SPORTING TEACHERS THE ZIMBABWE EXPERIENCE:The recent Cholera outbreak is the latest nightmare to hit Zimbabwe after years of hardship. But a group of students are in Ireland this week trying to show that, despite all the problems, life goes on. Peterhouse School rector Jon Calderwoodtells the story of how hope can come through sport.

PETERHOUSE IS an Anglican boarding school located in Marondera, about 80km east of the Zimbabwean capital of Harare. Established in 1955, it comprises a primary school and both a boys' and girls' secondary school, with close on 1,000 students in total.

It became the first multi-racial school in the country and continues its proud tradition of academic and sporting excellence despite the problems in our country.

In many respects the school is blessed by its location; the three campuses are set on 2,000 acres, which include 15 grass pitches for the boys' school alone. And how many pupils get to look out the school window at giraffe and wildebeest, as our students do in the 2,500-acre Gosho Park, which they help to run?

The trouble in our country has hit everybody, with unemployment running at 80 per cent and the world's highest inflation rate that has seen 15 zeros slashed off the currency. There is no food in the shops, and now Cholera threatens thousands of lives.

But school life must go on and we have found ways around the problems, with everyone doing their bit to help. Despite the incredible difficulties of sourcing materials and fuel, Peterhouse has battled on with grocery handouts for staff at the end of the first and second terms, and by giving staff a meat coupon for Christmas.

With constant power cuts which last up to 20 hours a day, and power often only on between midnight and four in the morning, the school has resorted to baking bread rolls at midnight, doing laundry and sending emails in the dark hours of the night. By buying new pumps and generators we have been able to get water from the reservoirs to enable the school to cope during power outages.

Of course sport has offered the students a huge boon during these troubled times. Peterhouse has a long and proud tradition in a variety of sports, but let me concentrate on rugby, as that is why we have made this trip to Ireland.

And the one player who best typifies what Peterhouse stands for is South Africa prop Tendai Mtawarira, affectionately known as The Beast, who left a huge legacy behind from his time at the school.

Back in October 2002, Tendai wrote a letter to the school asking for a place to do A level study and play rugby. He was looking for a scholarship, but we did not award them for sport so I had to tell him we did not have a place for him.

Mtawarira was a determined young man and he travelled the 80km out to Peterhouse, using lifts, and asked to see me. He asked me to reconsider, as he really wanted to come to Peterhouse.

I relented and am pleased I did. He was a school prefect in his last year along with captain of rugby. He passed his A level subjects in his two years at Peterhouse, before becoming a professional player with the Natal Sharks and now the Springboks.

He's not the only former pupil in the South African team, or indeed in the frontrow, as Brian Mujati has played at tighthead prop on their recent tour of the Northern Hemisphere.

In their game against Scotland, the two props came up against another former pupil, Scott Grey, something which gave me and everyone at the school an incredible sense of pride to see three Petreans play in the same Test match.

The current generation of players are a talented bunch also, and - despite having to get used to muddy pitches and freezing weather - have really enjoyed their visit to Ireland so far.

The hospitality afforded by the hosting families has been fantastic, while we have all enjoyed witnessing a new culture.

I know some people might question what we are doing here while our country struggles through its present nightmare. But we must remain hopeful and keep striving for normality.

Although we now face new frustrations, it has become obvious that change will come. We, at Peterhouse, are determined to be the flagship of education in our region when change comes.

• Peterhouse play three matches in Ireland, starting against Crescent College in Limerick today (2.30pm). On Saturday they play St Mary's College, Rathmines (1pm), and finish against St Andrew's on Tuesday at UCD (2.30pm). Former St Andrew's pupil and international referee Alan Lewis will take charge.