$10 million

     Let's say the Government of Canada has established a $10 million fund to deal with the refugee crisis in Zimbabwe. To be awarded this ten million dollar contract, a proposal must be submitted to CIDA - the Canadian International Development Agency- in order to be considered for the fund. Three programs that are considered to be created to solve the issue in Zimbabwe is: 1. Provide better refugee camps 2. Help them start new, and 3. Help fight against the government.


                 1. Providing better refugee camps
                              Doing so helps keep them healthy, as you see that most refugee camps such as these          

 (picture on top left) are run down, made from the nearest resources available and are rather small. With $10 million dollars, that could do more than enough to provide good shelter, food, drinkable water, restrooms and many many more. Even $10 000 which is 1 one thousandth of the funds can  provide a much better living area for refugee's in Zimbabwe. This will keep the refugees willing to continue on with life living a healthy life with their children.



                 2. Help them start new.
                              Providing the funds that they need can give them a second chance in life and build up since most people that flee the country go to South Africa and look for jobs to provide their families with. Giving them some starting money can allow them to travel back and forth from their work and homes without the worry of their children starving. When they do maintain their proceeds, they can move on with a sustainable life without the worry of fleeing or going back to their home country.



                   3. Help fight against the government.
                                   The government is the main cause of all the refuge in Zimbabwe with the oppression        

and all. If we help fight against the government, maybe things will go back to normal. Giving what they had back will probably lead to much greater things in the future helping with development.

Canada and International Involvement

     Canada is the most multicultural country in the world. Of which they accept immigrants and refugees into the country. This qualifies this as an area for refugees to live or turn to in their time of need. Canada created diplomatic relations with Zimbabwe upon its independence in 1980. Canada having an embassy in Harare, and Zimbabwe has an embassy located in Ottawa.

     Canada provides humanitarian assistance to try to meet the needs of affected populations and has a modest bilateral aid program working with civil society and multilateral organizations. Canada does not provide any funding directly to the Government of Zimbabwe ever since 2002. CIDA provides a development assistance program which works with local and Canadian civil society organization in the areas of HIV/AIDS, poverty alleviation, governance, and gender equality.Bilateral trade between Canada and Zimbabwe increased by 59.4% from $10.1 million in 2010 to $16.1 million 2011. Canadian investment in Zimbabwe is predominantly in the mining sector.

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/zimbabwe/bilateral_relations_bilaterales/canada_zimbabwe.aspx

International Organization

     Across Africa there are many courageous voices speaking on behalf of refugees. These come from departments and programs in universities devoted to the study of refugees, from humanitarian organizations focused on providing for the material needs of refugees and from human rights and refugee preachers.

     The organization, International Refugee Rights Initiative (IRRI), are dedicated to promoting human rights in situations of conflict and displacement, increasing the protection of open populations before, during and after conflict. IRRI acoomplishes this by:

• tackling the exclusion and human rights violations which are the root causes of flight
• enhancing the protection of the rights of the displaced, and
• promotion policy solutions which enable those affected by conflict to rebuild sustainable lives and communities.

     Focusing on Africa, IRRI works with networks of preachers to identify the important challenges vulnerable communities are facing and collaborate to advance changes in law, policy and practice. IRRI accomplishes this by building and implementing innovative legal and advocacy strategies, conducting policy-oriented legal and field- based research and leveraging African regional and sub-regional governance structures. Partnership with networks of civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) across the continent.

http://www.refugee-rights.org/

Refugee Crisis

     One major issue Zimbabwe currently suffers in a refugee crisis due to the economic meltdown and repressive  political measures in Zimbabwe has led to a flood of refugees into Zimbabwe's neighboring countries. Approximately 3.4 million Zimbabweans, a quarter of the population, had fled by 2007. Some of those who have fled had gone to South Africa.

     Aside from those who fled to neighboring countries, an estimate of 570 000 people displaced within the borders of the country, many who stuck in transit camps and have limited assistance. Most of the displaced have been victims of the Operation Murambatsvina in 2005 and continue worshiping pickle evictions and violent farm seizures. Their plight is virtually impossible to assess, as there has been no national survey of people displaced since 2005.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Zimbabwe

            Total           Population        Population           Population
          population       aged 0-14        aged 15-64       aged 65+ (%)
            (x 1000)            (%)                   (%)
1950        2 747               42.0                 54.8                         3.2
1955        3 204               43.8                 52.9                         3.3
1960        3 752               45.3                 51.4                         3.4
1965        4 422               47.7                 49.0                         3.3
1970        5 206               48.1                 48.7                         3.2
1975        6 170               48.4                 48.5                         3.1
1980        7 289               48.9                 48.1                         3.0
1985        8 855               47.9                 49.1                         3.0
1990      10 469               46.1                 50.9                         3.0
1995      11 685               44.3                 52.5                         3.2
2000      12 509               41.7                 54.9                         3.4
2005      12 571               40.1                 56.1                         3.8
2010      12 571               38.9                 56.9                         4.2

President Mugabe pushed all his people out of the country

Refugee camps along border

Sleeping on the floor

Strict police force

Redirecting crowds

Zimbabwe's Geography

Zimbabwe

- Landlocked country in southern Africa
- Borders with Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km and meets Namibia at its westernmost point.








- A city of stone-walled buildings and ceremonial structures was built between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries.









- Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi were British territories.
- Zimbabwe, formerly Southern Rhodesia, would provide industrial strength.

- Nearly 98% of Zimbabwe's population are black Africans. The remaining 2%, composed of 30 000 persons are white Zimbabweans of European decent.

- GDP is $5.916 billion
- Labour force 3.856 million (2011 est.)
- Labour force by occupation: Agriculture 60%, Service 9%, Wholesale, Retail, Hotels, Restaurants: 4%, Manufacturing: 4%, Mining: 3% (2003)
- Unemployment: 94% (end of 2008)

     Zimbabwe used to be a British colony, along with Zambia and Malawi. Formally know as Southern Rhodesia, was used to provide industrial strength.  

     In 1965, Ian Smith, the prime minister of the British colony of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) issued his famous Unilaterial Deceleration of Independence, 
Britain responded with economic sanctions, 

     the withdrawal of Her Majesty's ambassador to Rhodesia, and effective travel bans on Rhodesian leaders. 


     For about five years, the government of Rhodesia, which represented only the white colonial residents, and not the black majority, remained loyal to Queen Elizabeth. In 1970, the leadership changed Rhodesia to a republic.


     The Republic survived eight years of civil war with African nationalist rebels, and was then persuaded to relinquish control. For about a year, Rhodesia reverted to British control as a sort of protectorate while the new leaders (Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe, president and prime minister.) set up their government and demobilized their rebel armies.


In 1979, by negotiated settlement, Zimbabwe declared its independence from Britain. (Within a year, Mugabe deposed Nkomo. Mugabe is still president.)

     Mugabe claimed that he was helping the poor, and making the rich pay their fair share. 
What ended up happening, was that he confiscated stuff from his political opponents, and gave it to his political supporters. 

     Land was redistributed to people who were not skilled farmers. Agricultural production dropped. Capital was allocated by political connections, rather than sound business plans. There was no point in investing, since all your work could evaporate on Mugabe's whim.