Report Zimbabwe June & July 2022
Cover photo: rural area in Zvishavane, Zimbabwe. Photo: Zimbabwean wedding and braids, Harare.
Table of Contents
Photo: sunset in neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant, Harare.
1 Design for Change Project in Zvishavane, Zimbabwe................................4 2 Safari Day Trip.............................................................................................6 3 Economic Situation in Zimbabwe……........................................................10 4 Social Inequalities and Differences between Rural and Urban Areas.......14 5 Family in Zimbabwe………………………………………………………….…15 6 Patriarchy and Matriarchy…………………………………………………...…15 7 Gender Roles in Zimbabwe………………………………………..…………..16
Photo: Design for Change group photo after the training and anexcursion to Murowa RZM open pit diamond mine in Zvishavane, Zimbabwe.
1 Design for Change Project in Zvishavane, Zimbabwe FAWEZI introduced the Design for Change
The DFC empowers children with the tools to be aware of the world around them, believing that children play a role in shaping the world, and can take action towards a more desirable sustainable future.
(DFC) project in selected schools in Zvishavane, a mining area in the south of
FAWEZI trained pupils and teachers on the
Zimbabwe from 5th til 6th of July 2022.
FIDS methodology: Feel, Imagine, Do, and Share. In four steps, the pupils identified a
The DFC offers a simple framework to
problem that bothered them, came up with
empower all children to believe “I can”. It
their proper solution and started planning,
started in local public schools in India. DFC
implementing and sharing their stories of
empowers pupils to develop necessary
change. Thus, these four steps offer hope
skills, social and emotional competences
and inspiration for further change.
and promotes employability skills. Special about this initiative is that it is simple,
The DFC project in Zvishavane was funded
constructive, open-souce, accessible,
and hosted by Murowa RZM, a diamond
adaptable and replicable.
mining company in Zimbabwe.
Photo: DFC training at Murowa RZM in Zvishavane, Zimbabwe 5th til 6th of July 2022.
Photo: FAWEZI team. My supervisor (middle), a volunteer (right) and me (left).
My supervisor invited me to join the DFC training in Zvishavane. My role was to take photos, videos, and write social media posts on the DFC Zimbabwe Facebook page and other platforms. I used the FAWEZI camera and mobile phone uploads. Did you follow us on social media? FAWEZI team travelled in a Murowa bus with all miners. On the way there, the bus broke down and we arrived late. We stood in the miners village in small rooms. At first, we didn‘t find women‘s toilets. Furthermore, we ate with all miners. There was plenty of food for everyone.
Additionally, I experienced the first hot shower and saw the first washing machines since I have been in Zimbabwe. On the journey back, I got to know rural Zimbabwe. The round houses are the kitchens. I also saw traditional farmers Photo: Rural area around Zvishavane, traditional kitchens.
with wooden ploughs.
2 Safari Day Trip … to Imire Game Park in Marondera, Zimbabwe
I saw the rhinos in such close proximity that I could have toughed them. It was incredible. Our tour guide drove away when they came too close. He had a lot of knowledge and humour.
Photo: Wild Rhino family with prolongated faces to reach the grass, they are also called “lawn mowers”.
Photo: Elephant couple, left Mandewu (female, 30years old) and right Mark or Muku (rmale, 42 years old) with a wild boar wherever there were any big animals.
Photo: During lunch break I was surprised by the elephant couple again. They suddenly came towards us and stood at the lake while we were eating. It guess it was part of the show.
At Imire Game Park I saw the „big five“ in one day! Do you know which animals they are? ‚Rhino, elephant, lion, cheetah (leopard), and buffalo‘ According to the tour guide, I even saw more animals than the average day tour. Moreover, I saw smaller rhinos, giraffes, zebras, different antelopes such as impalas, an eland, and a reedbuck, the previously mentioned wild boars, and different birds. I was totally blown away and without words.
Photo: Giraffes, one giraffe eating from the floor.
