Last post... any questions, contact me!

Now that I've left Zim, I think this will be my last post on this blog for now.
It has been great being able to share my experiences here and I sincerely hope you've all enjoyed it.

If you have any questions I may be able to answer about anything I've mentioned here, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Cheers!

10 things I learned in Africa (via the ONE blog)

Before leaving Africa I asked ONE if I could do anything else for the organization while still on the continent. They said that writing a story on the top 10 things I had learned during my time in Africa would be great :) I wrote it and they published the post on the ONE blog recently. You can read it all below or on the ONE website.

Tzviatko Chiderov is a ONE volunteer from Chicago and has been a member since 2007. He is currently on assignment in Zimbabwe with Voluntary Services Overseas. Keep on the lookout for more posts like these in the series “Z for Zimbabwe.”

I was in Africa for the past eight and a half months. I left a few days ago, and as I reflect on this experience I am convinced that it was the most amazing time of my life. It seems I did so much, saw so much and most importantly, I was able to learn so very much. So, as a final blog in this series, here is a list of the top 10 things I learned while in Africa:

1. Africans are amazing people. I was only there for a short while but I was able to make a ton of friends. It seems most Africans by nature are extremely friendly, welcoming and helpful people. I think this is what I will miss the most — the warm and good-natured Africans.

2. Living in most of Africa is very safe. People are always concerned about westerners who travel or live in that part of the world. They shouldn’t be. Most of Africa is almost as safe as any other place… in fact I am convinced that living in Chicago could be much more dangerous than living in Harare 

3. Africa is beautiful. Some of the most amazing sights I have seen in my life have been there. The magnificent Victoria Falls thundering with all its might as it sprays water a mile away. Huge yet completely harmless whale sharks, swimming peacefully near the coast of Mozambique. Stones, the size of cars, in odd shapes balancing perfectly on top of each other, sprinkled throughout the countryside of Zimbabwe. Large, maze-like structures built entirely with stones and no mortar forming the main settlement of an old Shona kingdom. A family of elephants crossing the road undisturbed near Lake Kariba. Even zebras at a park in Zambia lovingly embraced in a hug…

4. People in Africa don’t need much to be happy. In fact, some of the happiest people I’ve met have been there. Many families in the countryside live with nothing but a plot of land and a small mud hut. Yet they manage just fine and appear to have very strong family bond and incredible relationships, much better than what I normally see in modern-day America.

5. There is a lot of talent in Africa and there is so much potential. Just in Zimbabwe, I’ve met some wonderful musicians, other amazing artists, and even great web developers. I will miss the lively drumming of Blessing Chimanga, the guitar of Andy Brown, the fun performances of chikwata 263, and talking Drupal with the young Chiko Mukwenha (and learning from him). I am truly excited about these people. The potential is so encouraging and their drive for success is inspiring.

6. “There’s no hurry in Africa, we’re always hours ahead of London!” A friend of mine from work would always tell me that. It’s no secret that many things in the developing world take time … and usually, a long time. Bureaucracy could get frustrating at times for someone used to the efficient business processes in the US. At the end of the day however, because of this more relaxed and laid-back lifestyle, people appear to lead lives with much less stress than ours in the West.

7. Africa has huge business potential. In fact, I think this is where we as individuals and our governments should be investing a lot more of our time. Some of the fastest growing economies in the world currently are in Africa. This potential is not to be underestimated, especially during a global economic crisis. It appears investing in Africa could be much more rewarding, both in terms of financial gains but also as development assistance, than almost any other place on earth nowadays.

8. World media often gives wrong perception. What I thought of Zimbabwe from reading the international media before going into the country was that it was a dangerous place, where if given the chance, no one in their right mind would like to live. After spending just a few days in the country I was able to start forming my own perception of things … and it was completely different than what I had read. Completely.

9. People don’t want you to feel sorry for them. Most Africans I’ve met are very proud of their culture and heritage. They are aware of what the international media tends to focus on when covering Africa and most don’t enjoy being grouped together into one sad, dark story of misery. Africa is much larger than the US and Europe combined. It’s a big place with many different kinds of people leading very different lives. Grouping them into one is unfair and completely inaccurate. If we want to help we must understand the different groups of people and their unique struggles.

10. If working in Africa, exploring on your own is critical. Many foreigners that I met there, live and work in a protective bubble, unable to truly experience and appreciate the real Africa. It’s great that organizations are concerned about their people’s safety but in my opinion the dangers are ofter strongly exaggerated. I am convinced that foreigners would be much more effective in their work and would grow to enjoy the place much more if they could bring themselves closer to the lives of the local population, or even their local counterparts. Safety comes with getting to know the locals. I’ve constantly experienced my local friends’ concern for my well-being.

This is my last blog in the “Z for Zimbabwe” series. Thanks for reading and take care.

-Tzviatko Chiderov, ONE member

Last days in Zim

Farewell party at NAC

My last days in Zimbabwe were pretty cool - The NAC website was officially launched, I had a going away shindig with some friends, Cam (my roommate from Mozambique) came to visit, I had a going away dinner with people from VSO and I also had a farewell thing at the National AIDS Council! All in a two day's time.

