IOM To Support 33 000 Returning Migrants

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says it will support at least 33 000 migrants as part of its efforts to provide safe and decent lives to the usually vulnerable returning Zimbabwean nationals.

In a statement, IOM communications officer Fadzai Penny Nyamande-Pangeti said that the project activities will be implemented in coordination and partnership with the government of Zimbabwe. Said Nyamande-Pangeti:

Activities will also take place at inland mobility corridors including Masvingo, Bulawayo, Chimanimani, Mutasa, Chipinge, Kariba and Karoi where IOM has a presence.

The project will be implemented in coordination and partnership with the government of Zimbabwe, particularly the ministries of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and Public Service Labour and Social Welfare and other relevant line ministries to meet the basic needs of returned migrants.

She said IOM will collect information on areas that are in urgent need of help to enable it to come up with an appropriate response. Said Pangeti:

The information collected will culminate in the production of a Migration Profile for Zimbabwe, a much-needed and up-to-date repository of migration information in collaboration with the Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency (ZIMSTAT).

Under this project, IOM will continue to support returnees who have faced adversity during migration with Information Counselling and Referral Services (ICRS) taking into regard the gender, age, and disability dimensions of mental health.

This comes at a time, the European Commission’s humanitarian arm has offered to fund IOM Zimbabwe for over 12 months.

The funds will be channelled towards strengthening protection services and post-arrival assistance to migrants and Flow Monitoring (FM) activities, border communities, and congregation points through data collection and analysis on migration trends.

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