Zimbabwe Update – September, 2008

The news from Zimbabwe is not ALL bad—although most of it is heart-breaking. As I write this, a plan of the sharing of power between ZANU-PF and MDC in a Government of National Unity has been signed and is to be announced on Monday. Until it actually is promulgated—and implemented—nothing is certain. The inflation is running in the Million of percent and increasingly basic items are available only if paid for in scarce foreign currency. Many people will starve unless the various willing aid agencies are allowed and able to provide extensive help. We pray that the GNU will provide the framework for the beginning of recovery.

Meanwhile, you ask, what about Old Mutare and the Hartzell Schools? Better news here. Although most of the problems reported in the June posting remain, there is some improvement.
The election charges that Shadreck Mufute had undercounted 10 votes were postponed, postponed, postponed and then dropped. It should be safe once more to mention his name here. We have paid his lawyers’ fees. Meanwhile, he kept the primary school running and Term Two concluded in early August.

Term Three began in Zimbabwe on September 2. Teachers all across the country are giving up and either leaving the country or simply staying home because their pay isn’t enough to even get them to school. At least 70,000 unfilled vacancies (30%?) are crippling education.

However, Shadreck informs us that Hartzell Primary is running and that he had only three vacancies from last term. We are very impressed that these teachers are willing to continue even when the government doesn’t pay them enough to live on. His most urgent need is to find the maize meal and mahewu that he needs to keep the feeding program running. Porridge at 6:30 am and mahewu at 10 may well be all the food some children get in the day (and maybe some of the teachers?). It gets them to school and on time! We also continue to provide school fees for 400 and food for the entire school. We will probably help some with uniforms and school supplies as we have in the past.

Reporting to the sponsors of High School students is much more difficult. One positive—our 32 scholarship students got fed with the boarders at break and lunch during Term Two—a major breakthrough. Naboth Maramba continues to see that they are adequately provided with uniforms and school supplies. Supplies are scarce and sometimes unreasonably expensive. Shoes and math calculators are the most difficult to buy.

The dislocation of children caused when 200 families were driven off the Meikles farm meant that 6 of them had to become boarders in order to stay in high school. It didn’t seem right to stop supporting them because their families were driven from home. Equipping them was very expensive and their fees are higher as well. The Headmaster was on leave during Term Two and difficulties in getting timely firm information continued. We hope that he will be more cooperative this term. The Station Chair and the District Superintendent have promised to work with us. The High School has a teacher shortage, but they are working to fill the empty places.

The most obvious relief crisis is past, but there are many who are quietly dying of starvation or abuse. While our focus has been on educating children and feeding them, we did provide some thousands US$ to help. We are hoping to get some stories and other reports informing us where that help went and what more is needed. Two of our contacts were away until recently.

We have no current information on how the Clare School community is faring. We will report as soon we hear.

Here at home–Very few presentations. We miss the chances to tell the story of the challenges and accomplishments. There is little dramatically new to tell those who have heard the story and a scarcity of new contacts. PS—we survived an IRS audit of our 2006 charity almost intact – this was the year we went to Zimbabwe twice and sent the container, so a lot of charitable expenses.

Ann and Morris