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News release

Majority of Zimbabweans describe their living conditions as bad, have to ask for financial assistance to make ends meet

17 Oct 2024 Zimbabwe
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News release
Key findings
  • Six in 10 Zimbabweans (60%) describe their personal living conditions as “fairly bad” or “very bad,” while about one-quarter (23%) describe them as “fairly good” or “very good” (Figure 1). o The poor are more than twice as likely as the wealthy to say that their living conditions are bad (81% vs. 34%) (Figure 2). o The elderly (72%), citizens with primary education or less (65%), and rural residents (64%) are more likely to describe their personal living conditions in negative terms than younger generations, better-educated respondents, and urban inhabitants.
  • Large majorities of citizens say they or a family member went without a cash income (85%) or medical care (60%) “several times,” “many times,” or “always” during the past year (Figure 3). o About half report going without food (48%) and water (49%), and more than one third (37%) experienced shortages of cooking fuel, on multiple occasions.
  • A majority (57%) of citizens say they had to turn to family for assistance to make ends meet at least once during the previous year, including more than one-third (36%) who report having to do so “several times” or “often” (Figure 4). o Half (50%) say they requested help from friends and neighbours, while 17% say they sought assistance from a religious, community, or charitable organisation. o Among those experiencing high lived poverty, 57% report asking for financial assistance from family “several times” or “often” in the past year to make ends meet. About half (49%) sought help at least “several times” from friends or neighbours (Figure 5).

A majority of Zimbabweans describe their personal living conditions as bad, a new  Afrobarometer survey indicates.  

More than four-fifths of Zimbabweans say they or a household member went without a  cash income at least “several times” during the previous year. Three-fifths repeatedly experienced shortages of needed medical care, and half went without enough food  and water. 

A majority of citizens say they had to turn to other family members for assistance to make  ends meet during the previous year, while fully half say they requested help from friends and  neighbours.