Join the Laughter Club

In one of the world's most challenging economies, two women are setting up laughter clubs to help people cope with the strains of daily life. Last year, a unity government halted the collapse of Zimbabwe's economy - which left the Zimbabwe dollar almost worthless - by allowing the use of foreign currency. How does one respond to such hardship? "You've got to laugh more," says one man at a recent workshop, "especially in our situation in Zimbabwe." Encouraging people to make funny faces and lie on the floor and kick their legs in the air, workshop leaders Shilpa Shah and Celina Stockhill teach the emotional, physical, and mental benefits of laughter. "We release stress by laughing, we activate our lymphatic system and it's a very strong cardio workout," Stockhill explains. "So it's peace to the world, laughter to Zimbabwe, so let's share the happiness and spread the happy-demic," Shah says with a smile.

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