In casual conversation with a child who was to receive a bedkit we were invited by his caregiver, his aunt, to view their modest home. Both parents of the boy had died. Upon arriving at the home, we saw that it was made up of a small room only about a foot bigger than the double-size bed inside, which served as a bedroom, kitchen, living room, and dining room. It was quite dark, there were no light fixtures. There was a double bed with a mattress where the aunt and two children slept and one child slept next to the bed on the floor. The mosquito net over the bed seemed to be ancient and probably was not treated. Inside the room there was a small vanity, a little closet, a small television, a shelf with kitchen utensils, a gas burner for cooking, a propane tank, and a container of water for cooking. In the back was a deep well where the families got their water (not drinking water). We watched a lady pull up a long rope attached to a container with holes in the bottom where water was leaking out, so by the time the bucket reached the top, it was only half full. There was also a bathroom area which contained a real toilet that appeared to work but did not, as well as a sink with a tap that did not function. Therefore there was no water in the taps. The outside area of the house served several families. There were a couple of plots with vegetables growing.
Sidney:
"I was not very shocked at the size of the home because I knew that the area where we were was very poor. The aunt taking care of the three children seemed very proud to show us her home and have us take pictures of the place to put on our website. One thing that really shocked me -- that I have noticed in other destitute areas as well -- is that many of the people have cell phones and televisions but no food, water, shelter, or clothing to their name."
Hilda, (Sidney’s Grandma):
"As a Mother and Grandmother I know how much work it is to take care of your children. In these circumstances it must be 100 percent more work. Just watching the woman pull a half pail of water from the well, how much time that took, plus doing the laundry by hand, making sure all the children are clean and fed (if there is any food to be had) before they head off to school is mind boggling. This is how they spend their day, just surviving. I am also truly amazed how clean swept the yard is, even though it consists of dirt."
The aunt was such an amazing woman, so eager to show the Canadians her home, and before we left Grant asked her permission to put pictures of her home on our blog as well as share her story, she asked for the website. Grant was truly amazed when he told her that both her and her brother whipped out their phones to record the address. But she was such a wonderful woman, I truly wish her lifestyle was better. Hopefully the fact that her nephew received a bedkit helped a little.
Hilda and Sidney
for Team Zimbabwe 2010
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