To the Children of Zimbabwe

Posted by Magali Perreault on February 26th, 2010

Dumelang everyone!

Here for you a second round of fresh updates from Gaborone, Botswana. But, before going any further, let me thank you all for your supportive comments and your interest in this adventure. I appreciate that you are taking the time to write and really enjoy reading your lines.

I have now been living in Gaborone for almost 2 months, and my internship at DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights continues to be a significant experience. Lately, I have spent my time both in the office and out in the field with children. Let me present to you one of the projects to which I am currently participating, and which addresses the hardships of the children from Zimbabwe.

Before gaining its independence, Zimbabwe formed the ancient Rhodesia. Geographically, it is sharing a segment of its Southern border with Botswana. Zimbabwe has been under the presidency of Mugabe’s government since the 80s, which is currently accused of violating the Zimbabwean population’s human rights. Since 2000, DITSHWANELO has actively promoted the defence of human rights in Zimbabwe. For instance, the Organization has offered debriefing seminars addressed to the Zimbabwean Diaspora and to the people of Botswana. DITSHWANELO also works at influencing Botswana’s government views and actions towards the political situation of its neighbour. Currently, DITSHWANELO assists the Zimbabwean people living in Botswana so that they can participate in the Constitutional Review Process in their country.
In order to escape political instability and persecutions, adults and children of Zimbabwe have taken refuge in bordering countries such as Botswana and South Africa. For instance, many Zimbabwean children ran away to South Africa and found shelter at the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg. DITSHWANELO has produced in partnership a Children’s Rights Exhibition honouring these refugee-children. Indeed, some members of the Organization have travelled to South Africa in order to interview them and record their stories.

The Children’s Rights Exhibition is mostly hosted in schools and aims at educating young people about their rights, and at raising their empathy towards the hardships of Zimbabwean children. During the last few weeks, DITSHWANELO has presented the Exhibition in Secondary Schools located in and around Gaborone. The students were invited to first visit the Exhibition during which they could listen to the interviews recorded on mp3 players, and could write their thoughts and hopes in little note books which will be later given back to the interviewees. Photographs of Amnesty International taken in Zimbabwe were also presented. Then students were invited to participate to group discussions in order to talk about their rights and to share emotions, concerns, and views about the situation of the children in Zimbabwe. Finally, a Theatre Workshop was also offered for students to experience the suffering of the Zimbabwean refugee-children. The whole event was a great success as it was inspiring to assist more privileged kids at raising their awareness and at developing a sincere will to support disadvantaged ones.

In terms of leisure (because it is not all about work), I have also started to travel a bit around the country. A couple of friends and I flew up to Kasane which is a town close to the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Like most of my WUSC colleagues, we went to Chobe Reserve and experienced a short safari: absolutely amazing! You would have once told me that I would see female lions at less than four meters, herds of wild buffalos, hippos and elephants, baby baboons climbing the trees, gigantic flying scarabs, 2 meters long crocodiles, and dozens of bird species all at once, I would have laughed of incredulity. But now, both my mind and laptop are full of incredible images. I do love nature and simply find it magical.

The bad news is that I am still struggling to resize my pictures so I am still not able to share them with you. I guess that if I can not make it before I come back, I will need to invite you all at a big “ Brai “ and organize a slide show. A “Brai “in Setswana is a BBQ. Usually, when you invite people to a Brai you cover all their food, mostly meat, and also welcome all the friends they bring over. It seems costly I agree. But Botswana is an important beef producer so that you can buy good quality red meat for a very reasonable price.

Alright everyone, enough said and congratulations if you have made it till the end! I will give you more fresh news in about a month or so. Until then, all the best!

Gosiame.

Posted in SWB