Did you get the chance to watch the documentary "Zimbabwe's Forgotten Children"? It was a powerful movie, and if you have the chance to see it I would highly recommend doing so.
It follows the story of three Zimbabwean children (Esther, Grace and Obert) living under Mugabe’s dictatorship, and it cannot fail to move you. The film was produced and presented by Xoliswa Sithole, who herself grew up in Zimbabwe. After returning to the country of her childhood and witnessing the degradation of what had once been a thriving country she felt obliged to document was going on.
I bring this documentary to your attention because I watched in some weeks ago now, and I still cannot get my mind off those children. I have a daughter myself, and my heart (and conscience) writhed watching the suffering of those children. It wasn’t just about them of course, but about all the millions of children (and adults) in similarly desperate situations.
In watching this movie I saw victims, and before anyone says anything I know there are problems in portraying people as such. But what are these children if not victims of their circumstances?
Let me be clear however, I didn’t think they were weak, incapable or inferior. In fact, all I could feel was that had they been born to a different family, in a different country they could have been capable of anything.
The reality is that simply by virtue of birth some people are automatically afforded wealth, well-being, education and security. Others are relegated to a life of poverty, disease, illiteracy and suffering.No matter how hard they work, or strive, the vast majority will not be able to lift themselves out of this situation.
So yes, to me, they are victims of circumstance. Of historical failings, of corrupt leadership, of unfair trade regimes and an imbalanced global system.
Unless individuals are forced to look at these victims, to empathise with their situation, and to understand that it is not something that they have “brought on themselves” how can we hope to achieve this illusive “political will” we all keep talking about?
If interested in finding out more about this film, or want to buy the DVD you can do so at http://zimbabweschildren.org/
Have you seen BBC’s Panorama about children forced to work in cocoa plantations? It’s here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00rqm4n/Panorama_Chocolate_The_Bitter_Truth/ I’m afraid the BBC only allows to watch it in the UK…
No I haven’t - I’ll take a look. Thanks!
Good luck preaching this theory in America. Most Americans believe that just because one man made it out of the ghetto; everyone should be able to make it out of the ghetto. Empathy does not exist in America.
@ Mark - that’s a good point. The idea that we’re responsible for our own circumstances, and that we have the choice to change our lives if we work hard enough. I suppose in some cases it’s true, particularly in developed countries where there is free schooling, social welfare etc. It’s a bit more difficult to imagine how a child is meant to build a life for themselves when they live in abject poverty, are orphaned because of Aids, and have no secure access to schools, food or housing.