 7 national examinations aged nine.

Because of financial constraints, Miss Chifamba could not enrol in a formal school for her secondary education and instead studied from home.

In two years, Miss Chifamba sat for Ordinary Level examinations at Pfupajena Secondary School as an external student and she passed all the five subjects she sat for.

She then proceeded to A-Level, where she took up Mathematics, Accounting and Management of Business and attained 12 points.

At the age of 13, Miss Chifamba enrolled with UZ’s Faculty of Commerce pursuing a degree in accounting.

In December 2012, Chifamba was fifth on the Forbes Top 100 Youngest Powerful Women in Africa and she was also entered in the book of African Records as the youngest university student in the continent.

Miss Chifamba is now pursuing her Masters Degree in Accounting.