Government has established alternative shelter for the homeless people who live in the streets as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa has said.
According to Mutsvangwa, the homeless people have been moved to Jamaica Inn, Mt Hampden and Beatrice training centres.
“Cabinet was apprised by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Chairman of the Food and Water Sustainability Sub Committee that three places of safety for the vulnerable and homeless children and families had been established, namely at Mt Hampden, Jamaica Inn, and Beatrice Rehabilitation Centre,” said Mutsvangwa.
“As part of social protection of the vulnerable, Government through the Department of Social Services, moved hundreds of homeless males to Mt Hampden, dozens of boys living and working on the streets to Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre and females are accommodated at Jamaica Inn during the lockdown,” he said.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima also confirmed the development, adding that the homeless were at high risk of contracting Covid-19 since they lack sanitary resources required to fight the devastating disease.
“In Harare, we have established three centres where we are housing these homeless people so that they have somewhere they can call a home,” he said.
“We have identified a training institute for the Ministry of Youth in Mount Hampden where we have moved in those who are in families. At Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre we have taken in boys who are below 18.
“At Jamaica Inn along Mutare Road, we have taken in women above 18 and we are also going to put in girls. So, we have about 42 going to the boy’s facility, 45 coming in as families and six women at Jamaica Inn.”
Prof Mavima said the Department of Social Welfare was also looking for more such facilities across the country to house the homeless.
Government has set aside over $600 million to cover one million vulnerable households under a cash transfer programme for the next three months.
A further $50 million was provided to Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) to prepare for Covid-19 and to cater for the health requirements of civil servants who are the majority of the Society’s members.
