{"id":11010,"date":"2025-11-17T14:29:31","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T14:29:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/?p=11010"},"modified":"2025-11-17T14:29:32","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T14:29:32","slug":"call-to-action-cultural-shift-needed-to-support-the-bereaved-say-advocates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/?p=11010","title":{"rendered":"Call to Action: Cultural Shift Needed to Support the Bereaved, Say Advocates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Zim GBC News | Gender and Community<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>BULAWAYO &#8211; A growing public conversation is challenging a common social practice, with many now calling for an end to the tradition of attending funerals empty-handed, arguing that it places an unfair burden on grieving families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The debate, gaining traction on social media and in community discussions, contrasts the generosity typically shown at weddings with the often passive attendance at funerals. Proponents of change urge mourners to contribute materially or through labor to support bereaved families who face sudden, unplanned expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Why do we go to a wedding and give money to a couple that has been planning for their wedding for almost two years, yet, we go to a funeral expecting the bereaved to feed us yet they never planned for it?&#8221; questioned one Harare resident, Tendai Moyo, echoing a sentiment shared by many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;This trend of expecting food from funerals you didn\u2019t contribute to should stop.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advocates for this cultural shift suggest that support should be practical and can start from the moment a family is in crisis, even at the hospital, to help with accumulating bills. They propose a range of contributions, from monetary gifts and essential goods like vegetables, firewood, or mealie meal, to offering physical help with cooking, logistics, or transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;This thing of showing love to the dead only when they die should STOP,&#8221; stated another community member, Chipo Ndlovu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Help should start from the hospital as there are bills there. If you can\u2019t afford goods, ladies can help out in the kitchen and men can help with the fire and transportation. It\u2019s about practical compassion.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The movement is particularly focused on engaging younger generations, hoping they will be the catalysts for a lasting change in community norms. The underlying principle being promoted is one of mutual responsibility and empathy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Do unto others what you want done unto you.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow us on social media for breaking news:<br>\u00b7 X (Twitter): @ZimGbc<br>\u00b7Instagram: @ZimGBCNews<br>\u00b7TikTok: @ZimGBCNews_01<br>\u00b7Facebook: Zim GBC News<br>\u00b7YouTube: Zim GBC News<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Get real-time alerts on WhatsApp:<br>+263 773 820 323<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For in-depth coverage, visit our website: www.zimgbcnews.co.zw<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zim GBC News | Global News From An African Perspective\u00a92025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Zim GBC News | Gender and Community BULAWAYO &#8211; A growing public conversation is challenging a common social practice, with many now calling for an end to the tradition of&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11011,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","category-social-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11010"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11010\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11012,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11010\/revisions\/11012"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}