Sir Nigel's Journey…

The Hatfield Action Plan Launch will be taking place this Thursday (29 September 2011) at the Hatfield Hall Basketball Courts.

I met Acie Lumumba yesterday over a cup of coffee at a local cafe. I had previously been in touch with him via email but this was our first face-to-face meeting. I was impressed with what he had to say and his future plans.

There’s an important event that he’s organised in his neighbourhood – Hatfield. I will most definitely be attending this event and encourage others to do so as well.I’ve been using this phrase lately ‘as a nation I feel that it’s time that we had a conversation’. This event is one of the ways of achieving just that.

For more details please click here: – Hatfield poster and invite , Parents Newsletter and am

In the wake of the proposed indigenisation and empowerment laws last year, I wrote a blog in which I asked a somewhat similar question to the one I’m probably asking right now? Who is this indigenous person really? I heard a few murmurs in the room but no one really answered that question for me IF we’re being totally honest here. Today however, I want to know or perhaps discuss this Zimbabwean identity. Call it an oxymoron of some sort if you will but I feel that this is the same and yet different question. You see, I now have examples of a variety of people who I either know or have actually spoken to. What I have gathered is that this particular question isn’t always that easy to answer. At times just asking this very question often rubs people the wrong way or makes others slightly uncomfortable.

Let’s use Yvonne as an example. Yvonne works in the medical fraternity and has been now for close to 60 years. In fact for 52 of those 60 odd years, she has spent that entire time in Zimbabwe working and assisting this very country within the health sector. She has a wealth of knowledge about the real challenges facing the health sector and has a great sense of appreciation of where we as a nation came from and perhaps where we are headed. If you probe, as I often do, she will tell you that things are getting slightly better in her sector but, more work needs to be done and that many NGOs and their respective programmes don’t often have this country at heart in real terms. What I find really interesting about all this is that Yvonne is European and has remained European on paper throughout the 50 odd years. I didn’t want to ask her why however I did ask her if she would ever return ‘home’. An emphatic ‘no’ was her answer. Just talking to her I felt that Zimbabwe is and has been ‘home’ to her for many years. I also got the sense that she still holds onto her passport despite this seemingly emotional attachment to her adopted ‘home’. However I also understand that one’s passport does not always indicate that one in fact considers that country as ‘home’. I have found that more often than not, people have these ‘other passports’ to find a way around the system. If this is the case, would you consider Yvonne to be a Zimbabwean I wonder?

I know this other gentleman. In fact some can relate to this particular case. Let’s call this gentleman Alfred. You see Alfred came to Zimbabwe many years ago. He says he arrived in Zimbabwe from Mozambique when he was less than 10 years old. He tells me that his mother simply got up and left her husband and the rest of her family in search of work. She came across the border and settled somewhere between Harare and Mutare. Alfred now has 2 children who were born in Zimbabwe to a Zimbabwean woman. I have often asked Alfred if he would ever return back ‘home’. Once again, his answer is an emphatic ‘no’. He says Zimbabwe is the only home he knows. If this is the case, would one not consider Alfred to be a Zimbabwean?

I spoke to some immigration officer on my way into Zimbabwe earlier this year. It’s very typical of me to use opportunities like this to ask various questions about the immigration system and this lady’s experiences. The main reason I was talking to her that day was for this blog I intend to write about the Chinese in Zimbabwe and naturally I was making small talk as she stamped my passport whilst I entered the country again. We started talking about numbers and she told me that there were approximately 20,000 Chinese people now living in Zimbabwe. That number surprised me a little to be honest but I’ve been thinking more about the next generation of what I refer to as the ‘ZBC’ (Zimbabwean Born Chinese). That generation has Chinese born parents who willingly (or otherwise) left China in search of a better future in Zimbabwe. They now have children, some born in China and others born in Zimbabwe. Assuming that the immigration laws are straight forward (i.e. if one is born in Zimbabwe one is then automatically considered a Zimbabwean), but wouldn’t ZBCs be considered Zimbabweans? As they grew up, they might learn the local languages, attend the local schools and Zimbabwe becomes their home. Are they not Zimbabwean I wonder?

