ZImbabwean CHildren Fleeing to South Africa

Trisha Butterworth
March 20th

Many Zimbabwean children flee their country to South America in hopes of a better life. Many of these children are what UNICEF classifies as Unaccompanied Minors, but the term does not explain anywhere near to their situations. The children are allowed to cross the border without papers, and beg for work, with many of the girls becoming prostitutes. The children leave Zimbabwe because of hunger, poor schools, and poverty. Close to a quarter of Zimbabwe’s population has fled since President Robert Mugabe. Since june, over 1100 children have made the journey alone and illegally. Many of the children go to the asylum to become residents of the country, but many lie about their age, and many do not receive the paper work because they do not have any id or an adult to prove who they are. Many of the young children are picked up by police and taken to a home where they stay until they can figure out what to do with them. Something the reporters noticed was that some boys had a swastika carved into their arms, which meant German’s never surrender. The idea for this is that these boys are men, who will not surrender, and in some way gives them strength.

I think it is amazing how many children make the journey across the borders. It is sad that 10 year olds already think that life is so bad that they have to try to find a better way. I wonder what is so bad about the government in Zimbabwe that makes all these children want to leave, not just their parents. I also wonder where the children got the idea of the Swastika markings to resemble their strength. Seems like a far stretch for the idea. I also wonder how many of the children are sent back by the police, if any at all, and also how well off they are once they cross the border. Are their lives actually better, even though most of them are beggars and constantly looking for food and money?