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conclusion. She was right in a way because part of the conclusion of the article was left out due to space constraints.
So this week I thought I could build on what was left and in the process bring more consciousness on the need for action. What also prompted me to continue with this matter is what I read in one of the Sunday Mail issues about young girls, as young as nine years, going into prostitution. Shocking revelations! I hope this sent chills down spines of many, including future mothers-in law, because of the negative ripple effect this has on society. It will be a vicious cycle of poverty and disease and more maladjusted children released into the system each year, placing a bigger financial and social burden on the economy.

I was burdened to learn that some of the girls are coming from homes where their material needs are provided for. I learnt with shock that these girls were in it to gain financial independence from their parents. Just imagine the degree of the love of money in the world today! Does this tell us something about the way we are raising our children today? Are we giving them the right priority understanding and standards through which to evaluate life? Like mentioned in last week’s article, personal identity and values are important in guiding behaviour. They also help to give a sense of accountability to oneself, others and God.
We live in a money economy but does this mean that money is an antidote for every problem. These children are choosing short term gains at the expense of long term rewards that come from a value-driven life.

Has money become our number one priority? For the benefit of the reader that missed last week’s article, it was on social ills afflicting our society today.
In the article, I tried to urge society to do a causality analysis of the deterioration in moral standards and how sanity could be restored. We really need to think seriously about this. We have a problem that needs urgent attention. Think of the world that you will leave to your great grandchildren.
Is it something that we will be proud of? The moral fabric of society is decaying and we need to look at it and see what the biblical Nehemiah saw when he assessed the wall of Jerusalem. He says, “Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned by fire” and he ends up challenging others to join him in the task of rebuilding the wall so as to end their disgrace.

In my view there is no problem that is bigger than moral decay. I believe that a person’s dignity should be preserved even in suffering because it is that self-respect that separates us from the animals. I think all other challenges can be solved but once that moral fibre is destroyed no amount of money or other external things can bring it back. Is it not why we see or hear of people who have all the luxuries that money can buy but people refer to them as “hapana nezvemunhu paya” (he/she is not a person). I believe character is important in any equation. I am tempted to refer to Job in the Bible. He remained steadfast despite being ravished by all types of misfortunes including illness and verbal persecution from friends. At the end of it all, he was there to receive restoration when the time came. Hope, dear reader, you get my drift.

What makes a nation is its people and therefore we have to be deliberate in building or moulding the person, what could be said in Shona “kudzosera munhu pahunhu.” Allow me to say this is a task for everyone – families, churches, Government and other stakeholders – we cannot sit back and wish these problems away.
The starting point is the realisation that we have a problem and with a shared vision and common purpose to work together towards a solution. We could learn from the Biblical Nehemiah who after assessing the situation on the ground approached the elders admitting that there was a problem.

I was intrigued by Prime Minister Cameron’s response to the riots in Britain because it was time of reckoning and also confronting reality. As quoted by Nathaniel Manheru, the Premier said, “We need to have a code of values and standards that we expect people to live by and stronger penalties if they cross the line. Restoring a stronger sense of responsibility across our society, in every town, in every street, in every estate is something that I’m determined to do.”

This, I believe is the way to go. Many people know what has to be done and therefore we need to go for it. What is important is to be very deliberate, consistent in word and deed and also persevere, starting from the way we raise children. The diligence needed is that kind stated in Deuteronomy 6:7-9 which involves continuously teaching and impressing good values on children. In short, that is making values, rules and accountability an integral part of our lives.

I like the constituency of children because if they are taught well in the formative years there could be better societies in future. For this to happen we need to change our cultural attitudes in the way we see and do things. Our worldviews make us compromise on principles. We now accept negative ways of doing things as the way of doing things today (ndozviripo) or even just give up trying to eliminate them.

As a result the problem gets bigger. For transformation to take place we really need to develop a consciousness of those negative trends around and a “fighting” spirit against such forces. Above all we need the will power to act upon it. Social transformation starts with the individual. It is an inside-out approach.

There are some who would say we have tried but it does not work. Perhaps you need to change the strategies or actions only then can you have different results.

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