Underground Zimbabwe ~ Photos of Life in Bulawayo

February 11th, 2009

Underground Zimbabwe
Photos of Life in Bulawayo

A resident of Bulawayo took these photographs to document the effects of hyperinflation on Zimbabwe’s second largest city. Click on a photo to begin the slideshow.

: Customers line up outside a bank in downtown Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city. Whether for bread, sugar, or devalued cash, waiting in lines has become a full time occupation in Zimbabwe.

: As inflation in Zimbabwe reaches tragi-comedic levels, the value of the Zimbabwe dollar is often compared to that of a sheet of toilet paper. This photo was snapped in the restroom at the Beitbridge Border Post on the border of Zimbabwe and South Africa.

: An elderly care facility in Bulawayo. Because pensions haven't kept pace with inflation, many of Zimbabwe's elderly are destitute. Most Zimbabweans never even reach old age -- the country now has the shortest life expectancy in the world. The average life expectancy for men is 34 years; for women, 37.

: When it was introduced in 1980, the Zimbabwe dollar was worth more than the U.S. dollar. But in recent years, Zimbabwe's rate of inflation has grown to be the highest in the world. By the time this 10 trillion dollar note was introduced in January 2009, it was worth about 30 American dollars. A few weeks later, it couldn't even buy you a loaf of bread. On January 29, 2009, the government finally gave up on the failed Zimbabwe dollar and began allowing businesses to trade in foreign currencies.

: A trash-strewn street in Bulawayo. Erratic garbage collection and collapsed water and sewage infrastructure have contributed to an outbreak of cholera that has killed more than 3000 people. In parts of the country, trash hasn't been collected for nearly a year, as unpaid civil servants have gone on strike. Schools and heath centers have also closed.