From security guard to qualified nurse

CHINHOYI – IT is often said that where there is will there is always a way.

Last week a determined Nefutara Kanjunjuma completed a transition when he
graduated as a qualified State Registered Nurse (RGN), following completion of his
three-year training at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital in Mashonaland West Province.

The 51-year-old Kanjunjuma from Rujeko defied all odds by starting off as a security
guard to but completed the transition to a qualified State Registered Nurse (RGN)
through learning the hard way.

Kanjunjuma said he started working at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital on February 18,
2009 as a security guard until 2016.

“During the time I was working, I had a passion of upgrading myself. I told myself
that working in this ministry one needs to be educated, the meetings which we
attended encouraged me to have academic qualifications and a course, and this
motivated me a lot.

“I did not have a single subject. I failed all the ‘O’ level subjects I sat for at school. I
then proceeded in looking for a job without any qualifications and I was employed as
a security guard. Upon realising that people who lacked qualifications even if they
find a job will always have significantly lower salary than their more educated
counterparts, this then drove me into wanting to be someone in life, somebody who
is able to stand up for himself, to show and teach my children that hard work pays
off. Telling them that if you believe in yourself everything else becomes possible, and
also that life is what you make it,” he explained.

Kanjunjuma added that he sought permission from the hospital administrator and this
was granted in 2012; that was when he started studying and even went to Chinhoyi
Primary School, where he attended evening school.

“I went through a lot of difficulties, as I learnt through the hard way. It was very
difficult. I had to study whilst being on duty, and it was difficult. I could not
concentrate fully on my studies at that time because I could not hit two birds with one
stone. I had to deal with cars at the gate first. When the coast was clear, I would then
continue studying until it was very quiet and that was at midnight, when no vehicle
entered except for a few, which were on emergency. I would not sleep, till the next
morning.

“I then asked again for the permission of working on night duty for that whole year,
since the duties where lesser during the night comparing to during the day,” said
Kanjunjuma.

Kanjunjuma took this opportunity and studied very hard. He registered for six
subjects, which he was going to write that same year. Some of the people, who
helped him study were patients from the psychiatric unit. They helped “a lot” ignoring
that these people were patients. He concentrated on what they taught him and he
understood what they taught him better than what he did with his normal teachers at
evening school.

He then wrote the six subjects in 2012 and passed all the six subjects, coming out
with 4 Bs and 2Cs.

“I was very happy and shocked at the same time that I managed to pass within a
short period of time even though I went through a lot of difficulties.

“I then proceeded working as a general hand, but this time was promoted from being
a security guard to a security officer and that was from 2012 -16, then they did a
rotational change list, and I was moved to the kitchen.

“In 2016, there was an advert for nursing. Most nurses encouraged me to apply and I
did. I went for an interview, which was successful and found myself in the nursing
school,” said Kanjunjuma.

The challenges that he faced included people looking down on him. He even got to
the extent of wanting to give up, but then kept on telling himself that he could do it.

He thanked his tutors – Mrs Makuva, Miss Chinyama and Mr Mushongahande – for
standing by him throughout his journey.