Amplifying women’s struggles as we end 2023 women’s month — a personal experience

I celebrate myself this year (2023) International Women’s Month. All along I thought I was weak and a cry baby. Little did I know that inside resides a very bold lioness who is not afraid to stand her ground.

I am a student teacher at a primary teacher’s college in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. In 2023, I went for teaching practice at a primary school in the Midlands province. The school is located in a very remote village. When I arrived at the school, everything seemed normal and I thought I had been lucky to be at such a school.

A few days later, I started to have some concerns about the conduct of the school head. He seemed to have no respect for anyone. He insulted people, including members of staff for no apparent reason.

I also soon reaslised that he had no respect for women and would demand sexual favours from any woman around him. If his demands were spurned, he would do everything to make life difficult for that individual. He treated women as sex toys.

When we did our laundry, he would go to the line to check on our clothes, including underwear. At times he would even hold an underwear and ask who it belonged to. His worst behaviour was that of just budging into our rooms without even knocking. He would just budge in as if (arikupinda mumba make) he was getting into his own room.

Everyone was being abused in silence in one way or the other. One day he came to my room carrying himself in his usual bossy manner. The moment he opened my door without knocking I said to him boldly “Please note that this is not your house. It belongs to the government. Go back and knock”

He arrogantly said that all the houses at the school belonged to him because he was in charge of the school. I told him openly that the houses were government property and that if he did not leave immediately, I would inform education officials.

I also threatened to report to organisations that support women’s rights so that they would help me to take action against him. He realised that his usual game was over and slinked away shamefully.

From that day onwards his nonsense stopped. We work in harmony and everyone asked are you a student or you have another job apart from this one. I am thankful that my exposure working with the Creative Centre for Communication and Development and other women’s rights organisation helped me to stand up against bullying tactics.