Rumbidzai Mapolisa
Senior Resettlement Assistant
Duty Station: Harare, Zimbabwe
I’m addressing the challenge of how to harness the skills that refugees possess; promote their products and talents in the marketplace by connecting them to the world through platforms such as the internet.
Local integration is not readily available for refugees in Zimbabwe, the majority of refugees live in Tongogara Refugee Camp which is located in a remote area of Manicaland province. Refugees thus depend on UNHCR for assistance and alternative durable solutions. Voluntary repatriation over the years has received low uptake due to the prevailing conditions in refugees countries of origin leaving resettlement as the only viable or available durable solution. Due to limitations in respect of available resettlement places this is not an option that is open to all refugees nor a solution that UNHCR can guarantee to every refugee, Zimbabwe, in particular, has a resettlement target of 450 persons per year out of a refugee population of approx.9000 persons.
As such, managing refugees’ expectations has become a serious challenge. The majority of refugees want to be resettled, some refugee children do not attend school because their parents believe attendance will affect their resettlement prospects if they are seen to be “integrating”. Vocational skills courses are offered by various partners in the camp but few people sign up or enrol because they are waiting for resettlement. Essentially the community seems to be living in a state of suspension or limbo waiting to start and live a normal life in a third country.
These circumstances have caused refugees to be open to exploitation and at times, frustration causes them to act out or come up with creative ways to establish a need for resettlement.
With this background in mind and considering what refugees endure to get to Zimbabwe, their current living conditions and that for some have been living in a protracted refugee situation; I am motivated to work together with the refugee community to find alternative solutions that could lead to live hoods, self-reliance, and possible relocation to third countries outside of UNHCR’s resettlement program. My opinion is that refugees in Zimbabwe are isolated from what is going on in the rest of the world however if we assist them to promote their commercial outputs, talents, skills, intellect and ingenuity they would not perceive resettlement as their only option and the only reason for living.
I want to work together with the refugee community to find a solution that will enhance their lives through skills marketing, talent promotion, and access to available resources.
One idea would be to create a platform were the community can show case their skills and talents, market and sell their products online thereby transcending the reservations on movement and employment, a platform were they can access information on available resources such as scholarships, funding for projects, fellowships, etc. The hope is having alternative solutions will provide the refugee community with something else to look forward to. Exploring possibilities through the innovation process will enable the community to be a part of the solution, to have a sense of accomplishment and ownership of the end product.
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