These are just examples of situations occurring daily in and around Zimbabwe. Alfred might be the gardener whose parents originally came from Zambia or Malawi in the early 60s. Yvonne could be some technically skilled employee who thought out of the box and decided that Zimbabwe or Rhodesia as it was then was the place for her. What about the new wave of ZBCs? How can we exclude them or disregard them as Zimbabweans? How do we or how can we simply disregard their Zimbabwean-ness IF they feel some connection to this land? This might after all be the only ‘home’ they know. In these interesting times that we are now living in, I ask you once again, who is this Zimbabwean identity anyway?

Deadline: 12 August 2011

The Canon Collins Trust invites applications from women only for scholarships for postgraduate study in South Africa in 2012. We will provide funding for up to a maximum of one year for Honours, two years for Masters and three years for PhD. Continued funding depends on satisfactory progress and academic reports.

The scholarship covers full tuition fees, medical insurance for non-South African scholars, a stipend towards living costs, a travel allowance and a study resource allowance, payable in the first year of study only.  Awards in 2011 were as follows:

• Tuition fees paid in full
• Medical insurance up to R3,500 for non-South African scholars
• Stipend R48,000
• Study resource allowance R9,000 (in first year of scholarship only)
• Travel allowance (for scholars coming to South Africa from other SADC countries only) R7,000

Applicants must:

• Be a woman
• Be nationals of or have refugee status in one of the following countries: Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
• Be seeking this scholarship for postgraduate study
• At a South African university

Find out more

Source: Kubatana Newsletter

Deadline: 12 August 2011

The Rhodes trustees offer two scholarships for the year 2011 tenable at Oxford University from October 2012. The Scholarships may be held for three years but awards are made for two years in the first instance. A Rhodes Scholar will receive a monthly stipend of £977 over the duration of his/her course as a personal allowance in addition to his/her university or college fees. Tenure of other awards in conjunction with a Rhodes Scholarship is not permitted without prior consultation with the Secretary of the Trust.

Candidates:
(a)    Must be residents of Zimbabwe with at least five years residence in the last ten years;
(b)    Must be between the ages of 19 and 25 at the 1st October 2012;
(c)    Must have achieved academic standing sufficiently advanced to ensure completion of a Bachelor’s degree before the 1st of October 2012. Accordingly, the scholarship is only available to students who have successfully completed their first degree.

Full details for the Rhodes Scholarship for Zimbabwe for 2012, including eligibility, criteria and information on how to apply is available on the Rhodes Trust website

Where possible you are encouraged to apply on-line as indicated on the Rhodes Trust website. This makes for easier processing of your application. Alternatively, you can seek guidance by contacting:

The Secretary, Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee, CH665, Chisipite, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Email: Rhodes.selection.zimbabwe@gmail.com
Tel no. Harare 790585 or 790751

Source: Kubatana Newsletter

This is the first series in this ongoing Lobola discussion. I desperately wanted to write about this pertinent issue after various and often heated discussions both on and off Twitter & Facebook. For too long, there has been a massive grey cloud over this tradition especially amongst those living beyond the borders but more importantly amongst young men and women in my own generation. The current practice has left many confused, frustrated and upset with the typical lobola practices that are currently going on. I have also gathered that part of the misconception about this practice has resulted from situations that probably turned sour during and/or after the actual ceremony.  I leave it here for now but will detail below an example of a recent Lobola checklist used earlier this year.

A Typical Shona Lobola Checklist

A)     Roora

-          Ndiro

-          Kupinda mumusha

-          Vhura muromo

-          Sunungura homwe

-          Dare

-          Matekenya ndebvu

-          Chiuchiro

-          Makandidzwanani

B)      Zvamai

-          Mafukidza dumbu

-          Hotamiro

-          Mbariro

-          Bvuri

-          Mwenje

-          Kunhonga musikana

C)      Pasuru

D)     Rusambo

E)      Dangarababa

-           X(insert a figure) live beasts (dzemunongedzo)

F)      Majasi  -

-          baba (1 x suit) (1 x shoes) (1x shirt) (1 x hat) (1 x umbrella) (1 x overcoat)

-          Amai TBA

G)     Masungiro

-          Mudya

-          Mbudzi  a) yamai b) yemusha c) yababa

-          Mombe yechishava

-          Mombe yemusungiro

If applicable: Mhosva (Damage)

Please note that the information detailed above is only guide. There are variations depending on tribe and/or region.

