Chiredzi Safe Zone

In the town of Chiredzi, Masvingo Province, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) operates a youth center called Safe Zone. This is one of the two youth centers that IOM operates in Zimbabwe. The second Safe Zone is located in the City of Bulawayo. The Safe Zone is a concept that provides for the youth (12-24 years old) a safe place to come together and learn from each other about the realities of irregular migration, HIV/AIDS and Gender-Based Violence and Human Trafficking.



Each center is managed by a team of young men and women headed by a Safe Zone Coordinator and ably assisted by 8-10 peer educators trained to facilitate discussions on issues about safe migration. In addition to peer messaging interventions, the Safe Zone offers various recreational and educational activities. The Safe Zone in Chiredzi has facilities for movie presentations, talk shows, sports and even art related activities. IOM is in the process of introducing Vocational Training courses to youths in the future.



The Safe Zones are currently in need of support for books (educational and recreational) to allow the youths that frequent the center to keep them reading.

The establishment of the Safe Zones in Zimbabwe is one of the major thrust of the Safe Journey Information Campaign Program of IOM. The town of Chiredzi was selected to be one of the areas for the implementation of the Safe Zone because of the high number of youths jumping the border to South Africa or Mozambique.