Up, Up and Away
11.2 million percent. That’s Zimbabwe’s latest count on its hyper-inflation. It is astronomical, nearly comical because of its absurdity. But the reality of this economic collapse is terrifying. The latest numbers from the World Food Program (WFP) estimates 83% of Zimbabwe’s population are living off of less than two US dollars a day. Imagine trying to feed yourself, let alone a family, with just $2. The situation gets even more complicated when you consider the massive shortage of food. The WFP estimates 45% of the total population are malnourished. And with maize (corn) production down another 28% on top of last year’s already abysmal numbers, an estimated 4 million people are in danger of needing food assistance this coming year.
The enormity of these numbers is overwhelming, but we must not forget the individual faces of Zimbabwe. Each of these statistics impacts single people like you and me. My father has lost his job; your mother can not feed your family; our brothers and sisters are going without food. How would we respond if it were the people close to us? … Perhaps that should be our response to the crisis in Zimbabwe.
