Same bus, different driver

“Surely things must be better now Mugabe has gone.”

“The new President has made so many positive changes.”

“I’m so pleased the situation in Zimbabwe has improved.”

Just a selection of snippets from conversations I have had since President Mugabe resigned. I don’t blame people for thinking the situation in Zimbabwe must have improved. After all, the tyrant has gone.

The reality is that it will take years to undo the damage. For the poorest of the poor in Zimbabwe, the situation remains desperate. Rising costs and shortage of cash exacerbate an already perilous situation.

The new President is saying all the right things but talk is easy. No western investment will be forthcoming until after the elections. The slow road to recovery will begin if and when Zimbabwe can demonstrate that free and fair elections have taken place.

In the meantime, it is business as usual for ZANE. The list of people in desperate situations continues to grow; the demand on ZANE is greater than ever. ZANE continues to provide essential aid, comfort and hope to thousands living in poverty.

We walk to help the poorest of the poor and for those who would otherwise be forgotten.

   We can only do this with the generous support of people like you. And so we walk again. We will be walking from Bournemouth to Oxford to raise funds for those so much less fortunate than us. 

Tom Benyon OBE