A Helping Hand
Whether you like it or not, it was customary in southern Africa to employ local people to help with household chores, both inside and outside. Even when I was a poorly paid volunteer in Zambia (relative to other whites or 'mzungus' as we were called), I was constantly faced with entreaties at the door asking for employment. Eventually, I gave in and hired my own guy, James, to look after the odd jobs that I could just have easily done myself. However, to James, it was his main source of income for the years that I was there. The same thing applied in Zimbabwe, except that, with the expatriates that made these countries their life, these employees became like part of the family. I was glad to see Edward again in Harare, still faithfully carrying out his chores 20 years after our first meeting!


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