By ANDREW PHIRI?-
GOVERNMENT will continue to support initiatives that are aimed at improving the livelihoods of people in communities, Kazungula District Commissioner Pascalina Musokotwane has said.
Ms Musokotwane said Government appreciated efforts and interventions taken by community-based organisations (CBOs) that were meant to improve the welfare of local people in the area.
She was speaking in Makoli area of Kazungula District on Saturday during the launch of the community-based intervention programme.
Ms Musokotwane said it was exciting to note that there were people and organisations that were working with Government to mitigate poverty and other related issues such as HIV and AIDS.
Ms Musokotwane said Government would continue to work with other cooperating partners to support innovations aimed at poverty reduction and mitigating the HIV/AIDS burden.
“My Government will work with other co-operating partners in continuing to support innovations of this nature.
“I am happy to say that this programme has the blessing of Government, and with the involvement and participation of the local community, I can only say the best is yet to come,” Ms Musokotwane said.
Ms Musokotwane advised community members in the area to form youth and women clubs in order for them to access the youth and women empowerment funds.
She said despite Kazungula District being vast, all the youth and women in the area were entitled to Government empowerment programmes.
“So I encourage you to form clubs and benefit from the youth and women empowerment funds that are available,” she said.
Founder of the Community-based Intervention Programme Kelvin Sikaile, said the organisation expected to form 10 poultry and 15 piggery projects by 2018 including 10 tailoring and knitting projects in their targeted communities by December of the same year.
Mr Sikaile said in the seven villages around the area, 64 people were counselled and tested for HIV/AIDS, while 20 men underwent male circumcision in partnership with the society for family health.
He, however, said the organisation was faced with challenges, especially in the areas of transport and financing.