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.”

For further information, please contact:

Nicola Simmonds

IOM Zimbabwe

Tel:  +263 303514 / +263 91 44 00 76

E-mail: "mailto:nsimmonds@iom.int">nsimmonds@iom.int 

DFID press office

Tel +44 207 02 30 600

E-mail "mailto:pressoffice@dfid.gov.uk">pressoffice@dfid.gov.uk