Walking in Harare

The first time I came to Zimbabwe was in 1990, when I was working for World University Service of Canada, an organization that posted teachers all over the country and invested in teacher training. I spent most of the 90s in sub-Saharan Africa: in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mali. This is the first real chance I have had since the 1990s to spend time in rural Zimbabwe. The last time I was in the Masvingo province, in the south eastern part of the country, was in 2002. Because I have lived in Zimbabwe before, this was a very emotional trip for me. So many places brought back memories.

The first thing I did when I arrived in Harare city was to take a long walk. I strolled for over two hours through the wide boulevards adorned with acacia and palm trees. On a superficial level and from a distance, the city looks the same as it did in the early nineties. But when you get close to it, look into the shop windows and talk to people, you realize how much has actually changed.

For much of the 1990s, Zimbabwe experienced rapid economic growth. It was perhaps not equitable growth but it was growth nevertheless. What is apparent to me now is that human capacity has not declined at all but that the infrastructure has literally collapsed. Zimbabweans are well educated, respectful and as aware as ever; perhaps even more so now then before. I was really astounded by the level of the conversation we had in the rural areas. Hyperinflation makes people destitute and this is what happened in Zimbabwe. When a currency has no longer any value and money becomes worthless, people have to sell their hard assets to simply cope. This is very palpable in Zimbabwe. You can see the hardships people have lived through for the past 15 years. Homes and shops have not been maintained because of the impact of hyperinflation.

As I strolled around Harare, I noticed very few cars and lots of shops selling items in bulk, with not much diversity. I went to the East Gate Shopping Center. The last time I was here was in 1999, when we visited from Zambia. This used to a fancy shopping mall because it was modern and new. This time around, I could not believe how much it had deteriorated. On the second floor, I saw all the franchise shops, including Debonaire Pizza and a Middle Eastern Deli, all selling the same traditional foods. This is a clear indication that what is available is extremely limited but it also highlights the Zimbabwean spirit, the fact that entrepreneurs still find a way to serve their customers. They did not abandon this place. They changed it. Of course, I do hope to come back someday and to see this shopping center as it once was: modern and lavish.

I have read somewhere that Zimbabwe has declined to the levels of 1953. Progress here means getting the country back to what it once was. The good news is that all the elements you need for recovery are in place. Most importantly, there is cohesion at the village level. You get straight to the point here. You can really talk to people about what they have and what they need and come to a rapid conclusion about first steps. Most of the CARE Zimbabwe programs are about taking first steps. They are not end points but steps towards recovery. They are a good demonstration of the ‘Live, Learn and Earn’ theme that CARE Canada seeks to promote.