During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic many children were involved in child labour in the mining town. Image by CAWI

BY CALVIN MANIKA | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | NOV 2, 2022

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many children were forced to abandon school to do menial jobs to earn a living. Local companies and individuals took advantage of the situation, hiring children as employees against the country’s statutes.

Child marriage remains a huge challenge in Mat North, Zimbabwe. Image by UNICEF

BY CALVIN MANIKA | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | MAR 19, 2021

Social-economic development is lagging in Matabeleland North province. A situation attributed to the marginalisation of the region. However, the increase in child marriages poses a new threat.

COVID-19 induced lockdowns exposed Hwange villagers to the virus as they had to walk long distances in search of food. Image by Shutterstock

BY CALVIN MANIKA | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | OCT 3, 2022

In Hwange, villagers had to leave their homes in search of food and temporary jobs to feed their families despite lockdown restrictions. They blame climate change for worsening the situation.

In marginalised communities of Matabeleland, the effects of climate change are exposing women and girls to health risks during menstruation. Image by Unsplash

In marginalised communities of Matabeleland, the effects of climate change are exposing women and girls to health risks during menstruation.

BY CALVIN MANIKA | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | FEB 9, 2023

To debunk myths that in Matabeleland there are no qualified youths, community advocates help dozens of youths enroll for nursing. Image by NewZimbabwe

With over 500 applicants from Matabeleland already assisted, they are working to improve their initiative.

BY DIVINE DUBE | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | JAN 27, 2023

Cottages at Lupane Business Centre used by children as boarding facilities. Image by Calvin Manika, March 2023

In Matabeleland, remote schools have brought with them a host of challenges. However, the local community has banded together to develop innovative solutions that have yielded impressive results. By working collectively, they have found ways to overcome barriers such as long distances, exorbitant boarding costs, and lacklustre academic performance.

This story is part of a reporting series supported by the Pulitzer Centre.

BY CALVIN MANIKA | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | MAR 30, 2023

COVID-19 was a blessing to a majority of emerging entrepreneurs in Hwange whose backyard shops are still operational to date. Image by StartupBiz

BY LETHOKUHLE NKOMO | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | NOV 2, 2022

For a majority of emerging entrepreneurs, the COVID-19 pandemic was nothing short of a blessing as many of them took advantage of the failure of established traders to provide goods on demand thereby establishing their own thriving small business which are in operation to date.

Failure to access sexual reproductive health services during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic led to many unwanted pregnancies. Image by NAWEC

BY LETHOKUHLE NKOMO | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | OCT 5, 2022

COVID-19 surfaced as a coterie of challenges for women residing in rural areas. Access to sexual reproductive health services is one of the many challenges they had to deal with in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hwange's health sector remains in tatters and residents fear two available hospitals could fail to cope with deadly illnesses. Image by HCC

BY CALVIN MANIKA | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | OCT 4, 2022

In Zimbabwe, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need to revamp and build existing and new health facilities. Hwange did not benefit and its health sector remains in tatters, raising fears the small mining town could fail to cope with similar pandemics in future.