World Vision Zambia, ZANACO Bank and CFAO Motors Zambia have signed a three-year memorandum of understanding – MoU to support the Strong Girls Strong Zambia campaign, which aims at empowering 15,000 girls retrieved from child marriages and those at risk to live safer, healthier, more productive lives by 2025.
The MoU signed is to ensure that the three organisations work together to support girls rescued from child marriage or facing such risks.
World Vision Zambia Chief Executive Officer John Hasse explained that through this MoU, CFAO Motors Zambia, ZANACO and World Vision Zambia, commit to collaborate in the successful implementation of campaign activities related to the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education and livelihood sectors under the campaign in order to offer practical and sustainable solutions to girls who are retrieved from marriages and those at risk of the vice, for a successful fight against child marriage.
And CFAO Chief Executive Officer Dino Bianchi stated that their partnership with the World Vision Zambia is because the organization has a proven track record of transparency in managing resources and has a presence in the communities.
CFAO Motors Zambia CEO Dino Bianchi CFAO mentioned that they are proud to be part of this important initiative to support young girls and help them get on the right track as they start their journey through life.
“Education is key to this, and I urge the Ministry of Education to invest further in schools and teachers so the whole nation will benefit from nurturing well-educated and productive girls who will contribute meaningfully to society and the economy. It is an exciting prospect that more corporates should recognise and support,” Dino Bianchi added
Meanwhile, ZANACO CEO Mukwandi Chibesakunda said that they are conversant that the fight against early marriages will take concerted efforts to ensure the attainment of the sustainable development goal of ending child marriage by 2030, adding that as a bank that places importance on gender parity, they will continue to support initiatives that ensure that girls and young women have access to equal opportunities in life.
And ZANACO Bank representative, Head of Client Solutions, Corporate Communication and Marketing Chanda Chime Katongo has urged other corporate institutions to join and support the Strong Girls Strong Zambia Campaign because it is an excellent opportunity for a meaningful impact on the future leadership of Zambia.
As part of the actualisation of the MoU, the three partners have also embarked on the construction of a school ablution block with modern menstrual washroom facilities and a 1×3 classroom block at Kanchomba Secondary School in Pemba district at the cost of K1.7 million. CFAO and ZANACO will provide financial resources to World Vision Zambia, and World Vision will provide overall implementation and accountability for the projects.
In a similar development, World Vision Zambia also signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Absa Bank Zambia to support with 900,000 kwacha to promote the education of vulnerable girls under the Strong Girls Strong Zambia campaign in Kafue district.
Absa Bank Managing Director Mizinga Melu stated that Absa being a Bank that brings possibilities to life, they are excited to collaborate with like-minded organisations such as the World Vision Zambia, as they continue to improve the welfare of the people in communities.
The Strong Girls Strong Zambia campaign is a World Vision Zambia fundraising campaign aimed at mobilising local resources to support girls retrieved from child marriage and those at risk.
The goal of the campaign is to reach and empower 15,000 girls retrieved from child marriages and those at risk to live safer, healthier, more productive lives in all the World Vision Zambia operation areas from October 2022 to September 2025.
