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Archive for the 'Inspiration' Category

The power of young minds

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Friday, August 21st, 2009 by Zanele Manhenga

I never thought it possible to have patriotic Zimbabweans any more. Especially when it comes to young people of my generation. These patriots are young scholars based in the USA.They have come together to form a miniature Zimbabwean government. In it they appoint a Minister who gets to research on the field given to them. Not only do they research but they get to ask themselves what wrongs are being done in the real government and they propose policy ideas. If implemented they could really make a difference in our country. So when the young men addressing us told us they had put together a 100 plus paged document that has policy ideas, and suggestions to change the way the real government is doing work.  I almost stood to attention and said soldier on boys! Because I really think that with such innovative young minds, my beloved country can go back to her former glory and be called the “bread basket of Africa” again. But my mind went on a stand still when I heard them say they hoped to hand the document to the Prime Minister. One thing that came to mind as these boys were talking is what if they do not get chance to meet the Prime Minister, what happens to all those ideas? Who do they turn to, are they going to be considered a threat by the oldies in the real government? Then I remembered that we are in a new dispensation, and those old guys would be dumb not to consider the possibility of a break through from that document. I say this not because these guys are US based scholars but I sincerely have hope and believe in the power of young minds.

Forgiving, Forgetting and Reconciliation

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Friday, August 7th, 2009 by Zanele Manhenga

Last Tuesday I was at a very enlightening meeting that highlighted a lot of issues in relation to the current economic and political cloud over our country. This particular discussion was headed by a human rights lawyer who was addressing us on Transitional Justice: Forgiving, Forgetting and Reconciliation. He gave us what I think we all need to know about this Transitional Justice thing. One of the issues that springs to mind is that we should create a historical record and prevent repetition of human rights violations. I think that is what we must concentrate on. Because for those who were beaten and stripped of all dignity during election time, to forgive and forget we want to be assured that it’s not going to happen again. The other thing that was raised as a goal for Transitional Justice is that all people should be treated equal before the rule of law. Can you imagine me and a minister being treated the same way before a court to say both you guys committed a crime so you are getting the same sentence. If things could go like this then this country would be heaven. Now one other goal that toppled my day is that Transitional Justice seeks to hopefully reform state and non state institutions. This means that the police will not be pro party but will work on neutral ground. Therefore that would allow me to report policeman so and so for harassment at these pop up road blocks they have. But one thing that got me thinking is: should we go the criminal proceedings way and arrest all people we saw beating us up and taking our livestock? Or should we go the reparations way and say what you took bring back? As for me and my household I say forgetting and forgiving is the way to go. Don’t know about you?

The end of July

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Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 by Bev Reeler

our heads and shoulders are decorated with flecks of gold
flurries of falling jacaranda leaves
colouring our world
as we sit in the circle

touching the warming earth beneath my feet
it has been too long since I have felt the ground
the crackling dry leaves
the warming round rocks

weavers are already beginning their nests
intricate works of art
Celtic knots
no beginning
no end

and the web weaves around us
threads of light
reaching from across the planet
touching ground
as Zimbabweans begin this journey of self reliance
‘what can I contribute?’
‘where do we connect?’
General invites the other communities
to his organic gardening workshop in Kuwadzana
Chikukwa comes to Epworth
to speak of community building
counsellors and therapists and small organisations
begin to connect
‘what have we got to share?’

bronze mannekins on dry branches
picking up the courage
to come to the seed

warm earth
cold wind
golden flecks

This is the story of Zimbabwe

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Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 by Fungai Machirori

I have finally met someone who does not know of the nation called Zimbabwe!

Now, to be sure, before our economic and political meltdown hardly anyone cared about Zim – except of course those who were curious to get a peak at the Victoria Falls (which has always looked better from Zimbabwe than Zambia, anyway!) or those who did some form of trade with us.

But hang on, even the Queen of England and Lady Di once graced our once prosperous little land. So perhaps we were never that insignificant (to the outside world) anyway.

So I just couldn’t figure out where to begin with explaining to this poor woman about Zimbabwe. Should I tell her about our record monetary inflation, our political power struggles, or maybe even start with colonialism and then make my way into the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) and then independence as a precursor to the present situation.

And then I thought, “Ugh, man, she is kidding! No one doesn’t know Zimbabwe!”

