Thousands of children and adults in Zimbabwe live without legal status or identity because they have no birth certificate or other form of legal identification. This is a widespread problem that severely restricts the rights and opportunities of these individuals, and compounds the overwhelming challenges of daily living they face.
A birth certificate is required to:
- register for school and national examinations
- access school fee grants
- access food aid and other social services
- provide proof of age and identity to establish inheritance and other legal rights
- apply for a national identity card and a passport to allow travel outside Zimbabwe
- apply for a birth certificate for one's own children.
Mr. and Mrs. Danda are extremely grateful for the assistance they received from Bopoma Villages' staff to negotiate the complex process of obtaining birth certificates for their four children. Helping families obtain birth certificates is a critical intervention to help families move from extreme poverty towards self-sufficiency and opportunity.