Abstract:
Housing for low-income people has been a big issue in many countries and
Zimbabwe is not an exception. This challenge has been a major contributor to
Zimbabwe‟s expanding slum population, with thousands of people living in slum
areas. This study draws on the experiences of Magamba in Hatcliffe Extension,
Harare, to understand the origins, demographics and survival strategies of slum
dwellers. A quantitative research approach was employed. Household surveys
were conducted as part of the data collection process in that semi-structured
questionnaires were used. Observations using photographic or pictorial aids
were done. The study suggests that impressions of poverty in Magamba
correspond to a lack of access to fundamental requirements such as adequate
shelter, water, sanitation, security of tenure, jobs and foodstuffs. The community's
coping strategies emphasize that, despite the problems they face, residents are
strong and have skills that they use to improve their livelihoods. In addition to
creating a multi-stakeholder platform for resolving the housing delivery
challenges, the study suggests slum transformation and political will where
politics is not above institutions. These could be solutions to the rising number of
slums that are developing and growing in the country.
Description:
The journal is a forum for the discussion of ideas, scholarly opinions and
case studies of community outreach and engagement. Communities are
both defined in terms of people found in a given locale as well as defined
cohorts, like the children, the youth, the elderly, and those living with a
disability. The strongest view is that getting to know each community or
sub community is a function of their deliberate participation in matters
affecting them by the community itself. The
journal is produced bi-annually.
