The United Nations has commended Zimbabwe for empowering refugees at Tongogara Refugee Camp to be self-reliant and contribute towards the economy and realisation of Sustainable Development Goals.
Tongogara is the only refugee camp in Zimbabwe.
The camp has a population of 15 015 consisting of people from DRC, Mozambique, Burundi and Rwanda, among others.
The Government is working with stakeholders including the UNHCR, World Food Programme, World Vision and the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society among other organisations to equip the refugees with knowledge on horticulture, fisheries, poultry production and promoting self sponsored small enterprises such as grocery shops and food industries.
Addressing journalists during a tour at the Tongogara Refugee Camp yesterday, UN resident and humanitarian co-ordinator Mr Edward Kallon applauded Zimbabwe for providing basic services to the refugees.
"I want to congratulate Government for the efforts to protect refugees and also for providing the opportunity to work towards self reliance and re-integration or integration of these people of concern.
"My hope is they go home and contribute towards socio-economic development of their countries," he said.
Mr Kallon urged people not to look down on refugees as they were also important in development.
"It does not mean when people are refugees their contribution to humanity is gone. It is a transition and that is why the international convention is very clear that we should provide protection to refugees.
"There is need for the creation of a pro-active and predictive framework that can be used to "ensure flexibility exists, to respond to acute humanitarianism, where transition quickly moves towards development," he said.
Tongogara Camp administrator, Mr Johanne Mhlanga said they were working with stakeholders to promote self-reliance of refugees.
"Zimbabwe has a long history of protecting refugees. We also have a history of being protected by other states during the liberation struggle.
"We are an African country guided not only by international conventions, but also by the Ubuntu philosophy," he said.
Mr Mhlanga said it was important for the country to go beyond provision of aid but to promote self reliance.
"We want cultivate the spirit of empowerment of persons of concern.
"We seek to enhance self-reliance for refugees and asylum seekers. We wish to establish a vocational centre at Tongogara Refugee Camp to promote access to tertiary education. We also want to facilitate inclusion of refugees in sport and cultural programmes," he said.
Mr Mhlanga said there was need to empower refugees so they improve their livelihoods.
"We are guided by the fundamental principles of NDS1. The mantra 'leaving no one behind and no place behind' in development is the reason why we are including refugees in our national development trajectory," he said.
To ensure refugees are self-reliant, Tongogara Refugee Camp has 50 hectares of land under irrigation and is working towards expanding the area to 150 ha.
There are also cattle, goat, hydroponics, fisheries and horticulture projects at the centre.
The refugees have access to free medical services.
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Mr Mhlanga said 2 300 children were attending at Tongogara Primary School, 600 were at St Michael's Secondary School while 60 refugee youth were at tertiary institutions in the country.
UNHCR project manager for livelihoods, Mr Lovemore Dumba said the refugees were also engaging in agricultural projects to ensure household food and nutrition security.
"We have 50ha irrigable land used by refugees to grow different crops. Each household has 0,1 hectare. We support the refugees with seed, fertilisers and other inputs. We also have a resident Agritex officer to help the refugees with technical advice," he said.
Mr Dumba said those in fisheries were also selling the fish and getting an income.
Tongogara Refugee Camp was established in the 1980s to accommodate Mozambican refugees who were fleeing Frelimo-Renamo conflicts.
