flipside

It seems impossible but cholera has a good side. So says T, who's back from Budiriro (the epicentre of the epidemic) for the new term at Africa University (which she won't be starting because they've upped fees from somewhere around 400 US a year to 1,750 US plus an obligatory 900 US top-up for last term).

"Jobs," she says. "Cholera's created jobs."

Apparently UNICEF is paying up to 400 US to locals who agree to work in their cholera clinic. It's hard and dangerous work: bathing, feeding cholera patients.

"And if they die, you have to put the sheet over them," T says, with a shudder. Her sister got cholera -- or something like it -- over the Christmas holidays but she got treatment and she's fine.

"And then you get sprayed by all these chemicals before you can leave the clinic. But the money's good."

Four hundred US is way above average salaries for almost all Zimbabweans. Plus, she says, they pay a 200 US transport allowance but because almost all the workers come from the township they don't have to take any buses. That makes a take-home pay of 600 US. A farm tractor driver wants (but won't get) -- so state media says -- 50 US a month.