In a while, I plan to start writing about my travels, past, present, and future.
In the meantime, I have been thinking about it quite a bit recently and I really feel the need to make sure as many people as possible know what is happening in Zimbabwe. A and I spent a few days in Zimbabwe in September 2007 and for a brief time witnessed what Zimbabweans deal with every day. Zimbabwe is unlike any other place I have been to so far in my travels. Food shortages, 80% unemployment, crazy, crazy inflation (I’m talking 4 zeros every year and it changes literally every day), people leaving in thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, really low life expectancy in the 30s, Mugabe in general.
The money exchange people actually told us not to exchange our money…and their business is to make money off your money. People are desperate for dollars. It’s one of those kind of situations where if you go, you have to deal with giving the government money but at the same time you can kind of help out individuals. We paid $20 for a taxi once and knew we probably over paid. However, realized that that $20 could last our driver and his young son (who he brought with him in the taxi/borrowed-car-missing-the-inside-lining-headlights-etc.) probably a month. I often wonder what will happen to that boy. Will he be able to go to school? How long will he have to live in that kind of environment? How old will he grow to be? Will he make it past 35? Will he make it to the age I am now?
People sell things on the side of the road because there are few jobs. Although some of the sellers can be intense (they will follow you for a while, which at times made me uncomfortable), this is something they have to deal with daily for survival. If you don’t want to buy what they are offering, sellers may even offer trades for your clothing and or shoes. They want goods. I would have given them my shoes but unfortunately, I had more places to go and I still needed them. Next time, I will bring extras.
Like so many people around the world, Zimbabweans want to live, love, and raise their families. The people are wonderful and the country has many parts that are or once were beautiful. They really can’t speak out much about their government and it seems that this current election process is a prime example. It’s a sad state of affairs.
- Latest news on the recent Zimbabwe elections.
- Frequently updated website with articles on the Zimbabwe situation.
- Zimbabwe facts and figures.
Zimbabwe needs to have fair elections. I’m not saying I know which way the elections will go but so many people are suffering and they want change. They deserve to have their votes counted fairly. I strongly urge each of you to contact your President, Senator, Congressmember, and the UN to help ensure fair and democratic elections.
Contact:
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President: comments@whitehouse.gov, (202) 456-1111
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U.S. Representative to the United Nations: Mr. Zalmay Khalilzad, usa@un.int, (212) 415-4000
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Representative: http://www.house.gov/
a world of explorations 
April 14, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I can’t image witnessing first hand the poverty and corruption of Zimbabwe. I know there are a lot of organizations in Africa trying to help but I haven’t come across one in Zimbabwe.
April 14, 2008 at 5:58 pm
goodtube – Thanks for looking! You’re my first comment.
I haven’t come across many either but I did find one, HIV/AIDS|ZIMBABWE CHARITY, http://www.hivaidszimbabwe.com. Concern is not Zimbabwe specific but looks promising, http://www.concernusa.org. Coincidentally, some friends of mine and I just started thinking that maybe there was something we could do to help out there. If this develops, I will post about it.