Remember the People

This is a piece based on one of my most impressionable moments upon returning to Zimbabwe.

I’m sure a great number of people in the world are aware of the economic crisis in Zimbabwe, the deep rooted corruption, the vast inflation, the loss of our currency, the cholera outbreak, the HIV/AIDS pandemic and all of the statistics (although not so accurate) that surround these. However, what I really want to highlight today is The People. The statistics and economic happenings are taking part in and shaping the lives of the people…

I want to direct this blog post mainly to our current leaders, our future leaders, legislators, policy makers, business people and anybody with the capacity understand: Remember the People!

One of my character traits is that I like to talk to people a lot so each time I stop at a traffic light I’m talking to the guys that are selling airtime, every time I’m sitting somewhere or standing in line I’m constantly finding myself engaging in conversation with different people from all walks of life.

If you live in Harare or frequent the CBD I am sure you are aware of the groups of people that harass motorists, for example; when you are trying to park your car they run towards you and vigorously direct you  to get into a particular parking space, they sometimes offer to wash your car and they are always there by your window when you are trying to get out of the parking space with their arms stretched out ready to receive saying, “Ko Sister hamuna kana 5Rand?” – My sister so you have at least 50cents. On top of this being a real nuisance, I often look at them and think why can’t you just leave me alone, I don’t have money just to give away and I can very well park my car on my own. One of the things that has sort of struck my heart is that these are people like myself who are actually trying to make a living and this is their means. This light bulb moment was brought about by  a young man who goes by the name of George.

I met George four years ago and an interesting relationship ensued mainly because I am a creature of habit and got used to parking my car in the same spot each time I went into the city centre. This spot happened to be in his area and George was one of those guys dressed in rags and constantly looking like he is high on some cheap drug or alcohol pleading, “Ko Sister hamuna kana 5Rand?” As is my custom George and I got to talking and every time I went into town George would sort of take care of me by making sure my car is looked after (I doubt if there was a need for that) and in exchange I would give him any spare change I had. Over the years he also began to open up to me and told me how he had a wife and a new-born son in the rural areas. He told me he is here in Harare trying to make something out of his life so he washes people’s cars and he does the whole parking thing. In essence at the time to me he was just a guy on the street with a story to tell. No big deal.

I went away for a year and when I came back in August I went back to my usual parking spot and routinely asked the guys there where George was. Unfortunately no one there knew of him and technically speaking he was just a guy out there living on the streets, sleeping wherever he could and there was no way that I could ever track him down. This really saddened me and for some time I really wondered what became of him. In my mind it was mostly horror stories of him getting sick and having died with no medical treatment or overdosing on Zed (cheap alcohol).

Three months into my return I went to a different area in town and after parking my car a young man dressed in his Yellow Easipark uniform (Easipark is a company working in conjunction with the municipality of Harare making people pay for parking in town it functions in a very similar way to the nuisances I described earlier but with much less on offer) runs towards me smiling from ear to ear and he says, “Makadii henyu Sisi Chido?” – How are you sister Chido. It took me a moment to realise that it was George because dressed all smart in his black pants, yellow shirt, yellow cap and electronic receipt machine he was a different man. I was in awe. We started talking and he told me how he finally got a job, how he is renting one room in Mbare, how his kid is now four years old and how now he has a steady income guaranteed at the end of each month so he can plan ahead. He spoke of how he is happy that he no longer has to literally beg strangers for coins every day and doesn’t have to worry about being harassed by city council workers in a bid to clean up the city centre.

I cried tears of joy after meeting George. I was happy to see an actual change in his life, not just in the way he looked physically but also the boost in his confidence. When I was now alone later on this encounter led me to think about all those guys on the streets selling airtime. When you call them from wherever you are they get up and sprint towards you just to give you $1 airtime and that is how they are making a living. Out there in the scorching sun or in the beating rain the guy is there at 6am and he will still be there at 8pm selling airtime. With my discussions with one of them I found that he sells airtime during the day and doubles up as a security guard at night. The truth of the matter though is that these people are really really hard working individuals, people that want to make something out of their lives, people that don’t necessarily want to be out on the streets harassing you for 5Rands on a daily basis, trying to sell you masau or chicken flings and Jupiter’s, trying to sell you car chargers, fridge magnets, ironing boards, shoe racks, you name it. They are trying to build up their sustenance and the reality is that the occurrences in Zimbabwe over the past 10 years have affected people who want to do something and our leaders, us as individuals in the corporate world, us as individuals who are aspiring to build a better Zimbabwe, aspiring to break the cycle of poverty must remember the people.

image source: www.telegraph..co.uk

We must remember George, we must remember ana Tashinga (10) and Simba (17)  who are two street kids that I met during a lunchtime prayer meeting. They have found themselves on the streets after their grandmother who used to take care of them in Chipinge passed away a year ago. Their mother and father are diseased, they both were HIV positive and now these two orphans are living on the street trying to get by. I speak to Simba and he is not used to being on the streets, he doesn’t want to be there, he is ashamed of his current circumstances and he wants to make something of his life. He wants to work. In fact whenever he comes across somebody who needs some piece work done he celebrates, he sweeps the backyards of shop owners complexes for $1 and if somebody wants to have their gardening done he is there and he is looking for opportunities like this. I know and understand that we are all stretched and hard pressed but I also believe that If we keep them in mind and if we make it a point to creatively think of ways to support and assist them I know that not only will Zimbabwe be a better place but most importantly the lives of people will be made better.

Please be reminded that begging is not Simbas life plan, it is not his vision and he doesn’t want to sleep outside in the cold. Please be reminded that because of a window of opportunity George is now a working man, cleaned up, dressed nice and financially supporting his wife and son. Two extremes with the same beginning. There is hope.

Remember the People

image source: www.bulawayo24..com

XOXO

Chido Dziva Chikwari

P.S. With operation Murambatsvina (the demolition of illegal structures) now making a comeback I understand we all, the people and our policy makers desire to have the city restored to its sunshine status, however, as we do so please may we remember the people. Who is living in these structures? Why are they living there? And what can we do for them?

P.S. 2 So George finally got a job, I knew him for 4 years beforehand while he was on the streets and coincidentally I’m kind of relating to him more now because I am currently looking for a job. I’ve been on this hunt since August and so far it has been nothing short of a character building exercise. My story will be very different from Georges but I am glad to be going through this because although I am privileged in so many ways it’s an insider experience that I have heard many others before me speak of and I’m looking forward to sharing it on this blog soon! Keep an eye out!