Government has introduced a five year project that aims at improving the living standards of women and keeping the girl children in school to ensure that they are educated.
The Girls Education and Women Empowerment Livelihood (GEWEL) project, which is funded by the World Bank, will be implemented at a total cost of US$65 million.
To this effect, officials from the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare have embarked on a robust sensitization programme to educate provincial heads and district stakeholders on the implementation modalities of the project.
Team leader, Ireen Munga revealed that the Keeping Girls in School’ (KGS) project was earmarked to commence in January 2017.
Ms. Munga said over US$25 million will be spent on this project.
She said 14,000 girls from Chama and Mafinga districts in Muchinga Province will benefit from the KGS project.
She further revealed that the supporting women livelihood (SWL) project will be implemented at a cost US$36 million and is targeting 75,000 women in Shiwang’andu, Mafinga and Chama districts.
Ms. Munga, who is also Chief Social Welfare Officer in the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare, said the project’s main objective was to increase access to livelihood support for extremely poor women and also enhance access to secondary education for girls in extremely poor households.
She said the GEWEL project will be implemented by two departments.
She explained that the component of supporting women livelihood will be undertaken by the department of Community Development while the responsibility of keeping girls in school has been entrusted to the department of Social Welfare in collaboration with the Ministry of General Education.
And Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary (PS) Bright Nundwe has welcomed the programme saying it was a good project that will change the lives of women and girls in communities.
Mr. Nundwe said this when the team paid a courtesy on him at his office today.
He said there was need for the school where the 14,000 girls will be enrolled to provide counseling and guidance.
He also called for discipline and prudence among the beneficiaries of the GEWEL project and urged them to ensure that this opportunity is carefully utilized.
Mr. Nundwe has since commended government for supporting the project and making sure that the project was implemented.
Of course, only one province will benefit. Forget the needs analysis. You do not even have a study which determined areas in the country where there is need. Two multimillion projects for girls and women all in one small area with population less than the target figures. Most money will be spent on meetings. By the time the project starts, they will be borrowing. Shame on Zambia. Kalanda kasikola mwewantu mwe.