Kprim

Hi!

I'm moving with my husband from Denmark to Zimbabwe on 1. October to work for the UN.

We dont know much about the place and would be grateful for all the tips and tricks, good advice, knowledge on rental of a house or appartment etc. And if anyone knows anything about if my husband would be able to use his skills as a graphic designer and animator in Zim is would be a great help!!!

Thank you!

Mitzyboy

I'm sure someone will be along to ... err ... offer helpful advice soon
Do you know very much at all about Zim?

Daxk

KPRim,this is not meant to offend or to insult in ant way.
I'm trying to work out what the UN are going to do with a Graphic artist/Animator in Zimbabwe?

That Mugabe and the Zim Govt are Clowns and cartoon Characters already I do understand so I can only think it is to design and publish information booklets where a picture is worth a 1000 words?

Kprim

I can see I was not too specific. I will be the one working for the UN (on disaster management) - my husband is coming along as spouse and is looking for something to do there. Hopefully he can find a company producing commercials, a school or somewhere where they will be able to use his skills.

I have been working in Uganda previously and have been in Zim a few times but have no network there. I'm especially looking for advice concerning where to live in Harare (we would prefer a flat in a bigger compound) and I would love to hear how people live with the inflation situation - what does it mean for the everyday expat life?

Sorry that I'm so imprecise. Im new here (always an excuse)

shiftdelete

........

shiftdelete

no excuses and welcome

congratulations- you are definitely in the right line of work.

Zimbabwe has a new master, having been colonised again and the currency is now the SA rand- they hope this will be official soon. USD is always welcome too.

Hope you give a toss for the poor- being from the UN I'm sure you do....

There is a vibrant arty community (who also seem oblivious to the poor wretched people), so your husband should find work.

Which part of the disaster are you going to be working on?

Tegwyn

It is so huge God only knows where to begin. Quite frankly, any efforts may well be moot until Mugabe and his entire entourage of Mugabites are terminally eradicated. They will make the task of any good intentions beyond impossible if not serving their own special interests. Good luck with that, wild horses could not drag me in to set foot in Zims every again.

Kprim

Well we are going, so I'm mainly up for encouraging mails:-)

But thanks! If anyone knows anything about internet providers in Zim it would be helpfull.

Tegwyn

Hey, you are getting my support, but please be aware that your challenges are not only with helping those who so desperately need it. You are dealing with a bunch of thugs that hold the jugular and will do whatever they feel serves their purposes and do not share your value for human life. I just wish more could be done but probably unlikely until Mugabe is gone. I could give you a primped up version but the truth is what it is.

I honestly do not think you will find many current ex-Zims on this site, they are more inclined towards SA expat sites as most of their contacts go in that direction.

kiwibok

WRT Zim, you can't put company and producing in the same sentence. Zimbabwe at the moment is doing no producing. nadda, nothing!!

As far as I know there are no compounds in Zim. I do believe though that farms and property is very cheap. In fact the government was giving away farms a little while ago. Businesses are a new thing which they giving away. You may still be in luck, Try getting hold of a guy by the name of Robert, I am sure google will bring up plenty of results. His the one that gives farms away. Quiet a nice fella I heard, very generous of him.

Tegwyn

That is what I was so politely trying to say Kiwibok. Kprim, I am puzzled that you have not been informed into exactly what circumstances you are being placed . Surely that kind of information would be made available to you before even considering entering a place like that?

kiwibok

yea Kprim I would strongly suggest you do extensive research wrt the move.

As part of your research I would not rely to heavily on the newspapers/news sites either (lots of the happenings are blocked by Robert and his pals from mainstream media). The stuff you read about Zim is already bad, its actually a hell of a lot worse, the tip of the iceberg is what we get to read about.

Rather speak to locals living in ZIM (go there first, see their pain, see how the average people are living) and base your decision on that. I actually think its great that you work for the UN and thinking about doing something to help. Something not many of us would do. But in my opinion, Africa is a bottomless pit, throwing help, money and food resources at it is actually just creating more problems. Bottom line, it needs to sort its self out. This will not happen with intervention. But its your decision, just make sure you make an informed one. Good luck

Tegwyn

In any event, there is a site that is set up for ex-zims and saffers. Try it and you may get the info you need. http://www.thechiefbaboon.com/ Once again, good luck.

Here is another one. http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/

Pablo

Surely the engorged bureaucracy of the United Nations must have some department or sub-department that provides details of the circumstances on the ground for the places it sends its people.

On the general point raised above, I agree that young, naive do-gooders from the West have done untold damage to Africa. They go in, mess up, then leave for plum jobs in the bureaucracy. "International Development" seems to be a favourite.

El_Chango

Kprim. The Fed here in the US is looking for graphic designers right now; they need a cool new look for the upcoming $500,000, $1M etc bills. Interestingly, Zim has been doing this also for a while. Go straight to New York and enjoy; your disaster mgmt skills will not go to waste.

Re mad Bob; I now think I expect too much from the prospect of his passing.