Pregnancies among pupils worry authorities

By Peter Mwiinga School authorities at Tungi Primary School in Mongu District, in Western Province have expressed grave concern at the high rate of pregnancies among school pupils at the school. Tungi Primary School teacher Ms. Nawa Nyambe says the number of school drop outs at the school due to pregnancy is alarming. Ms. Nawa was speaking when Mongu Children News Agency - MCNA during an interview with the members. She disclosed that more than 35 pupils last year dropped out of school due to pregnancies. Ms. Nawa attributed the scenario to lack of sex education in schools and some due to poverty among their households which has forced pupils from distant places to rent houses in nearby villages. She pointed out that this has made the girl-child vulnerable to casual and illicit sex. Ms. Nawa said construction of boarding facilities at the school would greatly help to put a stop to causal and illicit sex which has resulted in the present scenario. Meanwhile, Ms. Nawa has attributed the low pass rate at the school to lack of commitment to duty by some teachers who previously manned the school. He added that lack of teaching aids and other school materials also contributed to the low pass rate at the school. He said government is committed to providing the necessary prerequisites to better the pass rate at the school.

Katongo primary school pupils learning on floor.

By Peter Mwiinga Some pupils at Katongo Primary School in Mongu District are learning on floor due to inadequate classrooms desks. Mongu Children News Agency – MCNA members visited the school, during their tour of child rights projects who found some pupils learning sitting on the floor because of a shortage of classrooms desks. A school teacher, Mr. Sibeso Nyambe (not his real name) told the MCNA members that lack of classroom desks for school pupils has put the school management under pressure to look into the issues of increasing classroom desks. Mr. Nyambe said the school needs more classroom desks to contend with the increase in the number of pupil enrolments. “As you can see reporters, we are forced to teach some pupils on the floor due to inadequate classroom desks as the number of pupils being enrolled is on the upswing,” said Mr. Nyambe. Mr. Nyambe also said lack of new teaching materials in Silozi language has affected pupil’s performance. “We do not have the new syllabus in Silozi and you will find that for instance pupils in grade two are still doing syllabus for grade one because we have not yet received the new teaching materials in Silozi for grade two,” said Mr. Nyambe. The information was backed by the school records pass rate for all pupils at the school in 2015 examination results. However, Mr. Nyambe praised the teachers for accepting to work at the school and urged them to continue working hard as government was committed to addressing a myriad of challenges facing the education sector.

IMPORTANCE OF SETTING A CAREER AT A TENDER AGE

By Chaya Tembo Career setting in a young person’s life is important because it gives the young people the ability to strive hard and reach out to what they want to become in future. For a young one to be able to set a proper career one must be guided on what career can be good for them. Career guidance is important at every school because the information given is very useful in that it helps young people to be on the right track when it comes to choosing a career. Another requirement a young one needs to be able to set a proper career is a mentor. The Engineering Institution of Zambia Southern Regional President engineer William.K.Mulusa gave a speech during a career talk that was held on the 11th of July 2015 at Chrismar Hotel under the theme,’ take engineering as a career’. He said, "for you to succeed in your career in future, you need a mentor who inspires you and whom you look up to." Another essential requirement that is also needed for one to be able to set a proper career was a suggestion given by a grade 11 pupil from St Raphaels Secondary School, Saviour Siawela who suggested that if a role model such as a doctor, accountant, journalist were invited as part of career guidance they would encourage, inspire, teach and motivate them as children to take up certain professions. Apart from the requirements that are essential for one to choose a proper career the pupils also feel setting a career at a tender age is important. "I think setting a career at a tender age is important because you get to decide what you want to do in future or after your education" said a grade 11 pupil Ireen Pumulo from David Livingstone Secondary School. She further gave an example of her cousin who she said completed her grade 12 but didn't know what course of career to take because she didn't set any career when she was still at a tender age. There are many matters that affect young people like group influence which leads them to lose focus on issues such as getting more information about their career choices and being focused on their education. In most schools there are teachers that offer counselling to the young people on the issues that affect them. The Author of this article is a member of the Children’s News Agency (CNA) Livingstone Bureau, cnazambia@gmail.com

