Monday, August 20, 2007

How do you live on $1/month?

Morale is low at work these days. 5 people have quit in the last 2 months. I'm actually surprised that there are any employees left, since the monthly salary only covers about 10 days of public transport. Most of the non-officers are not only volunteering their time to work at THQ, but actually having to borrow money just to come to work. One of the maintenance men makes $190,000/month. That sounds like a lot, but it's about the equivalent of $1US/month. He went to someone in leadership with his paycheque, saying that it just wasn't enough to sustain his family (note: if he can find bread, his monthly paycheque would buy him 6 loaves; but nothing else). The leadership's response was a bit less than what you would hope from a caring, compassionate, Christian organization, "we already told all the employees - if you're going to complain; just quit. We don't need you!" Nice. It's interesting - I used to campaign against sweatshops and exploitation of labour, etc. Now I work for an organization that is paying its top employees the equivalent of less than $5/month (but those people do get houses with electricity, water and landlines paid for). I hate it that the best and brightest Zimbabweans have all left the country, or are thinking of leaving. But you can't blame them. I was telling someone the other day about Ontario's minimum wage of about $7/hour. It's way more than she makes a month here - working 5 days a week. Before I moved to Zim, some friends showed some concern for the living conditions I'd be facing and the salary I'd be making. My response was, "it's an international organization! I know we won't be making a lot, but surely there will be some international standards applied!" I guess not.

3 comments:

Charlie Chikankata said...

Don't get me started!!!!

614:leadership said...

What can we (614 Chattanooga) do to help? Not on a broad or systemic scale but just cash wise what can we through at it and how to do we do it to deal with the immediate?

I know there is a bigger issue here that needs to be tackled but for today...what can we do to help?

Cory H.

Kapten Clark said...

Funny, Cory, because I got online this morning specifically to ask HOW CAN WE HELP? Not a rhetorical question, but a true request.