Author: Shivum Kalyanam

My trip to Zimbabwe was an experience like no other. After an almost 48-hour travel

experience, landing in the Bulwayo airport was refreshing. The clouds and the weather were

beautiful. As soon as we walked out of the airport, we were greeted by a multitude of people, all

of whom I would later get to know. Traditional dancers there proclaimed a phrase, “ Don’t feel at

home. Be at home.”

Throughout the trip, I asked many locals about everything that interested me. The part

that stuck out to me the most was what the country has been through. From colonization,

declared independence by a minority, independence by a majority, to a devastating economy,

Zimbabweans have been through a great deal in their history. However, from a landfill that has

terrible conditions to a poor rural school, it was extremely rare to see someone frowning. Even

though these people lived in terrible conditions they could still find happiness in life. However,

when visiting these places, the amount of stories and examples of people being stuck in cycles

really hit me. At a small rural school named St. Lucy, we were told that many of the students

don’t go onto highschool, go into mining, or struggle to find a job. This cycle is sadly all too

common in Zimbabwe. With the current funds of My Motherland, they can negate some of this.

When we were at St. Lucy we met 9 or so kids that had been sponsored by My Motherland to

attend the school. Public school in Zimbabwe is not free like in the US. Students have to pay

around $100-200 per school year. This may seem not like much, but when put taking the

economy, the valuation of the US dollar, and the location into account it is not a small expense.

By seeing these students, it hit me that the price of a nice dinner for a family, a new video game,

and a few haircuts, is equivalent to a full year of schooling in Zimbabwe.Another substantial difference in Zimbabwe from the US is the fact buildings, roads, and

other pieces of infrastructure do not get fixed if they’re broken. There are many abandoned

buildings and the roads have potholes. The sad truth is that the government and the people can

not afford to fix these problems.

Going to Zimbabwe showed me that it is hard for people to get what they need. Although

government agencies try to help people, it is almost always to no avail. It is sad to see such a

beautiful country in this state however this can be combated by organizations like My

Motherland.