The US volunteer surgical team Operation of Hope returns to Zimbabwe this July to offer free surgical repair for anyone suffering from cleft-lip and cleft-palate facial deformities.

Venue: Harare Central Hospital, Lobengula Street, Southerton
Screening Day: Sunday 31 July 2011 at 8am
Surgery schedule: 1 August – 9 August 2011

All potential patients are encouraged to attend screening examinations at Harare Central Hospital (peds ward) on Sunday 31 July at 8am. Please bring all pertinent medical records and information.

If previously operated on by Operation of Hope, we will provide a free follow-up examination during our visit.

All surgeries are free of charge. There is no cost to the patients or families.

Care is for all ages. (Babies must be 3 months or older and as healthy as possible)

For more information please visit www.operationofhope.org

Source: Kubatana newsletter

Deadline: 15 June 2011

In the context of the International Year for People of African Descent, the Anti-Discrimination Section of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is launching a Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent from 10 October to 4 November 2011.

The Fellowship Programme will provide participants with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the United Nations Human Rights system and its mechanisms, with a focus on issues of particular relevance to people of African descent.

This will allow the fellows to better contribute to the protection and promotion of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of Afro-descendants in their respective countries and communities.

Who can apply?

• The candidate must be an African descendant.
• The candidate must have a minimum of 4 years experience dealing with afro-descendant or minority issues.
• The candidate must be fluent in English.
• A letter of support from an afro-descendant organization or community.

Selection Process: In selecting the fellows, gender and ensuring a regional balance will be taken into account. All documents submitted must be in English.

Entitlements: The selected candidate is entitled to a stipend to cover accommodation, basic living expenses in Geneva, basic health insurance as well as a return economy class plane ticket.

Application: Interested candidates are requested to submit their application by email to: africandescent@ohchr.org or by fax to +4122-928 9050 with a cover letter clearly indicating “Application to the 2011 Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent” with the following documents:

• An application form
• A Curriculum Vitae
• A letter of motivation (maximum 1 page) in which the candidate will explain his/her motivation for applying, what he/she hopes to achieve through this fellowship and how he/she will use what they learn to promote the interests and rights of afro-descendants
• A letter of support from an organization/entity they are affiliated with.

The deadline to receive applications is 15 June 2011. Please note that only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

Source: Kubatana newsletter

Picture this: -

1. Ben – Truck Driver
2. Tom – Tollgate Officer
3. Jerry – Tollgate Officer
4. Tendai – Tollgate Officer
5. Farai – Tollgate Officer
6. Terrance – Police Officer

Ben is a truck driver for a certain Harare based company. Ben often makes deliveries to Chegutu. Chegutu is approximately 110kms from Harare. He passes through this particular toll gate on the way there. Truck drivers pay a toll gate of $5 each way. Ben has $10 on him that day. So, on his way to Chegutu he pays the $5. Tom is the toll gate officer who deals with Ben as he passes this toll gate on his way to Chegutu. As Tom hands Ben the $5 receipt for the truck, he casually asks him if he is returning to Harare that day (you will see why later).

Ben arrives in Chegutu, empties the truck, picks up another consignment and makes his way back to Harare. This time Jerry speaks to Ben and remembers that Ben passed through this toll gate earlier on that day. Jerry asked Ben to simply give him the toll gate receipt from the previous journey. Ben is then allowed to drive through without paying. Ben is thrilled as he has just scored an unexpected $5. His wife will be thrilled I’m sure! Jerry then uses the receipt for another unsuspecting truck driver. So the toll gate crew is now made an extra $5 from a used receipt. In total, the tax department has lost $10 in that whole transaction.

So the entire toll gate crew including the police officer run this transaction all day long with the official tax department only receiving their share once everyone else including Terrance the police officer has had their share first.

This is based on a true story

So I tend to find myself involved in various conversations with different kind of people on a daily basis. I wanted to share some of those interesting conversations or at least give an insight into what some people are thinking or discussing.  I’ve decided to call the various blogs associated with this – ‘The Overheard Series’. Be on the lookout for that.

Off to a shop opening event…