Former Refugees Given Hope

Zambia has hosted refugees since its independence in 1964. 99 percent of these refugees are from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Rwanda, Burundi and Somalia, from where they fled due to war. After the end of the civil wars in Rwanda and Angola, and the subsequent suspension of refugee status for over 176,000 refugees, many returned to their home countries. However, a good number chose to remain in Zambia, and now referred to as former refugees. Former refugees have a difficult life, with no more expectation of assistance refugee, restrictions on their mobility and employment.

The Zambian Government committed to integrate 23,000 former refugees by integrating them into two resettlement schemes. JICA in collaboration with the Department of Resettlement, launched the HOPE Project with the aim of developing an improved approach to accelerate local integration through a range of activities which include promotion of resettlement, developing basic infrastructure, and livelihood improvement.