Homeless to get a new start

HOMELESS people living in central Harare will be moved to safer and decent accommodation, sent to school if the right age and trained to earn a living if adults under a co-ordinated effort by Government, police, the city council and other responsible authorities.

This will not only give the homeless a new start, and remove them from those who may victimise them, especially children, but also remove the need to live a life of crime just to get enough to eat, with some people living on the streets blamed for muggings, thefts from motor vehicles and snatching handbags and food, mainly from women. Government has now working with strategic social development partners and local authorities have since established safe homes for people living on the streets. Harare Provincial Development Coordinator Mr Tafadzwa Muguti yesterday said his staff would be supporting the efforts of the provincial Department of Social Welfare, the police, City of Harare and other responsible authorities to relocate all people living on the streets to safer and more decent accommodation. Last year, over 100 homeless children were taken into shelters at the start of the Covid-19 lockdown at centres including Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre, Mt Hampden Youth Training Centre, Northcot Training Institution, Jamaica Inn and Beatrice Rehabilitation Centre.

“This exercise to round up all children and adults living on the streets has now commenced and we urge the public to be supportive of this exercise and report any children or adults who might need to be relocated to these safe homes.

“It is important to note and inform the public that all the people taken to the safe homes are being fed adequately and empowered with vocational skills that they can use in future to sustain themselves and improve their livelihoods,” he said.