St Faith's School, Rusape

St Faith's Mission was established by Anglican missionaries around 1903. From the time it was established people from the local communities like Makoni Farm, Madzangwe and Madetere villages got employed there. Beniah Taiseni Makoni one of the most prominent inhabitants of the Mission farm was employed by the nuns as a cook (chef). Beniah was the son of King Ndapfunya Makoni the son of Nyakurukwa. Ndapfunya was brother to the late King Chingaira Makoni who was beheaded by the White settlers in ?1896 during the wars by settlers under Cecil John Rhodes to subdue the local communities under the British South Africa Company (BSACompany). Beniah married a local beauty Edith (Edesi) Ruwona the daughter of a local man Wilson of the Mbire Clan.

St Faiths Secondary School for Boys was established as a direct byproduct of the Mission. It started life as a primary school in the early 1920s, later becoming a boarding school for both boys and girls. The nuns ran the girls dormitories for years.

In 1949 Molly and Guy Clutton-Brock arrived. They had been sent because the farm was not thriving and the charity anticipated that it may be taken over by the Rhodesian government. It was anticipated that strong management would be established but instead a co-operative was formed. John Mutasa and Didymus Mutasa assisted the CBs (Clutton-Brocks) in creating a radical agricultural settlement. The resulting community was known for its resistance to the Smith regime.[1]

The secondary school for boys was then established in c. 1965 on the site of the primary school. That meant St. Faiths had ceased being a boarding school for primary school children. The Primary School moved across the Jordan River to the old Clutton Broke Farm. The Secondary School became one of the few non-government secondary schools in the country.

In 1961 to make way for the boys' secondary school the Mission was disbanded. The Mission Farm was cut into small parcels of land and distributed to the Mission workers. Smaller parcels of land were distributed free of charge and the bigger farms were sold to some of the Mission workers. Beniah Makoni bought Farm No 1 Mbobo Flats as the land parcels became popularly known. Forms 5 and 6 were introduced in 1987.

The school is symbolized by a Buffalo (a totem for the Makoni (Nyati) Clan) under whose traditional jurisdiction the school is built.

Head Master Mudangwe[2] Deputy Head I Mudangwe (C.E, B.A.)

• stfaithshighschool.co.zw (School website)
• (Facebook page)