The official NAC website launch event was at the Holiday Inn - one of the main hotels in Harare, the day before I left the country :) The Minister of Health and Child Welfare was the keynote speaker and guest of honor. He was the one who officially launched the site. There were a ton of other important guests, including people from several UN agencies, NGOs and government institutions. I was given about 20 minutes to walk everyone through the different features of the website and answer any questions - it went great, they all seemed pretty happy and impressed with the result.

Going away dinner with VSO

That evening I had a going away dinner with VSO. They took me to a very nice Portuguese restaurant and we had a wonderful time. One of my VSO friends from Mozambique - Cam - was also in Harare, so he came with. It was great seeing him too. He was my roommate in Maputo when I first arrived in Africa. Later in the evening I had a going away thing with some friends at the Book Cafe and the Mannenberg. Many people came and it was awesome.

The following day (the day I left), I had a farewell party at the NAC office. I was invited into the main conference room and to my surprise everyone from the organization was there and they all started singing a farewell song :) Then everyone said a little something on how they saw I had made an impact in the organization. It was touching. At the end they gave me a nice present and we all had some delicious cake.

Great sendoff. I'll miss all the awesome friends I made in Zim.

Now I have left Zimbabwe and I've safely made it to Bulgaria. I've been busy spending time with family and friends and enjoying the beautiful Bulgarian summer.

Many first times...

After spending the past eight and a half months in Africa, I've done many things for the first time. I thought it would be interesting to list a few (in no particular order):

• Slept under a bed net
• Slept in a hut
• Rode in a chapa/combi (super crowded minibus... like people hanging out the windows crowded)
• Went on a tropical island
• Swam in the Indian Ocean
• Saw dolphins and a whale shark in the ocean
• Touched a star fish
• Petted a lion
• Shared a room with a lizard
• Shared a room with a frog
• Shared a room with cockroaches
• Took bucket showers
• Got sunburnt three times in a month (in December)
• Had a summer Christmas
• Went to the beach on Christmas day
• Went surfing
• Spent New Years Eve on the beach
• Went on a safari
• Saw huge stones in odd shapes, balancing perfectly on top of each other
• Saw a large structure built with just stones and no mortar (Great Zimbabwe) 
• Saw elephants in the wild (crossing the road)
• Saw the largest waterfall in the world (Victoria Falls)
• Started a company and gave it away
• Presented for the Board of Directors of a large organization (NAC)
• Crossed a border without a passport :)
• Ate leechees
• Drank & ate a coconut
• Ate a worm
• Saw monkeys in the wild, hanging out on the streets
• Saw a rat at work
• Saw cockroaches at work
• Saw cockroaches at a nice bakery
• Flew on a plane with a female pilot

...and probably many more I'm forgetting...

Roundtrip roadtrip to Mozambique

I finished work at the end of July and decided to spend most of my time prior to leaving the continent on yet another trip :) this time a bit further away - I went all the way to Maputo, Mozambique and back. As I approached the end of my time in Africa (for now), I thought it would be nice to go back to the place where my Africa experience began...

I took a combi (minibus) from Harare to the border at Mutare, which by the way is a beautiful town, right in the mountains... just awesome. Then I took a combi from the border to Chimoio in Mozambique, then yet another combi to a drop-off point in Inchope. There I was supposed to take a coach bus to Maputo, but I was told that there was no more space... I should have booked in advance. I wouldn't be able to make it to Maputo as planned, so I decided to go to Beira instead. It is the second largest town in Mozambique and was only a few hours away. I would spend the night there before trying to catch some kind of alternative transport to Maputo the next day. I arrived in Beira after dark, not knowing where to stay or who to call. Not many people there speak English either (and my Portuguese is pretty bad) haha... it would be an interesting experience :) then I realized that I could try and work my VSO connections (yeeaaaah) to at least see if there are any volunteers nearby to give me advice on accommodation. I called Seija, one of my VSO friends from Maputo and asked for a contact in Beira. She gave me the name and number of a woman named Hana, who happened to be the only VSO volunteer in Beira. I called her and she immediately offered that I stay with her. It was such a relief :) After having made no plans at all for staying in Beira (and considering they apparently have a problem with cheap accommodation), I was very happy to be able to sleep in a bed and take a warm shower :)

Hana, a VSO volunteer in Beira, Mozambique

The next morning (Sunday) I went to try and get a bus ticket but was told that they didn't have anything available in the next 3 days! That would really cut my time in Maputo very short, so I decided to spend the extra money and fly instead... the next flight I could get on was the following day. Hana was wonderful in showing me around Beira almost the entire day on Sunday. It's a great town, less busy than Maputo, also right on the coast and with more defined beach areas :) It was good to hear the Indian Ocean again and to sit at a restaurant by the beach and munch on some awesome seafood. Hana is placed at a school, teaching English. Prior to Mozambique she had spent some time in Angola and China (through different organizations). She is originally from the Czech Republic, so we had the Eastern European connection in common :) It was a great time. To see my pictures from Beira click here.

