IN SEARCH OF A BETTER LIFE

Author: Blessings Africa

Publisher: Cape Arts Publishers

Reviewer: Hazel Makuzeni

This is a tale of tragedies. Based on a true story, the novel is deeply moving and upsetting. There were so many points at which I shook my head in utter disbelief. The cruelty that the main character is subjected to is on a grand scale. There’s no reprieve – whether she’s at home with family, or in the company of strangers. It is the story of Aneni Chimwa. Born in a small rural village in Zimbabwe soon after the country gained independence in 1980, her struggles, entwined with those of her mother and sisters, talk of a time and place where there’s no refuge for women and girls.

It all started with her mother, Cynthia, not being able to produce a healthy son. All of her boys died soon after birth or months later, and this troubled not only her husband, but also her brother-in-law who saw her as an insult. Rumour in the village was that Cynthia practised witchcraft – eating her own infant sons. The fact that she was born and raised in Mozambique worsened her plight. She was seen as a foreigner and despised for being an outsider.  The situation came to a heartrending conclusion when Cynthia and her daughters were banished from the village, barely escaping with their lives. They spent days scavenging for food while sleeping out in the open. When a lifeline finally came – it was at a hefty price.

Aneni’s journey sees her leaving the village for leafy suburbs only to return after being exploited as a child worker by rich families. Her resilience is tested time after time. With September being celebrated as Heritage Month, I know only too well the importance of keeping traditions alive but I feel we need to introspect. Some traditions and customs need to be done away with ASAP! Aneni’s story is a living testimony to that.

Aneni is trapped in a culture that silences her and ruins any chance she may have to a better future. A culture that forces her into a marriage to a brute. A culture that says it’s okay, and expects, your mother-in-law to treat you as sub-human. A culture that says to be strong and proud, as a woman, you must endure abuse. In fact, being stoical earns you reverence. That as a woman you are the property of your husband. That there would be light at the end of the tunnel, if you only just bear it. The worst part, as is in the case of Aneni, it is women themselves who perpetuate these patriarchal dogmas.

This story is heart-wrenching. I thank the author for bringing it to light, and most importantly, for taking time to listen to this courageous woman’s story of survival.