By Tildah Mucherechese
Along Masvingo road to the left side where Boka Tobacco Company is sited to the right side a place called Hopley opposite side is a place called Amsterdam Park which was located by land baroons in 2012.Since 2012 the residents of Amsterdam are routine of using energy sources like sawdust, firewood and paraffin because there is no electricity at all this can be overtly showed by no electric poles at all .Now the rumor sweeping around Amsterdam is about a woman called Memory Manory aged 42 years who is using shoes for cooking as a substitute of firewood this is because she doesn’t have money to buy the firewood at all.Her husband is no where to be found he went abroad to look for green pasture and never return back to his family .Previously,the woman was being sustained by pierce work like washing in peoples homes but increase it the pandemic of Covid 19 lockdown worsened the situation because people are limiting visitations to their homes which has resulted to jobless of this women .
Incredibly, source of income depleted and this pushed this woman in the poverty cycle I of not affording to purchase firewood and led to cook with shoes.Moreso, this woman herald that even if electricity waz there she could not afford it also . This woman said ,she use about 3 pairs of shoes to cook a pot of sadza once a meal she ate with her 4 children to worsen the situation, she is diabetic.Neighbours contributed saying that this woman beg food inorder to feed her children . Moreover, the uniform and school shoes for her children also were burnt one day when she went to the dumpsites she collect these shoes and have nothing so she said the last option was to take the uniforms and school shoes inorder to eradicate hunger for that day . Another reason of shortage of shoes to dumpsites is because the rate of people who are purchasing shoes has decreased since some of companies have downsized and retrenchment due to Covid 19 increase so the rate of people who go throw used shoes to dumpsites also decreased. This woman said ,challenges she face when cooking using shoes is hard coung if she inhale the smoke because shoes produce hazardous carbon monoxide which will in turn cause chest problems , persistence coughing of children to my children. Also ,she is now suffering wth legs and loss of respect to the society because of eavesdroppers who have spread the rumour.All in all, due to this problem of firewood shortage l need a helping hand from people who are willing so l can start projects like poultry and l will be able to sent my children to school especially my child who is form four .