When I finally made it to Maputo I was greeted by Percia and some of her friends at the airport. I spent the next couple of days meeting with all of my Maputo friends who were in town! It was so great seeing them all once again. I was even invited to several VSO activities and I got to meet many of the new Mozambique volunteers. A friend of mine from Zimbabwe - Mandla - who works for KPMG is on a long term assignment in Maputo, so I was able to see him for a bit too. One of the days Percia and I went to a great restaurant in Maputo, right on the coast of the Indian Ocean and inside they had a bunch of sports scarfs for different soccer teams from around the world. Imagine my excitement when I saw one with the Bulgarian flag and the words "БЪЛГАРИ ЮНАЦИ!" on it! To see all of my pictures from Maputo click here.

The trip back to Harare was less eventful than the way in haha and I was quite ok with that :)

A tax to ensure HIV/AIDS treatment (via the ONE blog)

I recently wrote a story about several of NAC's events I attended in the past month. It was just published on the ONE blog yesterday. You can read it below or on the ONE website.
Also today is my last day at NAC, so it's great timing for an article highlighting the organization's work.

Tzviatko Chiderov is a ONE volunteer from Chicago and has been a member since 2007. He is currently on assignment in Zimbabwe with Voluntary Services Overseas. Keep on the lookout for more posts like these in the series “Z for Zimbabwe.”

Recently, National AIDS Council (NAC) hosted an event to hand over antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and funds to orphaned and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe. The drugs, worth $4.5 million, were financed entirely by the people of Zimbabwe, through the AIDS levy — a tax that all employed Zimbabweans pay. This makes it possible for every HIV-positive person in the country, regardless of their social status and financial abilities, to receive the drugs that keep them alive for free.

Additionally, funds in the amount of $270,000 were contributed to ensuring that orphans and vulnerable children throughout the country receive proper basic education. School in Zimbabwe, like most other places in the region, is not free.

Children are required to pay school fees and buy uniforms, in addition to supplies such as stationery and pens. These required expenses prevent many families, especially in rural areas, from being able to send their children to school. The money NAC donated will provide direct assistance with those costs to some of the most vulnerable children in Zimbabwe, ensuring they have a fair chance at obtaining basic education.

Also recently, NAC hosted a conference for employers from the mining and transportation industries, to stress the importance of implementing HIV and AIDS policies and eliminating discrimination in the workplace against people living with HIV.

This conference was designed to coincide with one of the largest business events in the country — the annual Mine Entra in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe — to ensure that it sparks discussions on the topic among all employers attending the event. Implementing HIV and AIDS workplace policies was also presented as a great business decision because it reduces employee absenteeism and recruitment costs especially in the targeted industries of mining and transportation.

It has been very interesting attending and participating in events organized by NAC. The presentations and discussions make it clear that the national response to HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe is a complex process, which must engage everyone in the country, including multiple sectors and industries, in order to be successful.

Wrapping things up

My final week at work has started off a bit early. Today (Sunday) I'm attending an offsite management planning meeting for National AIDS Council (NAC) in Kadoma, about 2 hours away from Harare, which will last until Tuesday evening. I had to wake up at 5:30am this morning... not cool for a Sunday :(

I'm done with my work on the NAC website (yesssss!!)! It has been live for over a month (www.nac.org.zw), I've implemented all structural feedback received from management and stakeholders, and I've documented in detail all processes involved in updating and maintaining the site (I think I'm becoming pretty good at documenting stuff like this and writing best practices :)). I've also been training NAC employees so they can do any necessary updates on their own. My colleague Trust is the main person I've been working with and I am confident that he is now well versed on almost everything related to updating the site. This week we'll continue to review documentation and go through some website features, so I can answer any of his final questions.

I've also started transitioning work related to other extra projects I'm involved with here. It's a bit sad to have to let these things go, but it's also very exciting to see where others will take them.
I've transfered ownership (and directorship) of the socially responsible, informational website development company I started a couple months ago - Infoweby - to several Zimbabwean friends of mine and I'm looking forward to seeing how they will improve it. I've shown them how to do most of the stuff and I've documented the website creation process in great detail, but I think I may need to provide a bit more training on the creation of the sites. Overall though, this process is almost done.

In addition, the salsa community that I've been planning events for in the past couple of months (www.salsaharare.com) has been transitioned to someone else, too. One of the most dedicated dancers and a regular attendee - Gavin - is organizing the events now (starting from last Friday :)) I gave him my salsa, merengues, and bachata music and sent him instructions on how to promote the events through emails and social media. I think it would be very cool seeing this community grow, and maybe one day, when I come back to visit, I'll be able to go and dance some salsa on a Friday evening.

As I finish work this Friday, I plan on going to Mozambique for a few days before coming back to Harare to pack and leave. I'll see some of my friends there, including other VSO volunteers. I've missed having fellow VSO volunteers in Zimbabwe... I'm still the only one in the country. Others were supposed to be joining me since February, but due to complications with work permits, certifications, and other paperwork, none have been able to make it in the country yet (makes me feel kind of lucky I did :) haha)... hopefully soon. I've provided VSO with some tips and advice, from a volunteer's perspective, so they can share them with people as they start coming in. I hope this can make their process of adjusting to living here a bit smoother.