A friend of mine from Hwedza in rural Zimbabwe tells the story of how, at the height of the economic crisis in  that country, teachers at mission schools (which were established by mainly the Catholic and Anglican churches) held the fort.

He explains how, when the economy collapsed and inflation reached levels never seen before anywhere in the world, parents could no longer pay for school fees, buy stationery or provide any kind of subsistence for their children, including those in mission boarding schools...