By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
HARARE – For Mrs Batsirai Dzingai, Wednesday was more than just an induction ceremony. It was validation of a parenting philosophy she swears by: be tough, push for extra lessons, and never let the holidays become an excuse to slack.
Her second daughter had just won a Delta Corporation bursary. The first daughter won years ago and is now a university graduate.
Anesu and her mother Mrs Batsirai Dzingai
Now Anesu, who is studying sciences in Lower Six at Bonda Girls High School, follows in her sister’s footsteps.
“All I can say is we encourage our children to take education seriously and make sure they go for extra lessons,” Mrs Dzingai said, her voice thick with emotion.
“Sometimes as a parent you need to be tough on the children so that they take school seriously, whether it’s a school holiday or not.”
She was one of dozens of parents and guardians who gathered at the Mandel Training Centre for Delta’s annual bursary induction ceremony, held under the theme “Educating Today’s Learners, Powering Zimbabwe’s Future.”
For Mrs Rumbidzai Kaluwa, whose daughter Beverly was also inducted, the bursary represents a lifeline.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our children to have access to education with full support,” she said. “We now know our daughter will not lack in any way.”
Mrs Juliet Chigariro and Sharon
Mrs Juliet Chigariro had double cause for celebration. Her daughter Sharon received the bursary for the second time — first during her A Levels, and now again for university.
“She won the bursary when she was studying A Level, and this year she won it again to go to university,” Mrs Chigariro said, beaming. “I am really proud of her and of Delta Corporation for empowering the girl child.”
Among the sea of inductees, Takunda Mutasa stood out — one of the few boys in the cohort. His father, Mr Josepha Mutasa, watched with quiet pride. Takunda, for his part, had a message for fellow recipients: the bursary demands discipline.
Mr Joseph Mutasa and song Takunda
Speaking at the event, Delta Corporation General Manager for Corporate Affairs and company spokesperson, Patricia Murambinda, said the programme is about removing financial barriers so potential can flourish.
“Delta remains committed to supporting Zimbabwe’s national development agenda by investing in education and skills,” Murambinda said.
“Through this bursary programme, we are helping to protect learners’ potential from financial barriers and strengthen the country’s future workforce.”
She added: “In line with our theme, ‘Educating Today’s Learners, Powering Zimbabwe’s Future,’ we believe targeted support for deserving students is a practical and measurable contribution to building sustainable communities and a stronger economy.”
The numbers tell a story of sustained commitment. Delta has run education assistance programmes for over twenty years, disbursing close to US 100, 000 in school bursaries annually.
To date, over 1,300 students have benefited, representing an investment of approximately USD 2,100,000. In 2026, 100 students are benefiting from the programme, from A Level through to university.
In 2026 alone, 100 students are receiving support from A Level through to university.
Recipients are selected in partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, ensuring the bursaries reach high-potential learners from underprivileged communities across all provinces.
But the bursary scheme is just one piece of a larger puzzle.
Delta’s wider social investment includes constructing classroom blocks in underprivileged communities, management training through the Mandel Training Centre, artisan training at the Delta Technical Institute, and a heavy vehicle Driver Training School. A Graduate Development Programme also nurtures early-career talent.
Together, these initiatives have helped produce professionals across fields — doctors, engineers, and financial experts among them.
As the ceremony drew to a close, Delta encouraged the new intake to pursue excellence and use the opportunity to give back — to their communities and to Zimbabwe’s development agenda.
For parents like Mrs Dzingai, the message had already landed at home.
“We encourage our children to take education seriously,” she said again, as if reciting a family creed. And thanks to Delta, that creed now has 100 new reasons to believe.
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