Home Remedies as Agency in the Face of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT

Research questions Why have Zimbabweans relied on home remedies during COVID-19? What are some of these remedies? How are they used? How are they received by the people comparative to medical and scientific approaches? Purpose of the study and methods used Using narratives from below obtained from repeated conversations with 10 people as well as extensive social media observation spanning a year, this article explores Zimbabweans’ use of home remedies during COVID-19. Findings: It finds that home remedies (the most fashionable being steaming and Zumbani tea) are used simultaneously with western medicines. This is amid a hopeless health system, a ravaging and incurable pandemic, growing distrust of western institutions and vaccines, and the need to be mobile in daily livelihood activities performed in a distressed economy. These home practices are criticized by people demanding respect for the severity of COVID-19 who reproof “unscientific” grassroots practices, conversations, and conspiracies on the pandemic. Nevertheless, equally observable are daily testimonies of victory, healing, and hope. Conclusion: The study concludes that home remedies are used in Zimbabwe as a form of agency to respond to the uncertainty brought by COVID-19.