US$10 a week, but life goes on

Tawanda Mudimu Senior Photographer
The first cock crow has summoned her and her tools, and with these she walks all the way from her place of residence in Sunningdale 3 to find odd jobs in more affluent suburbs of Harare. Unlike live-in housemaids, this hard-working woman relies on odd jobs. She is a domestic worker, but here is where the parallels with the other domestic workers end.

With nine mouths to feed – eight of whom are minors who look up to her for school fees, uniforms, clothes and any other form of support as well as her handicapped husband who was disabled after falling off a roof – one would expect the woman to be earning a comfortable income from her rounds of odd jobs since she moves from one place to another charging for her labour.

But such is not the case. Stella says she earns a paltry US$10 for seven days labour!
With the prices of rentals per room having been mostly pegged closer to the US$100 bracket, and the cost of food also eating a better chunk of one’s earnings, Stella is living a “miraculous” life, to say the least.

“I started doing this job in 2007 after I realised that the income that my husband was earning as bricklayer was not enough to fend for the whole family

“I wanted to complement his salary, but the economy then was in bad shape and things got worse for us after my husband fell off a roof and became handicapped,” she said.

“The people I do these jobs for always give the excuse that they don’t have money and this then forced me to charge them US$10 for domestic work rendered in a week,” she explained.

It being Christmas time, one then wonders how she and her family will enjoy the big day which is associated with merry-making.
“Although I hadn’t planned for the Christmas holiday, since I can’t afford all the expenses that go with it, I have my faith in God that my neighbours, friends and well-wishers will provide.

“This has been the case with us all these years and it is by the grace of God that we have managed to enjoy Christmas just like other people,” she said.

Stella, who is a staunch Christian and parishioner at the Latter Day Saints, says she believes that Christmas is a day set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with a grateful heart, and if she could afford, she would extend a giving hand to the less-privileged members of society.

“People mark it by visiting their loved ones, the sick in hospitals and also getting together. But although I am still burdened to fend for the family, I believe we will enjoy it with others.”

Living in a tiny two-roomed house in the medium suburb of Sunningdale 3 informally known as Prospect Park just five kilometres out of the city centre, one would be forgiven for thinking that they lead a life similar to other families in their neighbourhood.
Surviving on US$10 a week, there is nothing at face value to show for this acute poverty.

Upon a visit to Stella’s home, one would think the mother of four is the proud owner of the stand where the family resides.
“We are now used to it, brother”, said Stella as she wipes away tears flowing down her cheeks.

“My kind neighbours are a blessing from God because they have been very kind and supportive to us. Only three weeks ago, my sisterdied.

“It was a funeral for sure but imagine! I woke up to find groceries all over my yard; that was God’s                                                                         hand.”

Her sound relationship with her neighbours was evident for this reporter to see as a stream of neighbours constantly interrupted the interview to exchange greetings and banalities.

Some would just say good morning to her and the family, while others would even ask if they had break-fast.
“These are the people who help us with food, extra money and any other form of assistance that this family requires. I am glad that my husband is recovering since he was injured and we hope to live a normally life one day whereby we will be able to fend for ourselves,” she said.

“Tete”, as her neighbours call her, is also determined to give her children a good education. Clutching a pile of Bibles with her last-born daughter Arleta who will be doing Grade Two at Sunningdale 2 Primary School next year, Stella proudly says: “Arleta is very brilliant and came fourth in the combined classes of Sunningdale 2 Primary.

“But my work is also creating a wider gap between me and my family,” she said.
While other students at Arleta’s school received worthy prizes from their parents for coming out tops, their limited resources meant that Stella and her husband could only buy a packet snacks for their daughter for her excellence.