Situation of schools in Zambia

By Matildah Kaniki, I am going to talk about some of the material missing in most schools. The government in Zambia does not provide adequate reading materials for the pupils to read in schools Government must provide for schools reading magazines so that when they read them, they get some information and take it to their parents even though the parents do not like reading them. Government must aim at giving a voice to children in Zambia and also in other countries, inspire them to feel that they can make a difference to the development of their society and build their confidence to take part in the public debates, because the more the children debate, the more they become good at productive things. Government must also be a channel for advocacy for child’s rights issues. An advocate of something is someone who support it publicly. The other problem that the pupils are facing in schools is shortage of computers or a complete lack of. The government has introduced the study of computers yet it has provided for them insufficient computers and for this reason, the pupils are complaining that they are not learning any more. They are putting pupils in groups of ten to work on one computer. In addition, computer studies is advantageous because some people who have studied computer and know how to operate them can look for employment in private companies where there computers and others can join in government in order to reduce unemployment. There is also the shortage of apparatus in laboratories in most of the schools. Pupils are failing pure science in high schools because they need some more. Doing more practical’s help pupils be able to see with their eyes and also analyse what they see so that they may narrate to their friends and easier to remember during exams and during theory. There are also shortages of teaching equipment like pieces of chalk. There is need for the government to provide children with the materials I have spoken about because they provide children with a conducive environment enabling them to reach their potential. The Author of this article is a member of the Children’s News Agency (CNA), Lusaka Bureau, cnazambia@gmail.com

Do children have a say in society development?

By Natasha Mwansa Every human being wants their rights recognised, their welfare established and their development assured. Seen as we children are human as well, we want nothing but even more than this, unfortunately for us children to get this is quite difficult in fact almost impossible. In November 29th 1999, Zambia signed the African charter on the rights and welfare of the child (ACRWC). In doing so Zambia agreed to promote and protect children’s rights and welfare not forgetting development, health, education, freedom of expression, primary consideration of our best interest and so much more. Government has also put in place some laws and policies and all to ensure all of this. However the question is even through we have all the policies, laws, rights and all are well, we as Zambians are we doing anything to improve them and if so, we ask is this enough? Dwelling on the preamble of the (ACRWC) it stipulates that everything that has to be done with children or adults or human beings, whether cultural, traditional, school, community or home has a role to play in promoting and protecting our rights, welfare and development as children. However if we look around and see what goes on in children’s well-being, it is not very pleasant and mostly quite the contrary. Most societies say that children are just children they know nothing, they are to be seen not heard and such negative comments coming from our elderlies. If we look at the (ACRWC) and the United Nations Convention on the rights of a child that Zambia signed, clearly states that in all actions concerning children whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions and authority. The best interest of the child shall be a primary consideration. So if we look around is this what happens really. Also when it comes to our freedom of expression is their ever a chance really that children get to express their true feelings, views, suggestions, responses even as beneficiaries. Mostly we are told what to do and so on. After all we are the future. The author of this article is a member of the Children’s News Agency, Lusaka Bureau. cnazambia@gmail.com.

ARE RIGHTS TO BLAME FOR TEENAGER’S UNRULY BEHAVIOUR?

