Happy Fall Everyone!
As we wrap up the fiscal year for The Seraphine Project at the end of this month, I wanted to address a pressing issue in Zimbabwe currently. Many of y'all may be aware of this already, but the government and economy is extremely dysfunctional, making life for girls more difficult than ever. One of the main concepts that I address often is lack of female empowerment for girls and women. Now the issue is more pressing than ever as girls are struggling even more than they typically do because so many in Zimbabwe have fallen on hard times. I have been doing some research on the current government and economic situation in Zimbabwe and there are a few main points I want to touch on.
Although we often live in a bubble and sometimes complain about the government and economic issues here in the United States, life for everyone in Zimbabwe is unimaginably difficult. For starters, the economic situation has been challenging for a long time, and it's only getting worse. For example, substantial food on the table is often a rare occurrence because of scarcity as well as a year-long drought.
Making ends meet is becoming more difficult each month for families. A middle aged woman living in Zimbabwe explains to BBC news that, “It is hand to mouth. It’s so difficult and it is never enough.” The food that she is working to provide for herself and her daughter is scarce, and uses most of her small income. The average family may have the delight of eating chicken only once a year because the cost is so inflated, which is certainly something to keep in mind as we live our lives. Also, most families grow small gardens in their yards, and unfortunately the current drought has killed all of their crops. This may not seem like a big deal, but these small gardens are a main source of food for families - not to mention a major source of income from selling produce.
Photo of current Zimbabwe currency, curtesy of BBC News
Aljazeera News highlights another concerning point about the economy: inflation.This means that the cost of everything increases at a rapid rate even though people’s salaries remain the same. “On Friday morning, it took 20 ZimDollars to buy one US dollar hard currency note on Harare's black market exchanges. Two weeks ago, around 10 ZimDollars bought one US dollar note on the black market” (Muronzi 2019). This shows that the cost of something can actually double in a very short period of time. In fact, the inflation rate in Zimbabwe is currently higher than any other country worldwide. As a result, not only is food becoming very expensive, but so is gas, clothing, electricity, and other essentials.
Emmerson Mnangagwa, current president of Zimbabwe
Along with a struggling economy, the government is very corrupt. In November of 2017, President Mugabe was overthrown by the military. Initially, there was hope for the country to grow and become less corrupt, but unfortunately, the new government and President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is no better. Many of the leaders from the time that Mugabe was in power are still part of the government which is proving to be quite unfortunate. One of the main results of the issues present in the government is that recently Zimbabwe has received considerably less foreign aid. Investors are reluctant to do business or import products because of the struggling economy and the international aid from countries like the United States has decreased significantly.
I would like to take this opportunity to profusely thank all of you for your support over the past couple of years as I have grown and continue my journey with The Seraphine Project. All of the generosity and kind encouragement truly means the world to me, thank you. As I mentioned previously, the fiscal year ends on October 31st. Several of you have been kind enough to support me again this year, thank you so much. If it is in your capacity, I ask that you consider giving to The Seraphine Project (https://donorbox.org/the-seraphine-project) before the end of the year if you have not already. I am typically not one to ask for donations, but support towards the girls is needed more than ever before because of the current government and economic hardships. Please join me in making a difference. I cannot emphasize my gratitude enough for your support! Thank you so much!!
Love, Emily