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Crucial
new funds to help Zimbabwe's most vulnerable
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
October
20, 2006
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/AMMF-6URD5A?OpenDocument&rc=1&cc=zwe
Hundreds of thousands
of Zimbabwe's most vulnerable people will be provided critical humanitarian
assistance by IOM thanks to a donation of nearly US$10 million from
the British government.
The funds, from
the Department of International Development (DFID) will provide
humanitarian assistance to mobile and vulnerable populations and
migrants who have involuntarily returned from South Africa, and
will also be used to raise awareness on HIV and AIDS and the dangers
of irregular migration.
"DFID is delighted
to continue and increase its support to IOM to enable them to provide
assistance to some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in
Zimbabwe," said DFID's Head in Zimbabwe, John Barrett.
Since 2003, IOM
has helped more than 500,000 mobile and vulnerable people in Zimbabwe
with food and non-food items, livelihood support, water, sanitation,
shelter, transportation and information on HIV and AIDS.
With this new
funding from IOM's largest donor in Zimbabwe, the Organization
aims to reach at least another half a million people over a similar
period.
Some of the funds
will allow IOM to continue providing critical services to Zimbabwean
irregular migrants returning involuntarily from South Africa through
a reception and support centre at the border town of Beitbridge.
The centre, which
opened in May with support from DFID and the Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency, Sida, provides humanitarian assistance
to thousands of vulnerable Zimbabwean irregular migrants who are
returned every month to Beitbridge.
Assistance to
the returnees include food; overnight shelter for those too weak
for onward travel; transportation, a medical assessment and when
necessary, referrals for further treatment; counselling on safe
migration in a region where human trafficking is rife, and vouchers
for voluntary counselling and testing for HIV.
Out of the more
than 47,500 irregular migrants who have been returned to Zimbabwe
since May, more than half have chosen to use IOM's assistance to
return home safely.
In conjunction
with this humanitarian assistance, DFID is the only donor funding
IOM's Safe Journey information campaign, which runs in various local
languages on the dangers of irregular migration, including exploitation
and physical abuse, HIV prevention strategies and sexually transmitted
infections. The new DFID funding allows this campaign to continue
and will now target young people in key areas of Zimbabwe.
Displaced and
vulnerable people, including those affected by Operation
Murambatsvina, the nationwide campaign which resulted in the
destruction of thousands of illegal structures across the country
and their host communities, will continue to be assisted by IOM
with food, non-food items, shelter, water, sanitation, and livelihood
interventions. This assistance will also include nationwide HIV/AIDS
and gender-based violence intervention programmes.
"The situation
for ordinary Zimbabweans remains complex and challenging," said
IOM's Chief of Mission, Mohammed Abdiker. "This support is vital
and IOM's work these past few years demonstrates that donor funds
continue to play a critical role in Zimbabwe."
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