Zimbabwe Trip

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 high school, 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 not seem 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 Mother Land.