Voices & Experience of War-widows in Murewa

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VOICES & EXPERIENCE OF WAR-

WIDOWS IN MUREWA, ZIMBABWE

Progress Report

October 2008

Modester Chengahomwe

Rozaria Memorial Trust & Isis-WICCE Project


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

BACKGROUND

GOALS

OBJECTIVES

REASEARCH STATEMENT

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

SELECT WOMEN STORIES

KEY FINDINGS

NEXT STEPS


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Rozaria Memorial Trust Board, volunteers and staff forsupporting the research

Isis-WICCE for the financial support and training guidance.

The widows and women of Murewa district and especially inMagaya village who generously participated in the studyand shared their painful life histories.

The research team that include Mr. Kuda Dizha, Ms. HildaMugaragumbo, Mrs Elizabeth Taonezvi, Mrs. NyaradzaiGumbonzvanda, and Mr Ndoro. Indeed we are grateful forthe worthy effort.

Modester Chengahomwe

Chief Researcher, RMT


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MODESTERS PROFILE (RESEARCHER)

Rozaria Memorial Trust BoardMember

Teacher by Profession with

Diploma in Education

Currently studying for BA inEducation

Ex-political detainee duringwar of liberation in Zimbabwe

Promotes the empowermentof women and girls education


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Zimbabwe In Brief

Population is almost 13 million, with 51% women

It is current experience serious economic problems,with high levels of poverty

Recent political violence affected women and theirchildren

No real functioning government, schools and hospitalsnot functioning.

There was a ban on operations of NGOs for almost 8months, in 2008 and therefore we could not conductthe research.

High levels of HIV and AIDS, with over 25 %prevalence.


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Murewa: Background

InformationMurewa District 78km from Harare, inMashonaland Central

Estimate Population of Murewa in 2002 wasalmost 9,000.

Focusing on war widows and their situation 28years after independence

There is a food and humanitarian crisis inZimbabwe facing mostly women and children

HIV and AIDS and orphan care problems, dueto economic and political crisis

Widows have limited access to importantassets and property such as landPhoto Credit: ZWAAPV, Murewa


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PROJECT GOALS

To document information on the experiences of liberation

war widows; record their experiences and voices for

history and identify some recommendations and future

actions for assisting the widows to improve their lives


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Project Objectives

Give visibility and voice to the liberation war widowswhose stories and contribution is not recorded

Understand the current situation of these widows andtheir families

Map out and identify ways and means of assisting themand the orphans

Identify areas for advocacy and support to widows andways of recognition of their contribution


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Why Focus on Widows?

Ordinarily, although some documentation is done covering situations of armedconflict, very little or nothing is done to capture womens contribution in the post-conflict transitional process and above all, most of the human rights abuses theysuffer from during the conflict go unnoticed.

This lack of documentation when the guns go silent is to a large extent to blamefor the fact that womens issues are hardly ever incorporated into thereconstruction and rehabilitation plans and policies.

Very little is documented to acknowledge their contribution in family upkeep afterthe death of their husbands from war. They are striving to continue sustaining their

families with basic needs. It is important to emphasis their contribution in order tobuild their confidence so that they regain their ability as key actors in communitydevelopment


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Research Methods

Literature Review aboutwomen and War in Zimbabwe

Questionnaire Survey

Interviews with individualWomen interviews were not possible

because of the government ban

on NGOs Any organised group meetingswere viewed as political

We are still collecting the datafor full analysis, and report

writing


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Select Women Stories

Serepia, 61 years

Was married and had six children

She and her husband were early political activistsin 1964

In late 70s her husband disappeared, for 15years, running away from the Rhodesian soldiers

He came back in the 90s, and died at home

Serepias 3 children died of AIDS leaving her to

care for 11 orphans

She remains active in politics


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Chipo, 58 years old

She fled with her sisters and mother, during thepeak of the war, when people were put in protectedvillages (IDP camps)

Arrived in Murewa and as an under-age girl marriedher late husband Radhi.

They had 4 children

Husband was imprisoned and for almost 10 yearsshe was alone with the children

At independence husband was so traumatised anddid not come home, but looked for piece jobs inmining towns

He died traumatised, and she was left with thechildren and 3 cows

Chipo tells the story of double loss and pain, with aheart and voice full of anger

She looks after her children and grand children


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Naume, 45 years

In 1978, she was only 17 years and anewly wed

There was the famous battle of Marumisawere the rhodesian soldiers raided the

who village, burnt houses

Many people died including Naumeshusband

She was left with one child

She keeps poultry to earn a living

Lonely and committed in love, she neverre-married

Naume is a staunch Christian


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Spiwe, 55

She was pregnant in 1976 when her husbandjoined the liberation struggle

For 5 years, she was lonely, anxious andhoping

She had given birth to triplets

At independence the husband did not comehome

She was informed in 1986, that he had died

in the battle front

In poverty, she wonders what independenceand freedom means to her and her children


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Preliminary Findings

Widowhood during the war period did not mean thatones husband is actually dead. It includesdisappearances, and long absence from home

War widows experienced different types of trauma, painand loss that is very personal

Widows who are in middle age now were young women

and girls, who also survived abuse and exploitation

Widows were left to protect themselves and care fortheir children


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Findings .(continued)

With advent of HIV and AIDS, most of the war widowsare also caring for AIDS orphans

Most of these widows are enterprising and do smallprojects to earn and income

The current political and economic situation is makingthe situation very very difficult for widows in rural

Zimbabwe

The post war recovery plan did not bring any materialsor direct benefit to the widows


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RMT Partner and CollaboratingOrganisations

Zimbabwe Women Against HIV and AIDS,Poverty and Violence (ZWAAPV), Murewa

Zimbabwe Community Health Initiative(ZICHIRE), Murewa

Zimbabwe Womens Coalition

Southern Africa AIDS Initiative

African Women and Child Features

Ministry of Gender, Murewa Office

Catholic Parish Murewa


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TatendaThank You!!

Voices & Experience of War-widows in Murewa

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