I became a resilient learner once I began to develop an acute understanding of the weight of race and socioeconomic factors in the British education system. I have experienced racism (overt and covert) at every stage of my education. These experiences were the catalyst for me becoming the advocate I am today. As an undergraduate student, I set up Empowered By Vee to help other students from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds navigate similar experiences.

My early years were spent in my birth country Zimbabwe. From a young age, it was imprinted in me that I was a second-class citizen because of my gender. I am all too familiar with the reality that some girls cannot finish secondary school because their parents have to prioritize paying their brothers’ school fees. So, I became a resilient learner because I understood the innate privilege of being able to step into a classroom. Over time, I have developed a more nuanced understanding that access to education is a right, and not a privilege. It is a right that has to be fought for. And we have to make equity in education a guarantee, and not an empty promise.

Let young people exist loudly in education systems

My message to leaders around the world is simple. We need more meaningful engagement with youth at every stage of decision-making. We do not want to inherit the future, we want to co-create it. So, we desperately need to create spaces where our concerns are heard, valued, and acted on. Our education systems were originally designed to create better laborers. Now, education is a tool to empower, to advance societies, and to nurture active citizens of the world.

Our education systems have to keep up with the times. They have to become more inclusive and meet the needs of many diverse students. Evidence has shown time and again that young people learn best when they are seen and valued. If you want us to show up to learn in classrooms, you have to make space for us to exist as our authentic selves within those classrooms.

And to my fellow peers, your voice matters

You are deserving of an education that is tailored to you and your needs as a digital learner. As a student in 2025, you need to understand your rights, as well as your responsibilities. This will enable you to apply all that you have learned to some of the world’s most pressing issues, and to become a better advocate for both yourself and those around you. Understanding your rightful position in the classroom will enable you to take up space in so many different ways and contexts. We all deserve access to equitable education systems, and we all deserve to exist loudly and mindfully within them.

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Dr Vee Kativhu
Girls Education Activist and Founder, Empowered By Vee