Zimbabwe's Forgotten Children (BAFTA WINNING DOCUMENTARY)

Summary

The documentary follows children and families struggling to survive amid Zimbabwe’s economic and social collapse under Robert Mugabe’s government. The filmmaker, a South African who was raised and educated in Zimbabwe, says he returned to document the country’s future but had to conceal the film’s real purpose because of the risk of arrest or deportation.

Poverty and unemployment

In Harare, Grace and Michelle help their father, Joseph, search rubbish dumps for bottles and bones to earn money for food and school fees. Joseph’s former export business collapsed as the economy deteriorated. The family is also affected by shortages of U.S. dollars and coins.

Displacement and land seizures

The film links worsening poverty to events including the 2005 Operation Murambatsvina, which destroyed homes and displaced large numbers of people, and the seizure of commercial farms. It describes the decline of agriculture and the hardship faced by displaced farm workers and their families.

AIDS and children’s burdens

Esther, who is HIV-positive, cares for her seriously ill mother and baby sister, while her teenage sister Yvette has left home to live on the streets. Obert, an orphan whose parents died of AIDS, lives with his grandmother and tries to support them by panning for gold, despite the activity being illegal.

Street life and state pressure

Children living on the streets face harassment and danger. One boy, Morgan, alleges that police use street children as unpaid labour. The filmmaker also describes being questioned and monitored by security personnel while filming.

Failing public services

The documentary shows poor sanitation and unreliable water supplies, and raises fears of further cholera outbreaks. It says that health facilities and access to treatment have become severely limited.

Education out of reach

The film contrasts Zimbabwe’s once highly regarded education system with schools now unable to meet basic needs. Many families cannot pay fees. At Obert’s school, 889 of 1,015 registered pupils are eventually sent home for non-payment. Grace and Michelle also struggle to remain in school.

Conclusion

The filmmaker argues that the crisis is depriving children of both education and the ability to imagine a future. He criticizes Zimbabwe’s leadership and calls on the international community to support the country’s children when political change comes.

Presenters and contributors

• Presenter, filmmaker, and narrator: Name unclear in the supplied subtitles; he identifies himself as a South African raised in Zimbabwe.
• Featured children and family members: Grace, Michelle, Joseph, Esther, Yvette, Obert, and Morgan.
• Other contributors: Obert’s grandmother; Esther’s mother and baby sister, Tino; a school headmaster and accountant; and members of a church group.