KEY POINTS
- 14-year-old Alisha Simango died by suicide in Budiriro, with her diary revealing struggles with bullying and family breakdown.
- Zimbabwe records alarming rise in teen suicides, highlighting mental health resource gaps in schools.
- Community leaders call for anti-bullying programs and accessible counseling services to prevent future tragedies.
The Budiriro community is in mourning after 14-year-old Alisha Simango, a Form Two student at a local high school, committed suicide by hanging herself with a zambia (traditional wrapper) in her family’s bathroom.
MyZimbabwe reports that the incident occurred on Tuesday evening, with relatives discovering her body hours later when she failed to respond to calls for dinner.
“We heard no noise, no struggle—just silence before we found her,” said a distraught family member who requested anonymity. Police confirmed the suicide and recovered Alisha’s diary, which contained entries detailing prolonged emotional distress. “I feel invisible at school and at home…the pain won’t stop,” read one excerpt shared with investigators.
Diary exposes bullying, isolation struggles
The diary entries, spanning six months, paint a harrowing picture of a teenager battling depression, social exclusion, and academic pressure.
Alisha reportedly wrote about being bullied by classmates over her appearance and struggling with feelings of abandonment after her parents’ divorce.
“She was a quiet, bright girl who never showed outward signs of distress,” revealed her homeroom teacher, who asked not to be named. “This is a wake-up call for all of us to pay closer attention.”
Mental health experts warn that Zimbabwe faces a growing crisis of teen suicides, with at least 12 similar cases reported in schools nationwide this year alone. Dr. Tariro Muchena, a Harare-based psychologist, notes:Â “Adolescents are internalizing trauma without support systems. We need urgent interventions in schools and communities.”