But her brown eyes fixed intently on my face showed me that her question was genuine. This was no joke – this woman needed an education!

And I only had five minutes in which to give it to her.

What should I start with? Maybe a happy story, maybe something about where I live and work, my friends…

“Zimbabwe is in Africa,” I said. “Close to South Africa.”

Her eyes lit up and I could tell we had finally chartered mutual territory.

But I must admit that from thereon, I didn’t say much else that was good about Zim. I couldn’t help but get into the politics, epidemics and pandemics of our land.

“Oh,” she said looking at me with sadness and shock, “that’s not good.”

It was only then that I realised that I had been given sole responsibility to paint the entire world view of my country for someone.

And I had painted it black.

Isn’t it funny how we often berate the international media for making Zimbabwe out to be a place of doom and gloom, and yet often do the same ourselves?

For many people Zimbabwe is a mediated catastrophe, a place they would never want to be in. And we do nothing to challenge this idea when we keep re-enforcing the idea to everyone we meet.

Yes, I know that things are really bad and we live under unjust rule. But try to find something hilarious or beautiful in this.

If I could go back and restart my conversation with this woman, I would have told her a story that goes like this:

Once a few years ago, I was walking down a street in Harare and all of a sudden, my slipper snapped. I couldn’t walk any further, unless I would do so on bare feet. And I was at least a kilometre from a shoe repair shop!

“What to do,” I pondered quietly.

And behind me came a voice with an answer.

“Take my shoes,” she said.

“What?” I asked.

She repeated the offer, explaining that she worked at the end of the block. Walking barefoot to the office door would not be so much of a hassle for her.

“Take them and go and get yours fixed.”

I couldn’t believe it – a complete stranger placing complete faith in me.

When I returned an hour later to return her shoes, I asked her why she has trusted me so much.

“I knew you needed my help,” she said. “In a country like ours, everyone struggles sometimes and it’s only when we help each other that we all survive.”

I walked away with a deeper appreciation of what community meant.

This is the story of Zimbabwe – the story of people who still pride themselves in compassion when the same has not been shown to them by their own leaders.

This is the story that I should have recounted, amid all the statistics and gory details about struggle.

Ride at your own risk

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Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 by Bev Clark
Fun under repression

Fun under repression

Back in the day when I was much younger I often went to Luna Park when it was over near Glamis Stadium. I loved it. It was always a huge treat. Recently I was delighted to see the return of Luna Park. Its return can’t really be described as triumphant; it’s much diminished compared to it’s former days of full glory. But nevertheless, it’s back and still fun. These days Luna Park is at the corner of 7th and Herbert Chitepo in Harare. It shares the dusty piece of land with weekend soccer games and daily security guard training exercises.

Last Saturday a friend and I pulled in and decided to have a ride on the Shells. I was interested in the ferris wheel but in case of any kind of malfunction I wanted to be close to the ground. The ticket booth has a casual scripted sign on it that says Rides at your own Risk.

And the rides aren’t that cheap either. US$3 for 3 minutes on the Shells, for example. Anyway, we bought our tickets, got on and were flung around, screaming at the top of our lungs, like we were ten again.

Patriotism

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Thursday, July 16th, 2009 by Upenyu Makoni-Muchemwa

Dictionary.com defines patriotism as devoted love, support and defense of one’s country, national loyalty. In confusing love of our country with support of bad leadership, we’ve lost our sense of Patriotism. Yet patriotism is within the reach of ordinary citizens and something that we desperately need a lot more of. It’s spreading the word when something good happens and realizing that not everything in this country has to revolve around party politics. Patriotism is refusing to bribe a police officer and insisting that he follow the letter of the law for our traffic (or other) violations. It’s paying our taxes when we have to and buying Zimbabwean products to support our manufacturing industries. Its letting our neighbours who haven’t had water for years get water from us when we have boreholes. Its letting someone else go at the dead traffic lights. Its even turning the lights off when you’re not in the room to save electricity, not just for you but for the whole country. Patriotism is standing up for the Zimbabwe we believe in. Being Zimbabwean, regardless of who or where we are is something we should all take pride in. Working toward the Zimbabwe we all want to live in is something we should all do on a daily basis. It doesn’t require grand national gestures. Oftentimes it is the littlest things that make the biggest difference, it just takes us to keep an eye out for them. What have you done for Zimbabwe lately?