Goromonzi, Zimbabwe.  – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), with funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), today officially handed over a newly constructed maternity waiting home at Masikandoro Clinic in Ward 1 of Goromonzi District. Attending the handover ceremony were the Guest of Honour, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Zimbabwe His Excellency Mr. Jae Kyung PARK, representatives from local government, IOM, implementing partners and community members.

This marks a major milestone in promoting safe maternal healthcare and community reintegration under the project - Supporting peaceful, safe, sustainable reintegration for returning migrants and host communities in Zimbabwe impacted by the non-renewal of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP). Through this initiative, IOM and its implementing partners including civil society organisations and local government stakeholders are supporting sustainable re-integration by promoting social cohesion, conflict prevention, livelihood opportunities, vocational skills development and improved access to mental health and psychosocial support services for migrant returnees and members of host communities in Harare, Midlands, Manicaland and Mashonaland East Provinces.

The construction of the maternity waiting home, led by Zimbabwe Food for the Hungry (ZFHI) is part of an Asset Creation (AC) initiative that supports the rehabilitation of essential community infrastructure through inclusive, community-led processes. Developed through Community Based Planning (CBP) consultations, led by implementing partner, Civic Forum on Human Development, the Masikandoro facility was identified as a critical need for enhancing safe maternal care in the area. More small-scale community driven infrastructure projects will be implemented in Epworth, Buhera and Mberengwa - based on the same participatory decision-making process in close collaboration with the needs expressed by local government and the community.

Led by ZFHI, over a period of three months, 239 local residents, nearly half of whom were returning migrants, participated in the construction, receiving training in building techniques, livelihoods, and community development. The project has and will continue to foster cooperation between returnees and host communities, strengthening social cohesion and promoting dignity, resilience, and shared ownership of local development. In remarks made on her behalf by Dr. Thomas Kalasani, IOM Zimbabwe Chief of Mission Ms. Diana Cartier said, “The maternity waiting home we are inaugurating today is a tangible investment in community health and cohesion, built with the active participation of both returning migrants and host communities. Through these inclusive infrastructure projects, we aim to promote dignity, foster social cohesion, and contribute to longer-term development”.

The maternity waiting home will provide expectant mothers, particularly those living far from the clinic or at risk of home births with a safe and accessible place to stay as they near delivery, reducing delays in accessing skilled care and preventing complications associated with long-distance travel or unattended births. This will contribute to improved maternal and newborn outcomes in Goromonzi District.

For more information please contact: Fadzai Nyamande-Pangeti fnyamandepan@iom.int (Harare) +263 787 868 608