By Ngandwe Ngandwe. Growing up is nothing but a journey and everyone takes this journey just once in their lifetime.It is said that children learn through imitating what adults do and also through seeing and hearing what people say and do.Children are indeed our most valuable resource but it seems that today`s generation has lost its direction. Patronizing Bars,rape, Drug abuse and early pregnancies are the order of the day and the question still stands, ARE RIGHTS TO BLAME FOR CHILDREN`S UNRULY BEHAVIOUR? The United Nation Convention on the Rights of the CHILD (UNCRC) defines a child as any person below the age 18 and anyone below that age is entitled to the rights depicted in the document. The document is based on 4 principles namely; The Best Interest of a Child, Non-Discrimination, Survival and Development and Participation. These rights were put in place to safeguard children`s lives and for the assurance of the equal treatment regardless of race, religion, social status and physical state. From the above statement it is evident that rights exist in order to protect children and not to influence any sort of unruly behaviour among children. There is a saying that the solutions to a lot of problems that will occur tomorrow largely depends on how our children grow up today and that it takes a whole community to raise a child.It is sad to know how parents in our societies choose to blame rights for their children`s bad behaviour in their communities. It is a fact that this generation has indeed lost discipline and what largely contributes to this is the misinterpretation of children`s rights among children. Media Network On Child`s Rights And Development executive director,Mr. HENRY KABWE said in an interview that,the perception of rights having an effect on how children behave is just not right and that people should be able to understand that rights are different from behaviour.He also said that,parents nowadays focus more on looking for money than taking care of their children and in as much as that is important,there is need for parents to change the way they take care of their children.He further said that children also play a role in defending their rights in the sense that they need to ensure that they lead in example by using their rights wisely and enjoying them. Perrykent Nkole, a child`s rights activist also said that children’s rights are there to protect them and they also come with responsibilities but it becomes a problem when children start taking advantage of their rights.He also said there is need for more sensitization about children`s rights and that its time for people to acknowledge children`s rights, embrace them and respect them. The BIBLE says that train up a child in a way he should go and when he is old he shall not depart.Hence there is need for parents to take keen interest in knowing about children`s rights in order for them to guide their children better. Above all,children make up 2 thirds of our population and all of our future.

‘’TEEN PREGNANCIES’’ A THREAT TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

BY Dipulelo Ruth Muzumala Most times girls do not plan to get pregnant but many often find themselves in this situation because of the certain vices like peer pressure and foreign culture. Zambia has a fertility rate as high as 6.2 and mortality still at 591 per 100,000 live births. In 2000,Zambia joined the rest of the world in committing to the millennium development goals to achieve universal ,however the country seems to be taken back with the continuous reports of girls who are either pregnant or have their first child already. Parenthood is one of the leading reasons girl children drop out of schools. According to the statistical bulletin published by the ministry of education, in 2002 there were 3663 teen pregnancies recorded, the number rose to 6528 in 2004. 2007 the figure was reaching 11,391 before reaching a record of 13,634 in 2009. By 2010, the figure was reaching almost 15,000. While Planned Parenthood Association Zambia (PPAZ) records show that at least 17,600 girls drop out of schools every year. More than half teen mothers never complete high school. Early marriages also contribute to the high rate of teen pregnancies, girls are forced to get married to most of the time older gentlemen the young girl has no say and cannot defend themselves against their supposed husband. A concerned parent stressed out in an interview that it is wrong to indulge in sexual activity at a young age and certain vices like the media really influence immoral activity from our young girls, early sexual teaching open children’s minds to the do‘s and don’ts of sex and which prompts children to want to experience sex first hand, she said children do not have a clear perspective of the things they want and what the consequences of having a child can do to their future. When a girl falls in love they believe they would do anything to keep their boyfriends happy, and so when their boyfriends ask for sex they do it. A girl will use sex to get love and the boy will use love to get sex. Career building is needed in schools, it helps you prepare for what you would want for your future, how introducing a child into your life at a young age can delay or destroy completely the life you have planned for your future. Children need to get sensitized on the dangers of early sex more efficiently. Early sex not only brings about pregnancies but it also brings sexually transmitted infections and HIV. The author of this article, is 15 years old and is a member of the Children’s News Agency, Lusaka Bureau cnazambia@gmail.com

