There’s a saying that “home is where the heart is.” For me, I found a new kind of home ,one that’s as hot as the African sun, yet as sweet as the sugarcane fields that surround it. Welcome to Chinzimbe, a community nestled near the Illovo Sugar Company, where life thrives in the heat, and people embody warmth in every sense of the word.
As I arrived, the first thing that hit me wasn’t the welcome; it was the heat! Shirtless people walked freely in the blazing sun, and I couldn’t help but wonder, “Are you really leaving me here?” My journey through the sugar fields made me realize I was stepping into something special , a community surrounded by sugarcane, sweetness, and resilience. Despite the scorching temperature, something captivating about Chinzimbe. I whispered to myself, “I’ll stay. I’ll manage. Maybe it’s a sweet community in the heat.”
Soon after I arrived, I met my host father, a man whose kindness melted away any doubts I had. During my first week, he took me around the community, proudly showing me the heart of their livelihood, the canal.
“The canal is our life,” he told me. “It gives us water for bathing, washing, and irrigation. We thank God the Illovo Company diverted this canal from the Shire River.”He laughed and said in Chichewa, “Stain ndikutenthaku nanu mzingosamba momwemu tu,” meaning, “I feel hot, maybe I’ll come to bathe here too!” I nodded, pretending to agree though deep down, I couldn’t swim!
The more I explored, the more I fell in love. Chinzimbe is a land of abundance and affordability with cheap fish, affordable rice, endless sugarcane, and people full of love. The Shire River passes right through, making it possible for farmers to use boats to reach their fields. When I finally moved into my house, I began planning my integration activities with my host father’s guidance. He helped me meet community members and organize my first meeting. But I was caught off guard when people asked, “Are you here to distribute maize? Are you here to collect money from us? Are you here to build a nursery school?”
All I could say was, “I am just a volunteer.”
Still, even as I searched for my role, Chinzimbe found a place in my heart.
One thing that remains a challenge here is access to clean water. Many people walk long distances to fetch water from the Illovo Sugar Company area. As much as this community is blessed with resources, clean water remains a daily struggle.
It’s my dream to see Bestala thrive not only in sweetness and abundance but also in health and sustainability.
Two months in, I can confidently say that Bestala is a community so hot, yet so sweet. It’s a place where love runs deep, where people share what little they have, and where the sun shines on fields of opportunity. This is life in the hot heart of Chinzimbe, a community that teaches you to endure the heat while savoring the sweetness it offers.
Let’s join hands to support communities like Chinzimbe, communities full of potential, strength, and sweetness. Whether through clean water initiatives, education, or simple acts of kindness, we can make a lasting difference.
Together, let’s harvest the sweetness of Chinzimbe, a true haven of abundance and hope. We can enjoy the goodness of this community together,such a community with milk and honey .