Zimbabwe: A 13-year-old girl prevents a train from killing more than 300 people

A 13-year-old girl was rewarded for her bravery after saving more than 300 people in Zimbabwe.

The teenager had prevented a train from leaving the station after noticing some anomalies.

As the train was about to leave, the girl rushed to inform the Sawmills station manager that he had to stop him immediately. In recognition of its quick and saving action, the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has decided to sponsor all of its secondary courses.

The NRZ also promised to guarantee her a place in her training school in Bulawayo if she wants to register.

Joseph Temai, NRZ Regional Marketing Director, praised her sense of responsibility.

“She saved more than 300 lives on a passenger train from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo, and did something that some adults would not have done. We decided to reward her for showing gratitude to her family and school for cultivating such good habits in a child. It was mid-week when she was going to school, she noticed that part of the railway was damaged. She immediately went to the train station to inform the director before continuing going to school. Her gesture shows the kind of family in which she grew up.”

Temai also acknowledged that her act saved millions of dollars of property. “It helped save money for the government and taxpayers. Another person may not see the value of what she has done if she does not consider herself a beneficiary of rail services. If we take into account that our food is transported by rail, our coal for electricity by rail, we will see that we are all beneficiaries,” he said.