The Streets, A home for Children

By Perrykent Nkole As it is said but barely understood that “all the old men were once children but not all children will one day be old”. This is because of unjust circumstances which promote injustice among our people. But how much do we care about children? I tremble to ask why people care only about their children and keep the doors of their houses closed for homeless children forgetting that even when they curse, reject, and sin against God, he still provides them food, clothes and a home to sleep in. If only the society could lend its ears to the wind and hear it listen to the cry of an innocent child on every corner of the street, we would come to a conclusion that perhaps a future footballer, future journalist or even a future president spends 24 hours, 365 days in the cold. Our currency was given the name Kwacha because there was a light at the end the tunnel, but this light is not shining in the lives of over 20,000 Zambian children from which 12% are between the ages of 5 - 14 years living on the streets. According to the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and the United Nation’s Convention on the rights of the Child (to which Zambia is a signatory), a child is defined as every human being below the age of 18 and is entitled to all the rights in these documents. But if we dig deeper in this case we will find out that children living on the streets are deprived of the rights to; education, quality health care, survival and development, a safe environment and many other important rights that are necessary in the development of adolescents. As if that is not enough, they are denied the sweetest feeling that a child can ever experience “the motherly love”. What a cruel world it is that as days go by, some even give birth right there in the cold hence increasing the number of children on the streets and the spread of sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS because some of them are raped while some are found as victims of human trafficking. And they are further exposed to activities such as glue sniffing, abusing marijuana, and alcohol hence making it easy for politicians and other powerful individuals to use them as l tools for violence. And speaking in an interview, the OVC representative for Living Hope Foundation, Miss Mary Namukwa Mauma said that it is sad that government is perceiving the issue of children on the streets as an easy one because a lot needs to be done to prevent incidents were children go back to the streets even after being helped by institutions such as Living Hope Foundation because of lack of resources. As a child it brings sadness to my heart when I see my fellow children’s dreams being shuttered and their lives being destroyed by drugs, violence and other immoral acts! But what can I do? Am only a child as well, but by writing this story I hope that someone somewhere will come to their aid because it is said that “it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men”.

Meet champions for children Kanengo Nakamba (16) and Iman Abdi (16)

Like most sub-Saharan countries struggling with HIV, Zambia faces similar struggles, if not more. It is important for all, young and old, big and small, of different race or tribe to take a stand in the fight against HIV and AIDS. And the real champions in the fight against HIV and AIDS? It is those young people who selflessly advocate, sacrifice their time, stand firm in the midst of adversity, just to see an HIV free generation. It is them, who despite statistics speaking against them, believe in the possibility. True champions in the fight against HIV and AIDS! Meet two of them today: Kanengo Nakamba (16) and Iman Abdi (16), youth advocates in Zambia An HIV free generation: hope for the future! From 1918 to 1919, an epidemic struck, the great influenza also known as the Spanish flu. During the flu’s reign of terror an estimated 50-100 million people lost their lives in a space of six months. Meanwhile the Typhus epidemic killed about 9 million people during World War One. Today, we face another epidemic on our hands, HIV and AIDS. Claiming more casualties than war has. Leaving millions of children orphaned, homeless and unprotected, this is an epidemic which needs to be silenced like the Spanish flu. In as much as the government is playing a major role in the fight against HIV it is also key to recognise the efforts of young people giving their contributions to the fight. From award winner to male circumcision advocate Kanengo Nakamba (16) is just one of those children who have embarked on contributing towards the fight against HIV and AIDS. This year she worked on a project to which she won an award at the Junior Engineers Technicians and Scientist (JETS) fair. In this project she educated and informed people about male circumcision and how it could help reduce the spread of HIV. Her project will enable her next to work with the Ministry of Community Development Mother and Child Health under the Male Circumcision office. The Ministry will partner with different schools educating children on Male Circumcision and HIV. Kanengo is also a child journalist under Media Network Child Rights and Development. Being trained in various media skills has helped her, in her capacity to advocate against the spread of HIV. Creating changes in the lives of young people Another young advocate is Iman Abdi, who is currently working with Anti-AIDS Teachers Association of Zambia (AATAZ) and is giving training to young people mainly in high schools ranging between the ages of 9-19. She educates them on HIV and AIDS, reproductive health and things concerning their personal development. The youngsters are drafted from different schools, each having about 5-10 pupils chosen. Together they undergo a 3 day training. ’When the trainings are done, the children are well informed and prepared to disseminate this new information acquired’, Iman said. With the newly acquired information they return back to their school and establish clubs known as ‘Catch Them Young’. The clubs recruit young people and create awareness on HIV and AIDS through drama and events in their schools. ’My passion for this programme is huge: just being able to see change in the lives of the young people at the end of the workshop is amazing. They walk out of the workshop as completely different individuals: confident, well informed, passionate and eager to educate their communities. This is critical, as it focuses on making people more aware of HIV and AIDS. Young people, who are trained, do this extremely well and really have an impact on their peer’s perspective and consequently their action too. It is therefore important to support such positive programmes to contribute to the fight against HIV and AIDS’, she further lamented. The real champions in the fight against HIV and AIDS are the youth advocates! Even though, HIV and AIDS cases continue to rise. It is important for all, young and old, big and small, of different race or tribe to take a stand in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Only through collective responsibility can we achieve a 100 per cent HIV and AIDS free generation! So if you were to ask, who are the real champions in the fight against HIV and AIDS? It is those young people who selflessly advocate, sacrifice their time, stand firm in the midst of adversity, work tirelessly, asking nothing in return, just to see an HIV free generation. It is them, who despite statistics speaking against them, believe in the possibility. True champions in the fight against HIV and AIDS! By Chrispin Sinyangwe (16), Children’s News Agency (CNA) *courtesy of stop aids now e-news letter

