CHIPINGE – Government has vowed to increase support for refugees by providing more land for self-reliance and livelihoods projects.
This was said during the World Refugee Day commemorations held on July 05 at Tongogara Refugee Camp in Chipinge.
Chipinge District Administrator (DA) William Mashava headed the function.
Tongogara Refugee Camp is situated along Save River approximately 74 km from Chipinge town via Tanganda and Middle Save.
On its western side is Save Valley Conservancy on the other side of Save River.
In a speech read on her behalf by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Ngoni Masoka, Minister Patronella Kagonye said Zimbabwe was pleased to be a member of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Executive Committee with full voting rights.
“Our government is increasing support for the refugees. We shall avail more land for refugees’ self-reliant and livelihood projects.
“To deal with the humanitarian needs of these persons, the government of Zimbabwe works with UNHCR, World Food Programme, Terre des Hommes, Goal Zimbabwe, Jesuit Refugee Services and Childline.
“A 24 member soap making project was started with funding from the United States of America Embassy under the Julia Tuft banner. Also, GOAL Zimbabwe supports crop production under the irrigation animal husbandry benefitting 569 female and 522 male residents in 2018,” Kagonye said.
She urged refugees to abide laws of the land.
“In responding to the humanitarian needs of refugees, the partnership is guided by government laws and policies while also borrowing from United Nations Conventions, protocols and standards. I urge refugees to observe the laws of this country,” she said.
Tongogara Refugee Camp Administrator, Johannes Mhlanga said the place was home to 12 234 refugees and asylum seekers.
“The 2017 refugees’ statistics show that 72 percent are from Democratic Republic of Congo, 14 percent from Mozambique, 6.2 percent from Burundi, 5 percent from Rwanda and 2.8 percent from smaller communities,” said Mhlanga.local
