Maranatha High whiz-kid unstoppable

11 May, 2014 - 00:05 0 Views
Maranatha High whiz-kid unstoppable Brian Sibanda

The Sunday News

Brian Sibanda

Brian Sibanda

Senior Leisure Reporter
HE is just 15 but exudes an extraordinary brilliance and an academic confidence that is far beyond his age. Most pupils of his age are doing Form 3 but he is already in high school after having skipped some grades and his certificate at O-level tells it all. It confirms his whizkid credentials as it carries 8As and 2Bs.

And that he is doing five subjects at A-level when others are struggling with three is not very surprising but is enough testimony that he is just out of the ordinary. That is the story of a Maranatha Adventist High School pupil, Brian Sibanda, and it does not end there.

His academic prowess was recently confirmed when he hoisted the country’s flag high at an international platform where he scooped two awards, after representing the country at the 2014 Pan-Africa Youth Leadership Programme in America.

The programme was held from 29 March to 24 April this year, where 24 participants from eight African countries took part.

The Lower Sixt pupil, Sibanda was part of two other Zimbabweans selected to represent the country at the event which was organised by the US Department of State through the Meridian International Centre.

In an interview, he said the programme was eye opening and inspirational not only to him but to youths across the country.

“It was an eye opening experience. It was the perfect opportunity to network as Africans and I am sure such initiatives will foster relations to see to the development of peace and industriousness on the African continent,” he said.

An electrifying public speaker and an orator in the making, Sibanda said he was selected through a scholarship programme called English Access, also initiated by the US Department of State.

“The programme appeals mainly to the youths and it have classes both in Harare and in Bulawayo. There are a total of about 60 students in Bulawayo and in Harare. We are selected to travel to the US through our public speaking abilities, discipline, O-levels, leadership qualities and of course someone fit to represent the nation. I was personally told I possessed all those qualities,” he said.

He said they spent the first four days in Washington DC, two weeks in Indiana then the last week in Chicago.
“When we arrived in the US I entered a public speaking competition and won a certificate – the Dr Maria Caring Communicator Award. On the last week, when we were in Chicago we were required to present community plan projects on how we would introduce self-sustainable projects to the unemployed youths. For the project I presented – social enterprise, focuses on the rearing of broiler chickens.

“The project would mainly cater for unemployed school leavers and would address unemployment at a primary level, focusing on my community, which is Nkulumane. I was honoured with a certificate for my presentation,” he said enthusiastically.

Sibanda noted that in his presentation he spoke of issues affecting the youth such as drug and alcohol abuse and HIV and Aids.

“I spoke of issues affecting the youths and how best to solve or try and alleviate the problems,” he said.
Other countries that participated in the programme are South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Malawi, Nigeria and Kenya.

For his A-levels he is studying Geography, History, English Literature, Divinity and iSiNdebele.
“I want to be a lawyer majoring in constitutional law,” he said.

The Pan-Africa Youth Leadership Programme is a leadership development exchange programme, which brings together 72 African students and adult mentors in three cohorts from across Africa for three weeks, to strengthen their understanding of civic rights and responsibilities, respect for diversity and the importance of community engagement.

Special emphasis is placed on opportunities for economic empowerment and skills based development.
The programme includes a comprehensive overview of American history and culture, as well as core leadership development facets.

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