RIGHTS FOR ONE,RIGHTS FOR ALL

 By Chrispin Sinyangwe

The 10th of December is a pivotal day in world history; it marked the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights over 60 years ago at the United
Nations General Assembly. The creation of this document was as a
result of the effects of the Second World War that occurred. To
prevent such from ever occurring again an international community
called the UN was formed from its predecessor the legal of nation
which failed to maintain world peace. From the time the declaration
was passed international organisations, world leaders, governments and
stakeholders have had collective responsible in the fight to promote
human rights. To help assist in this fight, the Zambian Human Rights
Commission was established under article 125 of the Constitution of
Zambia and Human Rights Commission act to investigate and remedy human
rights violations, conduct human rights education and monitor
government’s fulfilment of international and regional human rights
treaties, also human rights obligation under national law.
Nonetheless, it was decided upon to have other Rights, these only
targeting children. This led to the formulation of the United Nation
Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC). To which Zambia is a
state party to.

Over the years Zambia has also acknowledge other
documents including the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of a
Child to which it is a state party. Despite Zambia being a state party
to these documents their harmonisation and full recognition has been
lacking in the country. It is therefore important to advocate this
becomes a reality for every Zambian.

If you walked through the streets of Lusaka, you would see children
improvising different means of providing recreational facilities. And
just the other day I found very young children playing soccer on the
road while two other boys where skating. I thought to myself these
children have done nothing wrong apart from trying to have something
exciting to do. But still their lives are threatened all because we
lack recreational facilities. Even though we advocate for these
structures to be put in place it may seem futile as even the ones we
have, as a community and a country have failed to maintain.
The topic of these structure been established, allowing children have
access to their developmental rights is greatly needed. But it is also
important not to dwell only on children’s development rights but also
ensure that their survival and participatory rights are promoted. Many
are the times we focus on one issue affecting children and we quickly
forget that children’s rights are broad.

The approach of recreation can be tackled from three different
points of view. Trying to target schools as the first approach. This
would require improving and upgrading the schools structure on sports
and encouraging children to be part of sport especially the girl
child. The purpose of encouraging the children is also to promote the
diversity of sport and trying to advocate for the variety of sports
they may take keen interest in. The second approach would be community
based. This would require the involvement of the community in
maintaining the grounds in the community and training the aspiring
sports persons. Nelson Mandela said, “There is no keener revelation of
a society’s soul than the way it treats its children.”

The Deputy Mayor of Lusaka Mr Mulenga Sata , speaking on behalf of the
Mayor of Lusaka during the commemoration of this year’s International Human Rights day held in Matero constituency, highlighted the fact that the quality of life
for the people of Lusaka is determined on the type of service rendered
to the public. Furthermore he pledged on behalf of the council to work
in partnership with the human rights to promote the rights of people.
The international human rights day falls on 10th December.

