Emma Mwinde risked her life just to get her daughter a birth certificate. The brave mom walked for hours through elephant territory with her three-year-old strapped to her back. She traveled from Gokwe all the way to a remote fishing village near the Zambia border. Her husband Jonathan works at the dangerous location where wild animals roam freely. The couple heard about a special government registration drive happening in the area.
Zimbabwe officials teamed up with Unicef and Sweden to bring birth certificates to hard-to-reach communities. The mobile service runs from July 7 to July 11 in Binga District. Only 57 percent of people in Zimbabwe have proper birth registration according to recent surveys. The remote village sits 160 kilometers from the nearest town center. Getting there takes seven grueling hours on terrible roads.
Emma and Jonathan started walking before sunrise with their baby girl. Eight kilometers into their three-hour trek they spotted a massive herd of elephants blocking their path. The family hid behind trees and waited for the dangerous animals to move away. Lions also hunt in the same area making every step risky. The couple knew they had to complete the journey or travel 60 kilometers to the next registration office.
The parents refused to give up despite the terrifying wildlife encounter. They continued walking once the elephants disappeared into the bush. Getting legal documents remains a huge challenge for rural families across Zimbabwe. Many children grow up without proper identification papers. Mobile registration drives help bridge the gap between remote villages and government services.
Zimbabwe officials teamed up with Unicef and Sweden to bring birth certificates to hard-to-reach communities. The mobile service runs from July 7 to July 11 in Binga District. Only 57 percent of people in Zimbabwe have proper birth registration according to recent surveys. The remote village sits 160 kilometers from the nearest town center. Getting there takes seven grueling hours on terrible roads.
Emma and Jonathan started walking before sunrise with their baby girl. Eight kilometers into their three-hour trek they spotted a massive herd of elephants blocking their path. The family hid behind trees and waited for the dangerous animals to move away. Lions also hunt in the same area making every step risky. The couple knew they had to complete the journey or travel 60 kilometers to the next registration office.
The parents refused to give up despite the terrifying wildlife encounter. They continued walking once the elephants disappeared into the bush. Getting legal documents remains a huge challenge for rural families across Zimbabwe. Many children grow up without proper identification papers. Mobile registration drives help bridge the gap between remote villages and government services.
