The Sunday Mail
Celebrities and staffers from Zimpapers’ Harare branch yesterday took to the streets of the capital to sell copies of The Saturday Herald as part of the company’s belated commemorations of International Women’s Day.
International Women’s Day fell on March 8 and the 2017 theme was “Be bold for change”.
Gospel sensation Mai Olivia Charamba was joined by musicians Sandra Ndebele, Mathias Mhere, Fungisai Mashavave-Zvakavapano and other celebrities across the arts as they exchanged roles with female newspaper vendors.
Event organiser and The Herald Gender Editor Ruth Butaumocho said the aim of the campaign was for people to experience the challenges female vendors go through on daily basis, while also affording celebrities the chance to interact with readers of Zimbabwe’s most-read daily newspaper directly.
“Our female newspaper vendors face a lot of challenges in their line of work,” she said. “The challenges range from waking up early in the morning to spending most of their day in the streets and at the same time fulfilling their social duties. So our idea was to empathise with them and show our solidarity in their daily struggle.”
Relating her experience as a vendor, Mai Charamba said the job was not easy and she was proud that women were doing it.
“Well, it was fun, you know doing it for the first time, interacting with readers and I actually sold a copy for $5,” she said. “But in the process you realise that the challenges these women go through are real and the task is quite a difficult one.
“Just imagine, sometimes they have to work in the rain, in the sun and at times take all sorts of abuse from the public and they do it every day. So we celebrate them, we celebrate their diligence and we always take these opportunities to remind the world that we are strong but our situation has to be improved.”
Butaumocho said the campaign was a success as all invited celebrities turned up.
Sports personalities Ruzive Ruzive, Desmond Maringwa and Joyce Kapota also took part.
