By JOWIT SALUSEKI –

MARY Silavwe Mulenga  is among the minority that have resorted to women activism besides her demanding job.She is an ambitious woman who dreams of  becoming a parliamentarian one day.
Her involvement in the world of  women activism can be traced back to the year 2001 when she joined the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) as an executive director.

. Mulenga

According Ms Mulenga, when she joined YWCA, she transformed the non-governmental organisation (NGO) to be one of the springboards of championing women issues ranging from gender based violence (GBV), sexual reproduction focusing on young people, the building of drop out centres for victims of GBV and other vices affecting the well-being of women in Zambia.
“Since YWCA is a member of the Non-Government Coordinating Council, championing women’s rights, I was privileged to be nominated in 2004 to go to the USA  for a month under the political and economic empowerment for women.
“This was a big encouragement for someone like me who has always been ambitious, as the trip was an eye opener to my women activism,” Ms Mulenga says.
As providence would have it, in 2011, Ms Mulenga was voted into the NGOCC board as deputy to Ms Beatrice Grillo who is the chairperson.
“Being on the board of the NGOCC as vice chairperson helped me to further champion, interact and understand a lot of issues relating to women in the society. The main focus to me is not for women to participate as spectators but they should benefit and be active stakeholders at all levels of decision making,” Ms Mulenga said.
Inseparable from her activism practice, Ms Mulenga has continued with her advocacy for women’s rights even at an NGO called Ipas where she works as a policy advisor, focusing on the health aspect of women.
Globally founded in 1973, Ipas is an international non-governmental organisation working in the field of women’s health and human rights.
Since 2006, the organisation has been working on expanding access to safe and comprehensive abortion services, providing training and equipment at more than 40 health-care facilities, conducting trainings with pharmacists and mobilising youth and community partners to raise awareness about reproductive health and human rights in Zambia.
On July 1, 2011, Ipas established a full country programme.
Working with the ministry of Health and other key stakeholders, Ipas Zambia continues to focus on the broad goal of reducing abortion-related deaths and injuries.
According to Ms Mulenga, maternal figures are still high in Zambia even when there has been a reduction from 591 per 100,000 to 398 per 100,000. She said 30 percent of all deaths  in the country are related to maternal mortality.
She disclosed that about four women die on a daily basis in the country due to unsafe abortions.
“With the advancement in medical technology, women should not be dying like that from maternal deaths,  and besides that,  people should not stigmatise this even when it is the reality on the ground,” she said.
Reflecting on this year’s international Women’s Day being held under the theme, “Gender my agenda – make it happen,” Ms Mulenga said it is a very good theme because women activists want to focus on being practical because of the many issues to do with advocacy for women’s rights that have not be implemented in the past due to political rhetoric.
Ms Mulenga notes that women should not always think of  March 8  as their day but that,  they need to stand up and be counted on a daily basis in their quest to attain meaningful rights in society.
“Late Republican President Michael Sata always emphasised that women should not just expect to be given influential positions on a silver platter, but they ought to show their worthiness by being proactive,” Ms Mulenga said.
On her political ambitions, Ms Mulenga envisions herself as a future law maker as her works as a women activist speaks volumes. She stresses that she has shared the stage with influential women such as former USA First Lady Laura Bush, Dr Christine Kaseba and Dr Charlotte Scott, among others who have been her repertoire of influence.
“Just look at the euphoria that gripped the country when honourable Inonge Wina was recently appointed as the first republican vice president, that clearly shows that as women, we have the influence and that to me, it is big motivation enough. Women articulate issues because they understand the reality of life, which makes them to be more hard working.
“Unfortunately, the playing field is not levelled hence women are always sidelined, knowing that we live in a patriarchal society where men want to dominate in all sectors,” she notes.
Born 51 years ago, Ms Mulenga did her education at Kitwe primary school from 1969 to 1975. She then proceeded to Mazabuka Girls secondary school where she pursued her secondary education from 1976 to 1980.
Upon completion of her Grade 12, Ms Mulenga was privileged to go for training under the Zambian National Service (ZNS), which was mandatory for all school leavers in the Kenneth Kaunda regime.
From 1981 to 1985, Ms Mulenga enrolled at the University of Zambia (UNZA) where she undertook Development Studies.
After graduating from UNZA, She joined the ministry of Agriculture where she worked as a social economist. She obtained her masters in agriculture economics from University of Norwich in United Kingdom (UK) in 1988.
Married to Dr Chileshe Mulenga, Ms Mulenga is a mother of two boys and a girl.
“First and foremost I had parents who encouraged me and believed in my potential. My dad especially, had a lot of confidence in me.
Being a first born in a family of nine siblings, I learnt to take a leadership role at an early age. I remember in my first year at UNZA (1981) when I got my first allowance of K82 (we used to call it JACKPOT), I bought everyone of my siblings something including a pair of socks for my dad and a chitenge for my mum,” she says
Ms Mulenga says she has a husband who also has seen her pillar and is supportive including her children and they know how ambitious she is.
She believes in herself by taking a leaf from Phillipians 4:13.
“When I have failed at anything, I have had the satisfaction of knowing that at least I tried unlike some people who are afraid of trying in case of failure.
Above all, there is nothing impossible with God,” Ms Mulenga said.