The Imire Game Park close to Marondera, Zimbabwe is a very recommendable Safari tour and accommodation for big and small wanting to do Safari. Imire also conserves wildlife and protects it‘s animals day and night. I would love to return.
In the end, the tour guide told us about a female elephant leading a buffalo herd. African buffalos are the wildest of all bovids. At first I thought he was joking until I saw the buffalo herd running towards us. A few seconds later the elephant appeared obviously leading the herd. When she came to Imire Game Park she was two years old and one of the first elephants. Since then, she joined the buffalo herd thinking she is one of them, exercising her matriarchal leadership. What does this tell us about human leadership?
Photo: Female elephant leading a buffalo herd.
3 Economic Situation in Zimbabwe
To the left you can see the new currency Zimbabwe Dollar (ZWL), also called „Bond notes“ (which means printed notes in Shona).
Photo: 20 Bond notes.
To understand Zimbabwe’s economy, we must go back in Ecopolitical characteristics:
time. Zimbabwe is a former British colony under the name
Colonialism: ‘British Rhodesia’, United Kingdom
of ‘Rhodesia’. Zimbabwe is a very rich country in terms of
Indipendence: 18th April 1980
by international companies until today. Zimbabwe gained
Name: Republic of Zimbabwe
minerals, especially gold and diamonds and was exploited independence from the United Kindom in 1980. Since then, it has been ruled as a unitary dominant-party presidential
Government: unitary dominantparty presidential republic
republic by ZANU-PF, a big tent party. Zimbabwe’s GDP
Ruling political party: Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front (ZANUPF), big tent party
Germany’s GDP of $3.806 trillion USD in the same year.
GDP: $16.77 billion USD in 2020 Currency: multi-currency system with Zimbabwe Dollar (ZWL) and US Dollar (USD) Sanctions: financial Inflation rates: 838% in 07/2020, 60.7% in 12/2021, 191% in 06/2022
was $16.77 billion USD in 2020 in comparison with
Over 40 years, Zimbabwe’s economy has remained relatively stable and flourished between 1980 and 2006. In 2006 it started to experience a slight inflation until 2017. Abruptly, from 2018 to 2020 it lived a hyperinflation of 838% in 2020. Then by the end of 2021 the inflation could be slowed to 60.7%. Currently, Zimbabwe experiences another hyperinflation of 191% in June 2022 with rising tendency. In addition, Zimbabwe is under financial sanctions by various countries such as the UK, Canada and Australia due to concerns of political violence and human rights violations.
What is a multi-currency system? The term defines an accounting software that enables trading in multiple currencies, which facilitates buying and selling internationally. In today’s global marketplace, companies have a need to do business in foreign and multiple currencies. Zimbabwe has a long history of different multi-currency combinations including the USD, South African Rand, and Chinese Yuan. In 2016, the original “Bond notes” (printed notes in Shona) where introduced to eliminate the USD shortage at that time. The Bond notes where then renamed to Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) Dollar in 02/2019, becoming the only official currency in Zimbabwe and replacing the multi-currency system from 06/2019 to 03/2020. After that, the dual currency system was reintroduced using a new Zimbabwe Dollar (ZWL, the “fourth dollar”) and USD up to today.
Photo: multi-currency in general. What does a multi-currency system mean in daily life? In Zimbabwe we can pay either with
ZWL (with a swiping card or with an application) or with USD (in cash). While the ZWL experiences a hyperinflation of 191% in 02/2022, the USD remains relatively stable maintaining it’s value. Depending on the product, it can be cheaper paying in ZWL or in USD, it depends on the shop and product. For grocery shopping in the supermarkets we pay in ZWL. The supermarkets need to adapt their prices each week. If we pay in USD in the supermarkets we lose a lot of money, as they use the bank exchange rate, which is approx. half of the black market rate. In other shops and at the markets we always need to calculate which currency is more convenient, using the black market exchange rate. Usually apart from the supermarket we pay in USD.
