20% were concerned about current lack of schooling because of failure to afford fees.
In many families, however, children are either too young or too old to be in need of
schooling.
In several cases, girls who were in primary school in 2005, have never returned to
school and are now “married” with babies, although still teenagers.
66% reported needing regular access to health care now, with many of these being
people on ARVs: they also reported that it was difficult to access health care, as United
Bulawayo Hospital is 7 km away, which you cannot walk if you are unwell. People also
cannot afford the hospital fees, and rely on free health care provided via a church clinic
once a week.
40% reported food as a basic need now, which is a lower percentage than among the
rural families, although it is still substantial. Several families reported that they grew
maize and vegetables of their own during the last season, which has helped.
40% mentioned water as a problem: the only water source in Killarney is from a mine‐
shaft, and there is concern that the water is polluted by mining chemicals.
Chart iii: most urgent needs now in informal settlements
When asked why they had returned to Killarney from rural areas, people gave many reasons,
including:
being exploited as cheap labour by communities, as they were unable to till their own
fields for lack of draught power;
crops were destroyed by baboons and elephants;
bad treatment by relatives;
being ostracised because of being “dumped”, and not being allowed to play a role in
community activities;
lack of food and means to earn money to buy it; back in Killarney they can vend or
brew beer or pan for gold.
long distances to schools and clinics;
many, quite simply, stated that Killarney or Ngozi Mine was their home and where they
had lived a substantial part of their lives, or even their entire lives.
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