Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe

It's the title of a novel written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala in the eighties about the parrallels between an English woman of the twenties and her grand niece who both realise their lives through affairs with Indian men during their visits to India. The title applies well to Zimbabwe only in terms of... Sign in to see full entry.

Here we are, getting on with life, trying to revive the economy and bring a spark back to the community - and all we have on the horizon is elections. For most people that is a sign of heroism and hope - speaking your mind, having your say in your future, making your mark on your country - here... Sign in to see full entry.

Comfort came to me today in the form of a radio advertisement for young people to attend the constitutional debates. (Please, please let them say they a great big NO to life time presidency for the current leadership). There was a certain feeling of hope in hearing the ad. I didn't expect such a... Sign in to see full entry.

We've had the full waterworks down our end these past two weeks. And it doesn't seem to be stopping. It's real English weather all the way out here in Africa. Easy to understand how the colonials felt right at home during the rainy season. We've also had - surprise surprise - water on tap, for four... Sign in to see full entry.

"There's a lot more going on out there then we think," my husband said to me on Sunday morning, still reeling from an active weekend. Glamour hit our life this month with a VW sponsored football game for children - VW in conjunction with the Non Governmental Organisation Terre des Hommes and Peter... Sign in to see full entry.

Shock and horror, and more than a little ironic laughter today when I phoned my great friend to ask her how the business she works for is being affected by the new "give 51% of your company to a rich black businessman today!" deal brought in by the Robert Gabriel Mugabe (RGM) government. No, the... Sign in to see full entry.

Last week, the President celebrated his 86th birthday. Nobody wanted to release information about what is was going to cost - there is some awareness that it's inappropriate to splurge on big, fancy parties during the continuing crisis, but they had the party anyway... no way to get out of it.... Sign in to see full entry.

I had lunch with my husband today in a beautiful Zen like garden cafe called Cafe du Monde. Lush green banana trees with yellow and brown zebra stripes over their trunks standing guard on the perimeter, cacti, leafy plants in huge, bulbous terracotta pots and orange blue and yellow birds of paradise... Sign in to see full entry.

"Electricity's back on!" I told my husband joyously at about 10.00 am this morning, thus ending the 28 hour electricity cut we'd been experiencing. This weeks power regime has been strict: nothing from 5.00 am to 8.00 pm on Monday, on and off on Tuesday, and nothing all of Wednesday. Let's see what... Sign in to see full entry.

Jestina Mukoko is a humble, simple, 42 year old woman. Former television broadcaster turned human rights defender, mother to an 18 year old son, she is now also holder of the 2009 Weimar City Human Rights Award. And how did she come about winning such an honour? Well, it's quite a story... On... Sign in to see full entry.