Zimbabwe News
“How do you tell your children it is important to get an education when jobs – if you are lucky enough to get one – have worthless salaries,” asks one Zimbabwean mother. This is what parents are faced with living in a country that is hyper-inflated. Imagine living in a country where your money was almost useless. Think about having to get the most basic of items like bread and milk off the black market – having to pay thousands just to survive.
Think about being in college and having tuition jump every semester and you can’t afford textbooks. As a result, more and more students are having to drop out of school.
“It is so hypocritical,” said one young student.
“All those people in power received free education under [former white minority leader] Ian Smith or from the missionaries. They don’t care that we can’t afford the education; also all the good teachers have left. Is it any surprise we look for other ways to get money?”
Zimbabweans are now hearing there are wheat shortages in addition to being in a state of hyperinflation with a rate of 3,700%.
The struggle is much more than any of us can even imagine. We live in a society with a solid infrastructure and a fail-safe economy. The people in Zimbabwe didn’t even elect their leader so how can we not pity them? How can we not reach out and help in their time of need?
BBC International Version, May 25, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6688755.stm
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