Dear Zimbabwe government:
Please have heart this Valentine’s Day and set minimum wages that show you care for your people.
ZWD 160 per month (about US$6) is heartbreaking. It can’t feed a single person let alone a family.
The UN absolute poverty line is living on US$2 per day per person – at least US$62 per month.
ZWD 160 per month is a death sentence.
We know you can do better.
Be fair. Be kind.
Let all Zimbabweans thrive. 🙏
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Note: This blog was inspired by Statutory Instrument number 37 of 2020, issued by the Zimbabwe government in February 2020, which set minimum wage for domestic workers at ZWD 160 per month, or ZWD 0.75 per hour.
At the time of publishing, the unofficial exchange rate was about US$ 1 = ZWD 25. The country is experiencing severe drought and insufficient food supply. According to the World Food Programme, half the population – almost 8 million people – are currently in need of food aid.