Browsery

Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music – the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself. – Henry Miller

I laughed my lungs out reading President Mugabe’s words to encourage women of Zimbabwe to have babies. “We want more children. Give us more children you women. Muri kurambirei navo? Mimba makapirwei? Aiwa musanyime (Why are you refusing to have children when you have the wombs. Do not be stingy).

Many have attacked the President for encouraging this in such an economy. Talk of HIV, poor health care facilities, unemployment … the list is endless. Some have affirmed his words saying increased numbers will mean increased strength for the nation. I was really touched in the sense that the President’s ‘joke’ portrays the African belief that failure to have a child should be blamed on the woman.There are many childless marriages in the country and in some where adoption is not an option for them, the husband remarries another wife to bear children for him. But who said a childless marriage means the woman is barren or is at fault?

Zimbabwe Youth Festival artistic director, Tenford Chitanana, has launched his documentary titled, “Toindepi: Reflections of a Discarded Generation”. The documentary which details the lives of youths in Zimbabwe’s Hatcliffe area which was greatly affected by Operation Murambatsvina. Speaking at the launch at a Food For Thought session at the US Embassy Public Affairs Section Chitanana said, “The future is not inherited but I feel it is borrowed. Its unfortunate young people have no space to walk into the future”. These words conceded with the various views shared by youths present who felt they were being marginalized and abused in some instances.

The film goes through the lives of three youths who face various challenges. From being an unemployed breadwinner, a young mother, and dropping out of school but despite the challenges they face in their community these youths have dreams they wish to achieve one day. Moreblessing, who chronicles his life mostly in the film, dreams of being a politician and wishes to run as a Councilor for his ward in the next elections.

They work hard and they dream big but the system has failed to provide at least just one of their major needs which is education. There is only one formal high school in the community, which cannot meet the needs of all the youths in the area. Thus the youths are forced to attend ‘make shift schools’ which at the end of the day mean nothing since they are not recognized by the education ministry and prospective employers. The young mother sees her future brighter if only she can be afforded decent education in her community through the building of a formal school for all. Not only for herself but also for the generations to come.

Chitanana hopes that his film will inspire the youths of Zimbabwe to envision their tomorrow despite today’s challenges and struggles. Thus he poses the question Toindepi (Where do we go) and hopes from this documentary and other works that the youths will be enabled to come together and map a way forward to work together for the future.

I find it ludicrous that a Church can order anyone to leave the country. In fact, that the Church can deport anyone sounds rather from the Dark Ages. We always thought this was the job of the Immigration Department.

According to more than 260 international and local news reports listed by Google search last night, that’s exactly what the Salvation Army has done to a Canadian physician stationed in Chiweshe’s Howard Mission. And not surprisingly perhaps, at the centre of the brouhaha are allegations raised against the Church leadership of misappropriating donor benevolence, an all-too-familiar story in Zimbabwe. By assuming the role of border control, the Salvation Army could well be cutting its nose to spite the face. So, to hell (literally!) with villagers who desperately want the only doctor they have known for 17 years and want him to stay? And we always thought the men and women of faith knew better.

Most people don’t grow up. It’s too damn difficult. What happens is most people get older. That’s the truth of it. They honor their credit cards, they find parking spaces, they marry, they have the nerve to have children, but they don’t grow up. Not really. They get older. But to grow up costs the earth, the earth. It means you take responsibility for the time you take up, for the space you occupy. It’s serious business. And you find out what it costs us to love and to lose, to dare and to fail. And maybe even more, to succeed. What it costs, in truth. Not superficial costs—anybody can have that—I mean in truth. That’s what I write. What it really is like. I’m just telling a very simple story.
- Maya Angelou