The Forum for African Women Educationalists of Zambia has disputed recent media reports suggesting that it is closing down due to the pulling out of some donors.
FAWEZA National Chairperson Lillian Kapulu has assured the nation that her organization will not close and will continue to innovate and advocate for programmes and policies aimed at equalizing opportunities for girl’s education.
Mrs. Kapulu has however explained that following the closure of the Netherlands and Danish embassies in Zambia who funded around 50% towards FAWEZA, it will have a negative operational effect not only on FAWEZA but many other organizations in the country who received funding from the two governments.
“I would like to put records straight by mentioning that two of long time accompaniers in our journey of bringing gender gaps in education, namely, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and DANIDA who have been funding around 50 percent of FAWEZA’s budget since the mid-1990s are leaving the country due to Zambia’s attainment of middle income status, change of policy in their home countries, among others,” she said.
Mrs Kapulu added, “The Dutch embassy closed earlier in the year and the Danish embassy is closing by the end of December 2013 as earlier announced by respective embassies. The closure of the two embassies from Zambia will have negative operational effects not only on FAWEZA but many organisations in Zambia who received funding from them.”
She said, “Consequently FAWEZA is restructuring itself in order to be efficient and effective in delivery of its programmes and projects through its revised strategic plan 2011-2015.
Mrs Kapulu assured that FAWEZA is a vibrant organisation strategically placed and committed to bridging the existing gender gaps in education and will remain afloat for many more years to come.
“With the support of the remaining cooperating partners, UNICEF, USAID, EDC, World Vision, Churches Health Association of Zambia, Embassy of Ireland and other international and local donors who have already shown willingness to come on board, is currently refocusing to efficiently address emerging gender issues in education.”
Mrs Kapulu said FAWEZA remains a reputable ad accountable organisation whose quarterly financial and programme narrative reports are presented and approved by the Joint Steering Committee adding that FAWEZA’s financial statements are audited annually by reputable audit firms whose reports have been clean.
Her comment comes in the wake of media reports suggesting that FAWEZA is closing down due to lack of funding and that it has dismissed most of its workers.
Looks like a large section of our reporting fraternity is steeped in hysterics. How and why is it that we are always reading sensation that doesn’t even exist on the ground? Meantime, Europe’s priorities have largely shifted and the sooner we learn to stand on our own two feet the better for all of us.
@ Kalok – True. Our journalists still think only sensational stories define a good journalist. In terms of journalistic sophistication we are still very far, even compared to other countries in the SADC region. Look at the quality of newspapers and blogsites in neighbouring countries….it is amazing. At the moment, about 80% of our journalists in the private media who are supposed to offer sophisticated checks and balances are on the payroll of either the opposition and or some individual politicians in the government. So the general public are being fed a diet of hysterical news stories every day of the week. The same journalists that are demanding higher standards of governance from the government, are themselves practicing unethical and desperately poor journalism.
@mwembeshi, I couldn’t put it any better than you have!
I haven’t seen anything sensational here. The public was not going to know about the dwindling funding in FAWEZA without without the report of the people you call sensational. Why should FAWEZA wait until someone else give their own version? The public need to know what is happening. Also FAWEZA has been in existence for quite some time now and one wonders why they should continue being funded by outsiders 100%. As a way forward, they need to develop capacity to fund their won program. One way is to sell those expensive and luxury vehicles, huge allowances and unnecessary workshops.
fi watchdog
But why wait last minute to inform the workers? There was poor planning on the side of FAWEZA. They saw it coming but decided to wait till end of year to terminate contracts.
The embassies will re-open after HH takes over
@Urine Therapy, I doubt very much that it has much to do with a party in government. The source of funds (aka taxpayers’ money) in Europe has dwindled to an extent that now there is a huge wave to tighten collection and raise levels of accountability in all areas of European countries’ economic activities. We must move away from the belief that a party in government necessarily dictates what happens. This time I believe it is not a diplomatic move away; it is a genuine cost-cutting measure; most embassies have very specific raisons d’etre wherever they set up camp.