Zimbabwe

I traveled to Zimbabwe on a development assistance assignment, where I had the privilege of engaging with diverse Shona communities in the remote, mountainous reaches of southeastern Manicaland. Working alongside local irrigation farming groups to provide technical and material support, I witnessed a level of pure, unbridled joy that was both invigorating and infectious. As a photographer, the unadulterated passion displayed by these communities was impossible to ignore; I found myself reaching for my camera at every turn, eager to capture the spirit of a people so deeply connected to their land.

Once my assignment concluded, I would have been remiss not to explore Zimbabwe's legendary natural heritage. I traveled to a secluded wildlife reserve in the southeast, a vast expanse home to the iconic species that draw travelers and trackers from around the world. However, the experience was a poignant reminder of the nation's recent history. The socio-economic and political challenges of the last three decades have taken a toll; widespread poaching and land disputes have visibly depleted many animal populations.

Aside from two game hunters, I was the sole visitor in this massive reserve. While this afforded me a rare, unencumbered solitude with nature, it also highlighted the wariness of the local wildlife. Due to the constant threat of poaching, the animals were incredibly elusive. Observing them required grueling treks across dry riverbeds, steep mountains, and dense brush. Even then, the encounters were fleeting; at the first sight of a human, the animals would instinctively turn and vanish into the wilderness.