Diaspora Dreams or Diaspora Nightmares? How to Avoid Being Scammed When Investing Back Home in Zimbabwe”
For Zimbabweans living abroad, the dream of investing back home is powerful. Whether it’s building your retirement home in Gweru, starting a poultry business in Marondera, or buying land on the outskirts of Harare—there’s a burning desire to create something lasting in the place that raised us.
But for too many in the diaspora, this dream becomes a recurring nightmare.
When Home Becomes a Hustle
If you’ve ever sent money home to “start building” only to find that half the materials didn’t make it to the site—or worse, were swapped for substandard ones—you’re not alone.
Maybe you paid for bricks, and only sand showed up. Maybe you trusted a cousin to oversee construction, but the only thing that got built was a web of lies and excuses.
The heartbreak hits differently when the scammer is someone you call “family.”
The Truth About Remote-Control Projects
It’s easy to think you can manage everything from your phone—especially with WhatsApp, Ecocash, and mobile banking. But here’s the hard truth:
Remote control only works when you have trustworthy professionals on the ground—and friends and relatives are NOT the right people for the job.
Why? Because love doesn’t equal competence. And shared blood doesn’t guarantee accountability.
The Real Solution: Hire a Professional Project Manager
You wouldn’t hand over your retirement savings to your cousin who once painted a shed, so why trust them with your life savings for a housing project?
What you need is a qualified project manager—someone who is:
- Accountable to you
- Provides daily updates
- Sends you receipts, progress photos, and expense breakdowns
- Knows local suppliers and can negotiate better deals
- Has a track record of delivering on time and on budget
Yes, a project manager will cost you money—but not nearly as much as rebuilding after a scam. Pay them well, and you’ll buy peace of mind.
Where to Find Reliable Project Managers
This is the million-dollar question—and here’s the good news:
The Zimbabwe Business Directory is a great place to start.
Before you make contact:
- Browse the listings carefully
- Read customer reviews
- Reach out to previous clients directly if possible
- Don’t just rely on ratings—verify!
Remember the old saying: Spend 50% of your time sharpening your axe so you can chop the tree faster and cleaner. That’s what due diligence is.
Take time to research before you open your wallet. It’s not wasted time—it’s insurance.
Common Diaspora Scams to Watch For
- Paying for materials that never arrive (or arrive in half)
- Paying for “labour” that was never done
- Fake plots of land sold to multiple buyers
- Building materials swapped for low-quality substitutes
- Inflated receipts and ghost workers on-site
Protect Yourself: 7 Must-Do Steps
- Do Proper Due Diligence
- Use Contracts—Always
- Keep Family and Business Separate
- Hire a Certified Project Manager
- Use Tech Tools (photos, videos, receipts)
- Start Small and Scale Slowly
- Join Trusted Diaspora Forums or Platforms
Final Thoughts: Build Smarter, Not Harder
Your dream to invest in Zimbabwe is noble—but it must be done with strategy, not just sentiment. The land is full of opportunity—but it also has its sharks.
Let’s build a better Zimbabwe—not just for us, but for generations to come.
And remember: before you send a cent, do your homework.
Happy Building, Zimbabwe.
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