Photo: supermarket in Zimbabwe.
How do we go grocery shopping in supermarkets? If we know we need products from the supermarket, we call a contact that can exchange (“burn”) USD into ZWL using the black market rate. When I first arrived at the end of 04/2022 the black market rate was at Z$340 ZWL for $1 USD, the week after, in the beginning of 05/2022 it had already increased to Z$385 ZWL, then Z$400 ZWL and so on until the end of 07/2022 where it is now at Z$750 ZWL for $1 USD with rising tendency. Then the money “burner” changes the needed amount of USD into ZWL and transfers it onto a national telephone line using a service called “EcoCash”, for which only people with a national ID card can register. At the supermarket we collect the required products calculation the prices on our phone: Z$2500.99 ZWL for apples + Z$999.99 ZWL for bred + Z$2589.99 ZWL for yogurt etc. Then we pay using EcoCash on the phone. Back home or back in town we give the money burner the USD in cash. We eat our products until we need to go grocery shopping again. Especially fruits and vegetables are cheaper on the local markets in the high density districts (like the fruits and vegetable market in Hatcliffe from the previous report).
How do I experience the economic situation in Zimbabwe? From my experience, the multi-currency system in Zimbabwe is very complex. I find going grocery shopping in supermarkets and recharging data on my mobile phone very complicated. It takes time to organise the “burned” ZWL on EcoCash and requires contacts to the black market. If the usual money “burner” is not available, I find it challenging to receive ZWL on my phone in order to pay in the supermarket in that instant moment. I then spend time calculating the ZWL prices in the supermarket to go in line with the budget. If there is not enough ZWL on EcoCash, the cashier helps me to remove one or two products until I am able to pay with EcoCash. “Burning” too much money and transferring it to EcoCash does not make sense. I just change the money that I need on that day just before going grocery shopping. If I keep money on EcoCash I end up losing it due to the hyperinflation. In addition, my foreign passport does not let me register for EcoCash myself, which means that I need to organise a mobile phone simcard through an adult with a Zimbabwe ID card. Currently, one Zimbabwean adult citizen can only register for one EcoCash line, which most people use themselves. Thus, it’s a challenge for me to even organize an EcoCash line. It could be easier if I would just pay in USD in the supermarkets, but I would end up losing a lot of money. I go the local way since I am here for more than five months. Grocery prices are very high in Zimbabwe in comparison with Germany and even more in comparison with the local salaries. The hyperinflation of the ZWL is another experience. After the first week I was shocked about the sudden increase, now I am not surprised anymore. The locals are used to the situation. I can hear that many people are upset and dissatisfied with their government. We say it’s bad governance and the government is in the wrong hands, damaged by corruption. We say, political leaders fill their own pockets instead of the government’s. However, we need to be careful not to say anything against the government. We think it is a very rich country in a difficult situation with historical roots. I experience reality in Zimbabwe and it makes me stronger. I find Zimbabwean people are very resilient. We joke saying to write “I am Zimbabwean” on the CV, which shows interdisciplinary competences and survival skills. ;D There is hope for positive change. A friend of mine says: “change is inevitable”. The situation will change for the better. Unfortunately with the brain drain many people have already left the country and many are pursuing ways to go abroad, but there are still some great people remaining in Zimbabwe. There is hope for social change and it will come.
Photo: Typical Zimbabwean family in a rural area. Moreover, life in rural areas is very different
4 Social Inequalities and Differences between Rural and Urban Areas
In Zimbabwe, there is a gap between rich and poor. There is no middle class. Further-more, there are disparities between low density (LDD) and high density districts (HDD). A LDD is a rich urban residential area where few people live in a large space. One can see big mansions and villas with gardens, walls, and gates. 1 to 4 people can live in one big house. A HDD is a poor urban residential area where many people live in a small space. Here, three families can share a three roomed small house. A LDD such as Borrowdale or Mount Pleasant can be right next to a HDD such as Hatcliffe, Mbare or Epworth, some ghettos in Harare.
