Hope Deferred

Hope Deferred asks the question: How did Zimbabwe, a country with so much promise-a stellar education system, a growing middle class, a sophisticated economic infrastructure, a liberal constitution, and an independent judiciary-come so close to collapse? In their own words, Zimbabweans tell their stories of losing their homes, land, livelihoods, and families as a direct result of political violence. They describe being tortured in detention, firebombed at work, or beaten up or raped to "e;punish"e; votes for the opposition. Those forced to flee to neighboring countries recount their escapes: cutting through fences, swimming across crocodile-infested rivers, and entrusting themselves to human smugglers. This book includes. Zimbabweans of every age, class, and political conviction-from farm laborers and academics to doctors and artists-ordinary people surviving the fragmentation of a once-thriving nation.Download the corresponding lesson plans on the Voice of Witness website.