Vhonani Mashimbwe (28), a teacher at Tshidumbi Primary School in Shayandima, has a lot of compassion for children who have fallen victim to bullying. This is because he too had suffered at the hands of bullies as a child. Today, he strives to reach out to these victims. His goal now is to begin a support group to help them overcome their ordeals and realise the potential within themselves.
Mashimbwe says he was mocked for the larger part of his life because of the size and shape of his head. The worst bullying he ever experienced, he says, was in school. "Many children did not want to play with me during breaks. Others called me names. I reported them to the teachers, who gave them a hiding, but the bullying never stopped. This continued when I went to high school, but I took my studies seriously because I knew what I wanted in life. There was a time, though, when I contemplated quitting school, when I failed Grade 11 twice because the bullying was getting too much."
But he did not quit. Despite this constant bullying, he made the decision not to allow these bullies to distract him from achieving his dream of becoming a teacher. "I gathered enough courage and continued with my education until I passed my Grade 12. I then enrolled for a teaching degree at the University of Venda (Univen), and here things got a lot better because I was now dealing with more mature students, who accepted me. I managed to complete my studies with ease, and today I am proudly teaching maths, life orientation and English at Tshidumbi Primary School in Shayandima."
Mashimbwe says that, to overcome bullying, accepting yourself first is important. To prove that he has made peace with the way he looks, and that he has long ago learned to accept himself just the way he is, he calls himself "Vho-Head Office". He recently updated his Facebook profile picture with a message attached, reading: "Don't hide yourself anymore; instead, accept yourself, it'll make your life easier."
The eldest of seven children, Mashimbwe was born at Maniini, outside Thohoyandou, and later moved to Manamani. He says he prefers being called "Vho-Head Office" because he appreciates the body that God has given him. "I become very happy when people call me "Vho-Head Office" because I am proud of who I am and how I look. I want others to be encouraged by this to accept themselves. I get many messages of support on social media."
Lately, Mashimbwe has been turning into a kind of celebrity too as he starts venturing more into the entertainment industry as a public speaker. "People now invite me to direct programmes at social gatherings and music festivals, where I also preach and encourage self-love. Some people might see the shape of my head as something negative, but I have turned it into a positive feature to encourage other people to love themselves the way they are," he said.