March 4 · Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Why did the Camera, go to a Cab, to become a Chicken, to turn into Cash? …..To cross the road to get to Class.
So is another story of creative people doing creative things.
With a taxi driver and car named Emmanueltaxis Victoria Falls, and a camera I leant him, we went to shoot in the African Savanah, capturing Sun and Moon. He took some great shots. He wanted to know, if he could have or buy the camera. I said, “Let me think about it.”
I met a young lady Petty Muchimba at Victoria Falls, (along with Taddy Manyepo and Langton Nyakwenda). She had a story to share. An orphan she was, from age 4, she had created her own businesses at 8 years of age, to help pay for her school clothes, tuition and supplies. Having now graduated from high school, and saving for college, she wanted to help other orphans too.
Where she works, Three Monkeys’ Restaurant, was helping her to create the DreamTeam Foundation, to aid her in this effort.
She wanted to know, if I could give her money for this effort. I told her I did not give money, but I could help her with resources to make money. She mentioned, how this could be good, she wanted to buy baby chicks and raise them, to sell the eggs and the chickens once full grown. To aid other students like herself. We discussed the economics. And, I said, “Let me think about it”.
I went back to Emmanueltaxis Victoria Falls, and negotiated a price for the camera. Like any good business man, Emmanuel, asked if I would take a lower price? To which I said no. Because I said to him, the money for the camera will not be for me, it will be for Petty Muchimba and her Dreamteam Project. But I did agree to let him pay in installments, which he has been doing.
In the meantime, Petty has now purchased, fed, watered and has began selling eggs and chickens, with the funds going to orphans, Twin boys (Ncube Nkosenhle and Ncube Nkosilathi) and a girl (Ophra).
Making sense out of, “Why did the Camera, go to a cab, become a Chicken, to become Cash? To cross road to get to Class.”
Petty will start college in August, at age 22, it has taken her the 4 years since high school to be in a position to go to College, where she will study Tourism. As she continues, to help others as she learned to help herself.
For this Petty Muchimba Is my Woman of the Week, in the World’s Women’s Month of March.
Herewith are the photos, of a camera to class story, the students it helps, the young woman who works to make it work, and the results the students are earning in their challenged lives, made less challenging through the work and effort of the Orphan who is no longer alone, Petty Muchimba.
As for the camera, Emmanueltaxis Victoria Fallstaxi, has used it to create a video for his business, allowing the camera not only to capture the world through Emmanuel’s eyes, but to help him with business, to help Petty Muchimbaa with her foundation, as well as, funding chickens for education.