This year it fell under the theme, ’20 years working for your rights.’
It is important as a community to highlight the pledges made and make
follow ups if they are not honoured. ‘Pacta sunt servanda’ is a Latin
proverb, if translated means ‘promises must be kept.’
“So long am faced in the right direction, it doesn’t matter the size
of my steps” Andre Gude. We need to find the right path and the size
of our steps won’t matter because eventually we’ll get there.
Children’s News Agency – With support from European Union

Make an Impact

By: Iman Abdi Ali

We all have a responsibility to our community and more importantly to ourselves to make a positive difference in whatever way we can. This may be just taking the time to educate ourselves about a certain topic or designing a grand scale project that can make many people’s lives better. We just have to take some time off from our daily routines and become aware of issues around us. If we do this, I believe we all have philanthropic feelings that urge us to be selfless and do something to solve these problems.

One of the major problems that concerns most communities is HIV/AIDS. This monstrous disease has affected us all in one way or another. And even though there are many different programs to fight against HIV and AIDS, I believe the ones that can ultimately succeed are the ones that deal with the youth, as they are enthusiastic and energetic to learn new things and change accordingly unlike adults who are hesitant to embrace change easily. Statistics indicate that the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS is among people aged 15-29 of age group. Who are these people? The Youth!! So based on this premises, we need to initiate timely programs that target particularly the youth to have any legitimate fight against HIV/AIDS!!

I recently got acquainted with an organization called Anti-AIDS Teacher’s Association of Zambia (AATAZ); the organization has several programmes that deal with the youth. In one of these programmes, they pick 5-10 children (9-19 age group) from a number of high schools in different parts of the country and train them in a 3 day programme. During this period they mainly train them on life skills (eg. self confidence, assertiveness and critical thinking) . These are of paramount importance for a person to possess particularly at a young age; however, they are qualities that many people lack. It is lack of these life skills I believe that most youth find themselves engaging in alcohol/drug abuse and sexual activities that consequently could lead to HIV infection. So by armouring these youths with life skills, AATAZ is minimizing their chances of HIV infection greatly while also making them responsible and conscientious at the same time.

The programme does not stop there. The trained youths go back to their schools and create a club called “Catch Them Young”. They recruit their fellow pupils and share their newly acquired knowledge. The club members meet regularly and organise events such as drama and poems on HIV/AIDS and life skills that they present to the rest of the school community sharing essential information in a digestible manner.

This program has made a huge impact on many of the children’s life. By the end of the training, the youths are completely different, with a more precise and powerful insight into the world around them and ready to achieve success for their communities and themselves. They have an obligation to share whatever knowledge they have been imparted with, with people around them. They cannot just sit back and leave this for someone else to do.

So I strongly believe people, especially the youth should be very keen to be involved in their communities and not just be in their small little box thinking me, me me!! The sooner that they step out of their comfort zone and experience life in someone else’s shoe the closer they become to being a ‘’complete’’ person!!

The writer of this article Iman Abdi Ali 16 , is at Lusaka International Community School (LICS) and a member of the Children’s News Agency.  

 

FINACIAL EDUCATION FOR CHIILDREN AND YOUTH ‘ZAMBIA’S HOPE REALIZED’

By Chrispin Sinyangwe

A survey by Finscope in 2009,showed that out of the total Zambian populous only about 37% had access to formal financial services. This posed a threat to both the financial security of the country and its citizens.

Research also showed that financially literacy skills benefit everyone, whatever their income or age. Good financial literacy skills help individuals and families make the most of their opportunities, meet their goals and secure their financial wellbeing, also contributing to the economic health of society.

With Zambia’s financial literacy been low in urban areas and extremely low rural areas, its citizen were at risk of been financially exploited. Having easy access to unconventional means of borrowing money from places like loan sharks, knowledge on financial products and services being low exposed Zambian citizens to different types of financial exploitation. With little or no knowledge and the rapidly changing economy, coupled with complex financial decisions, makes personal money management more challenging than ever before. As a result it was decided upon to have a strategy to improve financial literacy of the country.

The Nation Strategy on Financial Education for Zambia was commission by Bank of Zambia and co-founded by the UK’s Department for International Development’s (DFID) Financial Education Fund (FEF) and by FinMark Trust. The primary objective of the strategy is to empower Zambians with knowledge, understanding, skills, motivation and confidence to help them secure positive financial outcome for themselves and their families by 2017.