from urban areas. The lifestyle, infrastructure, type of work, household chores, and gender roles differ. We say that life in rural areas of Zimbabwe is reality. Life in LDD is fake. In rural areas we find traditional houses with grass roofs. The round houses are the kitchens. There is no electricity and no running water. Women fetch water from the rivers or boreholes, collect firewood, work in the agriculture and cook. Men plough the fields with ox and wooden ploughs, build houses, and keep the cattle in self-made wooden fences. In cities, there is mostly electricity, running water, and transport. Both men and women tend to work as employees or in their own business. Women usually do the domestic washing, cooking, and cleaning in Zimbabwe.
Extended families including multiple generations are still
5 Family in Zimbabwe
seen in rural areas, while
In Zimbabwe, a “family”
Even then, families still
traditionally refers to an
have deep connections and
expansive kinship network.
obligations to other
Although these networks
household relatives in times
may not continue in their
of need such as sickness,
traditional form, extended
mobility etc.
the nuclear families usually
6 Patriarchy & Matriarchy
live alone in urban areas.
family relationships are still
Traditionally, the main groups Shona and Ndebele as well as the minority groups Shangani and Venda people have patriarchal group and family lines. Women move into
very close and important
their husband’s families’
today. For example, all
houses when married.
cousins in Zimbabwean culture are understood as
In addition, the extended
one’s brothers and sisters,
family and community can
even friendships.
play a relevant role in
Descent and leadership are also passed down through the male side of the family.
raising children, especially in rural areas. In Shona we say: you don’t educate your child for yourself alone; education is for society, by However, urbanisation,
society. This shows the
Christianity and the effects
collectivist nature of the
of European colonialism
approach to parenting, it is
contributed to a trend
the community’s
towards nuclear families,
responsibility and one’s
monogamous marriages,
responsibility in the
and individualism in the
community. In rural areas,
cities.
having many children is seen positively as for the assistance in and around the house as the parents age.
Despite the majority, there is an exception among the Shangani people. Some subgroups traditionally follow a matriarchal social organisation, where the husband moved into the wife’s home when married.
7 Gender Roles in Zimbabwe Zimbabwean society is generally patriarchal. While there are some minority tribal groups that are matriarchal, men generally hold more decision-making power. According to traditional culture, the oldest male (usually the father) is the patriarch of the family and is expected to be the breadwinner for the entire household. Consequently, the oldest brother/ male child is then thought of as the second father. Typical gender roles of women expect them to be obedient to their husband and not to disagree or challenge his views. A woman may have more authority over family members that are not her husband’s. For example, an aunt (Tete in Shona) has more power to openly criticise and preside over family disputes. However, generally men are more commanding of the public sphere and political leadership is male dominated.
Those women who are educated and engaging in wage-labour are starting to seek more decision-making power. Currently, a law based on cultural customs discriminates against their rights to part-time work and inheritance. Traditionally, Zimbabwean women engage in much of the labour and farming required in daily life. Their traditional economic activities include gardening, raising poultry and baking to supply additional household goods and income.
Many men have migrated to urban centres for work, leaving elders, women and children in rural areas. This has led to a rise in female-headed households whereby women have to look after everyone in the family. Women now outnumber men in the agricultural sector. The feminization of poverty has a women‘s face. Climate change affects the most vulnerable. Food for thought: How are gender roles distributed in your society? Can you imagine a new, equal distribution of roles in society?
The End... Photo: sunset in grassland close to our house, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Photo: Zimbabwean wedding with my Zimbabwean Mama, the bride & groom, the bridesmaids, and the groomsmen in Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe, 3rd July 2022.
Did you like the report for June and July 2022? Which topic would you like for the next report?
Thank you!
Did you miss anything? Do you have suggestions for improvement?
Book recommendation: “Nervous Conditions” by Tsitsi Dangarembga.
Photo: reading Tsitsi Dangerembga in the garden in Mount Pleasant.