Harare – In a touching display of compassion and solidarity, a group of students, mostly seniors at St. John’s College (SJC), extended a helping hand to their peers at Churchill Boys High School following a devastating fire that broke out on 26 May 2025.
The blaze which destroyed the Form 1 and Form 2 dormitories, causing significant damage, and all the students’ personal belongings were reduced to ashes.
Fortunately, there were no injuries.
Upon learning of the incident, a group of Upper Six students from St Johns College decided to take action, rallying support from fellow students and the wider community. They successfully raised funds and collected donations to provide urgently needed school materials, such as exercise books, pens, pencils, mathematical sets, bond paper, as well as comfort items, including blankets and throws. Additionally, the group bought tuck for the boys to enjoy.
A handover event was held at Churchill Boys High on Sun, 15 June, a date symbolically chosen as it coincided with Father’s Day.
The occasion was attended by the Churchill Deputy Head, Ms. Shoko; Senior Masters, Mr. Mugoto and Mr. Machingura; Senior Woman, Ms. Mhungu; SDC Chair, Ms. Chipo Bessie Mahamba; Prefects of Churchill, and the Form One and Two boys affected by the fire. The group toured the site of the destroyed hostel, witnessing firsthand the scale of the devastation.
Speaking during the ceremony, Aurick Bose, an Upper Six student at St Johns College who led the initiative, expressed gratitude to the Churchill leadership for the opportunity to offer assistance. He also acknowledged the efforts of his peers from school: Aayden Nakhozwe, Daniel Ross, Dishant Mangtani and Jetas Sai Maramreddy; and friends: Amith Boddapati, Baani Upadhaya and Shanaya Khatnani. All of whom contributed significantly to the initiative.
Bose, encouraging others to join the initiative, spoke briefly on how this act will hopefully go some way in allowing the Churchill boys to come back stronger than ever, as well as committing to helping the boys through further assistance in the future. He hopes that this small gesture shows their commitment to standing with each other in challenging times.
This inspiring student-led initiative serves as a reminder that empathy and leadership often go hand in hand and that even modest acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference.