In the bustling community at Tongogara Refugee Camp in Chipinge, 24-year-old Jemima on Thursday last week woke up with a smile.
For the first time, her dream of becoming a lawyer was much more in sight than it was 13 years ago when she and her family arrived from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), after fleeing the war in that country.
An 11-year-old girl then, Jemima still vividly recalls her journey from the DRC, an experience that no child should ever go through.
“The Mai Mai rebels visited our community one Sunday afternoon as we attended church. They took my father and other men away before firing shots into the church, scattering everyone. I was able to reunite with my mother and other siblings, but not with my father. My mother said we had no choice but to flee. And that is how our journey began,” she recalled.
For more than three months, Jemima, her mother and eight other family members, trudged through rugged terrain, passing two countries and dodging authorities and spending days on scant food supplies, they arrived in Zimbabwe.
But their ordeal was far from over.
Coming from a French-speaking country, Jemima had to start learning Zimbabwe's language of instruction, English, to fully integrate into the Zimbabwean society.
“It took me nearly two years to fully understand English and go along with others in school,” she said.
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Determined, Jemima proceeded with her education and passed her Ordinary Level examinations. But she did not stop there. Jemima has been actively participating in community activities and this has earned her the role of ambassador of the recently launched FairChance Youth on the Move project, which seeks to empower young people with opportunities.
Unicef Zimbabwe, in collaboration with the government, UNHCR, Goodwall, and The Boost Fellowship Trust, officially launched the FairChance Programme at Tongogara Refugee Settlement on Thursday last week.
The initiative, aimed at empowering the youth of the settlement, promises to provide critical skills, knowledge and opportunities to help refugee youth integrate socially and economically, while promoting their overall well-being.
Tongogara Refugee Settlement, located in Chipinge District, is home to over 16 000 refugees, the majority of them hailing from the DRC, Mozambique, Burundi and Rwanda, among others.
It is a young community, with 48% of the population being children and 33,6% classified as youth. This demographic, while vibrant, faces significant challenges.
Many of the young people have limited access to education, struggle with unemployment and lack opportunities for social mobility.
The FairChance Programme aims to bridge these gaps by equipping youth with the tools needed to thrive in a challenging environment.
According to the settlement's profile, Tongogara has two educational centres — Tongogara Primary School and St Michael’s Secondary School — which serve thousands of students.
However, these institutions are often stretched beyond capacity and many refugee youth drop out or do not have the opportunity to continue their education beyond basic levels.
The FairChance Programme seeks to address this by providing alternative pathways through skills development, entrepreneurship and digital literacy training. These efforts will help refugee youth to acquire the expertise they need to build sustainable livelihoods, both within and outside the settlement.
In her remarks at the launch, Unicef deputy country representative Zeinab Adam highlighted the urgency of addressing the challenges young refugees face.
“Many of you here today are familiar with the struggles of unemployment, limited education and the pressure of social issues like substance abuse. For you as refugee youth, these challenges are often even more severe, leaving you without many opportunities to thrive,” Adam said.
The FairChance Programme is designed to provide youth with skills that are applicable in both local and global contexts.
Through a partnership with Goodwall, an online platform for professional development, participants will have access to digital learning resources, mentorship and global opportunities. With only two ICT centres currently available in the settlement, the programme will also work to improve digital infrastructure, ensuring that young refugees have access to the internet and the digital tools necessary to participate in the modern economy.
The programme goes beyond education by focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation.
Tongogara already has a rich history of small-scale economic activities, with 240 households involved in businesses such as grocery shops, garment making and grinding mills.
The FairChance Programme aims to build on this foundation by offering entrepreneurship training and seed funding for youth-led business ideas. This initiative will encourage young refugees to identify local challenges — such as food security, waste management and energy — and develop innovative solutions that can benefit the entire community.
By fostering entrepreneurship, the programme helps to create pathways to self-reliance, reducing dependency on external aid and promoting long-term sustainability.
One of the programme's unique features is its ambassador initiative, where youth leaders from within the settlement help to mobilise their peers, ensuring that the programme remains relevant and impactful.
These ambassadors, who are refugees themselves, understand the daily challenges faced by their community and will play a crucial role in driving participation.
“By leading from within their communities, they ensure that the programme stays relevant and impactful,” Adam said, underscoring the importance of community-driven leadership in sustaining the programme’s success.
The FairChance Progrmme launch comes at a critical time for Tongogara, which faces ongoing challenges related to infrastructure and resources.
According to Johanne Mhlanga, the Settlement Administrator, Tongogara is spread over 870 hectares, and is prone to natural disasters, including flooding and strong winds, which often damage temporary shelters. With over 5,200 households in the settlement, many of the structures are inadequate, leaving residents vulnerable to the elements.
The FairChance Programme, while primarily focused on youth empowerment, will also indirectly contribute to improving living conditions by fostering economic activities that can lead to better housing and infrastructural development.
Tongogara is already integrated into the local economy, with refugees participating in agriculture, livestock farming and other income-generating activities. The settlement has three functional irrigation schemes covering 55 hectares, benefiting 585 households.
The FairChance Programme will further enhance agricultural productivity by training youth in climate-smart farming techniques and sustainable business practices.
“Together, we are not just creating opportunities for learning and earning but also for hope, dignity and empowerment for young people,” Adam said.
With partners like the government and UNHCR providing ongoing support, the programme is expected to create lasting change for the youth of Tongogara, giving them the tools to build a brighter future.
"The success of the FairChance Programme will depend on the continued collaboration between stakeholders, including the private sector, NGOs, and local institutions, said the UNCHR Head of Field operations at Tongogara Refugee Camp
"With over 13 business premises in the settlement already connected to the national grid and 43 refugee households using LP gas for cooking, there are opportunities to expand access to energy and other essential services as the programme grows," said Mhlanga.
As Jemima looks to the future, she embodies the spirit of resilience and hope that the FairChance Programme seeks to instil in all youth at Tongogara. With the support of Unicef and its partners, Jemima is not just dreaming of a better life — she is taking steps towards achieving it, proving that the potential for change lies within the young hearts of the refugee community.
Through her journey, she represents the transformative power of opportunity, illustrating how initiatives like FairChance can empower the next generation of leaders in Zimbabwe and beyond.
