Age of Zinc is proud to present the fourth installment in a new memoir from the slums of Harare, Zimbabwe. Check back every week to catch the next part of the story!

–

Then, in 1990, I got married, and, in 1991, I was blessed with a child. School had not happened for me and I thought my life will be better if I get married.

My husband really loved me. My daughter — what happened to Moreblessing?  I am sure that my birth was not complicated.  But when she was supposed to roll over, she was not able to do that.  This worried me and I took her to the clinic.  I told the nurses that she was eleven months old and was not doing what the others were doing.  They sent her to Harare central hospital, to the CRIU (child rehabilitation unit).  After classes there, she walked at two years and two months. She walked because of the exercises that she learned there.

I was renting with my husband in Kuwadzana. My husband was a conductor with the Tauya bus company. I was not even working. He was looking after me and the kid. During that time it was good for me. I was able to afford to look after my brothers.  But my brother passed away in 1992 – I think from meningitis.

Going to the Unit was good for Moreblessing but I stopped the exercises because my husband was sick. Now I was telling myself that the life is not wanting me to be free.  My father passed away in 1993 and then my husband also passed away from TB.

After my husband passed away I started buying vegetables in the wholesale market in Mbare and re-selling in Kuwadzana. What I was doing meant that I could afford to pay for my rental and the food. I was leaving Moreblessing in the house by locking her in the room, and then collecting and carrying the vegetables back on the bus.

In 1995, my mother became mentally disturbed and I went to the rural areas to stay with her while she was in the psychiatric hospital. I stayed with her during her treatments. We thought she was well and we left her at her father’s place.