ICS Zimbabwe

Before coming to Zimbabwe, one of our biggest fears was whether we would be just more Westerners going to Africa as part of some voyeuristic voluntourism trip. We didn’t want to contribute to the already prolific “white-saviour” complex, which has contributed significantly to painting countries in Africa as backward and in need of saving from us ‘enlightened’ people in the Global North, a narrative which has existed for centuries. However, having now reached the half-way point in the placement, these concerns have lifted.

There is an old adage that says, “it is times of pressure that the true nature of one is revealed”. This in short describes the previous two weeks of working together as national and UK volunteers. This has been quite a period and one elder upon complaining said these wise words to me, “welcome to the world of grown-ups”. It has been a tough time trying to settle into our various roles and ultimately being able to deliver the required results bearing in mind the factor of time that is always not on our side.

How did I benefit from my ICS experience?

Being part of the placement benefited me a lot. The programme was rich in knowledge to support the community that I live in. It gave me the chance to apply theoretical knowledge of community development into practise. I learnt a lot from this experience as I could witness first-hand how the local people in my area were benefiting from the ICS programme.

As the last cycle of Progressio ICS working with DOMCCP (Diocese of Mutare Community Care Programme) in Mutasa and the surrounding districts, we have been giving the task of finalising project plans and leaving a structured, successful legacy behind.

As part of our work with Simukai, we have the chance to go to a rural community, Rowa, and help spread awareness on sexual reproductive health, child rights and responsibilities, and income generating activities. In small teams of four people - two national and two UK volunteers - we conduct sessions on these topics with our beneficiaries (children between the ages of 12 and 22) and their guardians. At the start of the cycle, we had twenty homes out of one-hundred-and-ninety-one that we had to visit, with forty-five follow-up visits planned.

Maria, from Zimbabwe, lost most of her family at a young age, and as a teenager she had no option but to find work. As a domestic labourer she worked long hours with little pay. She was treated badly and also lived in unacceptable conditions. She said: 

Life was tough in Harare I use to cry everyday. They would not pay me for three months. I was so worried as my cousin needs her school fees. I thought this was all life would be, I didn’t think anything could ever change.

As the title suggests, we are the latest addition to the Progressio ICS programme and safe to say greatness unveiled!

Team Matabeleland AIDS Council (MAC) is the team of the moment. Our partner’s vision is - “a vibrant membership based organisation accountable for sustainable empowerment of communities coping with the impact of HIV and AIDS.”

Legacy is a funny concept to define, yet it is one which we, as the fourth cycle of a four cycle programme at Simukai, have been tasked with ensuring. The ten men and women that make up this team will be the final group of individuals working with Simukai and its beneficiaries in the rural area of Rowa.

If we could describe our pre-departure feelings, apprehension, anxiety and adrenaline would be the most accurate. We had no idea what to expect. No amount of training and research can prepare you for this type of journey. This is not a deterrence, this should leave you with a stomach fluttering feeling. A journey is not something that will always be smooth but it will be worth it. After all, who wants to stay still forever?

Unlike our rocky Rowa roads, the Rowa Runners cycle 3 was a smooth ride to success. Those of you who follow our blogs will know about the various differences between the UK and Zimbabwean cultures. Shira and Ela showed the world how Zimbabweans were weird to the UK volunteers, and Ronnie explained what makes the UK volunteers weird to us Zimbabweans. If you’re not from Zimbabwe or the UK, you might find us all weird.