A surge in sign-ups for the $300 course over the last year has accelerated a two-decade trend in which thousands of health workers have left the country. The course, which teaches first aid techniques and the principles of nursing, is offered at private centers nationwide by organizations including Zimbabwe Red Cross, St John’s Ambulance centers and universities. The qualification makes it easier and faster for participants to secure visas and jobs as care assistants in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Young people have jumped on this course because it’s a quick and relatively cheap way to get out of the country. The terrible state of the economy means there are few opportunities at home, and the exodus is exacerbating the situation. But those who leave are vulnerable to scammers. In February 2023, the British embassy in Harare warned Zimbabweans of recruitment agencies who have used “unethical” practices to deceive migrants who are then subjected to unfair labor conditions and ill-treatment.