Children being the future, need to understand more and more about finance, if Zambia is to achieve its goal of being a prosperous middle income country by 2030, children are a key component to this realization.

Financial Education Coordinating Unit of the Bank of Zambia Programme’s Coordinator    Mrs Kabinda Kakoma Kawesha said the National Strategy has three approaches to reach children. Firstly through the school system, this has been done by integrating financial education concepts in the national curricula which will be rolled out next year.

 A number of institutions have set up clubs providing extra curricula activities reaching out to children and the youth, we are also seeking partnership with higher learning institutions, to see how those programmes can be provided to their students, she further lamented.

She stressed the fact that financial education was not only going to be implement by financial institutions but also NGO’s  and with the  partnership with NGO’s having rural outreach programmes, that have been integrated with financial education. This will enable those in rural areas have access to financial education.

Meanwhile, Mwiza Zulu, 14, a pupil at Libala Secondary School  expressed great pleasure at the move by Bank of Zambia and its co-operating partners on the development of the National Strategy.

“If children grow up with financial literacy, they become more responsible with money, promoting accountability and responsibility among children, also reducing corruption, as children are taught core values of Finance”, She said.   

The realization of the need for financial education has brought about hope for the future, a financially fit country is a country masked in wealth. It is therefore the collective responsibility of the Government, its co-operating partners and the Zambian citizen to ensure financial education will contribute adequately to the six national development plan (SNDP), which aims to actualise the aspirations of vision 2030 under the theme of “sustained economic growth and poverty reducation”.    

The writer of this article Chrispin Sinyangwe 16, is at Lusaka High School and a member of the Children’s News Agency.  

EVEN GIRLS DREAM

By Christine Mbewe

Many are the times when we get down discouraged and disappointed. Troubles come along, friends go away, and our loved ones are taken away by illnesses and other tragedies. We as girls are tormented and engulfed.

Most of us are afraid of imagining that, we shut our mental doors and turn the key in the lock, we believe it is sign of weakness to be a dreamer, to the far vision of what might be and do.

For many decades now, girls from all angles of life have been victims of child abuse, neglecting, drugs, slavery and sexual exploitation. Killed and above all they are not considered to be or have bright futures.

Most girls give up their lives and they turn to be bad people but not that they want to but because of the circumstances. Girls who are victims of rape, drugs, sex exploitation and other vices are the things we see in our day to day lives. These girls are psychologically and mentally disturbed because of their past experiences. They are hunted by the things that happened to them they turn to despise others, they grow with hatred and vengeance they feel and surely tell themselves that they can do anything. It is not them they are driven by the vengeance in their hearts.

A girl child with such experiences also like any other normal girl child who has never been subjected to such abuse, she wishes that she  had a normal life, with  a caring person around, someone they could talk to and above all a caring family. Girls who have been abused still remain traumatized. Their rights violated by people in the society. What have we done to our motherland? is the question in their minds day in and day out, while others girls spend a time planning for the future. They have shuttled visions they wish someday someone will come to their aid.

So as we commemorate this year’s International Day of  the Girl Child under the theme, “innovating for girls education”, let us innovate to create a better world and platforms for girls enjoy their fundamental human rights. It is therefore the wish and cry of every girl child that someone out there has a heart and desire to help girls overcome obstacles that have indulged persistently in the lives. The Children’s News Agency (CNA) with Support from the European Union (EU)

RITUAL ABUSE AND CHILDREN

By Gabriel Phiri

Ritual abuse is a brutal form of abuse of children, consisting of physical, sexual and physiological abuse. Rituals in general are not always satanic but depending on the motive of the practice makes it evil. However, in cases of ritual abuse are usually victims suffering the most severe and longstanding emotional damage from the abuse.

 Ritual abuse can be defined as ‘’ the alleged sexual, murder or any spiritual act that can be harmful to the development of a child’’, supposedly committed as part a satanic ritual.  

Zambia has not been spared from alleged ritual abuse practises for many years now. We can tell by the stories of ritual abuse that are all over the Zambian media and children are mostly victims.

Talking to a child who resides in N’gombe Compound in Lusaka where an alleged Congolese national was found practicing rituals on children aged 6 to 11 years old said, “we are now living in fear not knowing what tomorrow will bring and holds for as”. “Seeing friends my age passing through what I can term as hell at a tender age gives me fear”, he lamented.

The relevant authorities such as the police have to ensure that people who are practicing these rituals are dealt with. It is also the responsibility of the community to ensure that children are protected from such practices. There is need for sensitization targeted at members of the community including children.

A community is a source of joy for any child and is important for their development but lately communities have slowly turned into dangerous places for children. Numerous children have been abused, others have mysteriously disappeared while others have been murdered in cold blood. The phrase Today’s children are tomorrow's leaders is slowly losing its meaning.’’ But the question still remains what are you as an individual's doing about this case?  The Children’s News Agency with support from European Union.

ECZ FORMS VOTER EDUCATION CLUBS IN SCHOOLS

By Joseph Lungu & Perrykent Nkole

The right to seek, receive and impart information in various forms according to article 13 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC/CRC) has moved a step further in being fulfilled through the Electoral Commission of Zambia's (ECZ)’s decision to form Voter Education School clubs.

The Voter Education School Clubs (VES) were launched in September in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education. The clubs are currently running in all the 10 provinces of Zambia.

The formation of Voter Education School Clubs has also fulfilled part of the Electoral Act no. 12 of 2006, article 76 of the Constitution of Zambia which outlines one of the responsibilities of the Electoral Commission of Zambia as being ‘to conduct voter education’.

The Voter Education School Club’s main aim is to work with the school system to enlighten school going children on electoral matters and create awareness on their responsibilities in the electoral process. The clubs shall also endeavor to come up with activities that promote ideas of honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability and shall ensure that these ideas and their practical applications are appreciated by the school community.

The intention of the club is to inculcate a culture of integrity and loyalty into school going children, to use school children as a channel to reach the wider Zambian community with voter education messages, to spread voter education messages in schools and involve school going children in the fight against electoral malpractices and to enable teachers and pupils understand the electoral process.

The ECZ expects all the pupils to instill upon themselves the principles of non-partisanship, objectivity, transparency and openness in order for them to grow up into responsible citizens able to participate profoundly in the electoral procedure. A good illustration of what the ECZ is trying to prevent can be derived from some of the previous elections we have had in the country where less than a quarter of registered voters took part in the elections. Through the teachings children will receive at the voter newly created club, it is hoped that situations like low voter turnout will be no more in future.

The clubs shall be for pupils and all programs shall be pupil-driven. The club patron shall be a member of the teaching or administration staff of the school appointed by the school management. He or she shall be a bond between the club and the school authorities and shall ensure that activities of the club are not a variance with the rules and regulations set by the school.

Club meetings will be conducted in an orderly manner with respect for individuals. Whenever a meeting is held, records of such a meeting shall be taken down and entered in the VES club activity book which every school is expected to keep.

The ECZ wants to create a relationship based on mutual understanding and shared values, therefore, it shall play an advisory role to the clubs, will provide human or material resources if requested for and when available will help organize and monitor activities for the clubs.

Discipline and respect for self, other pupils, teachers and the school system wide-ranging have been set as the key factors and shall be expected from all those associated with the voter education school clubs.

 Speaking in an interview with the Children's News Agency, ECZ Deputy Director Mrs Jacquelyn Mubita said that is important to sensitize pupils about the electoral process to enable them to be responsible citizens because young people nowadays are being used as political tools of violence. She also stated that with this great step that the ECZ has taken, an electoral malpractice free country is possible.

And a child schooling at one of the schools where the club is running said that he feels happy following the introduction of these clubs in schools because they do not only benefit those that are members of the club, but also other pupils because they will learn from their friends who are members of the club. He also stated that he believes the teachings from the club meetings could also lead to a reduction in the cases of political violence and electoral rigging in the country.

It is said that ‘life is 10% what happens to a person and 90% how he reacts to it’, so it is up to these young people to make the fight against electoral malpractice successful. The Children’s News Agency with support from European Union.