By MARTIN MUSUNKA –
FIRST Quantum Minerals (FQM) has packaged an ambitious programme designed to contribute to Government efforts of educating the girl-child and curb early marriages.
FQM Kansanshi health promotion officer, Nalakwanji Lungu said the mining company has taken note of the fact that North-western Province has been reported as the region with the highest percentage of teen pregnancies and early marriages in Zambia and has therefore come up with various interventions to reverse the trend.
Mr Lungu said that FQM Kansanshi has organised parent engagement meetings in local communities in Solwezi and areas surrounding Kansanshi Mine, intended to sensitise parents on the importance of encouraging the girl-child to go to school and stop early marriages.
He said the Kansanshi Health Promotion Team has structured parent engagement meetings in Solwezi areas of Mbonge, Kyafukuma, Kapijimpanga, Kabwela, and Mushitala at which parents were being encouraged to educate their girl-children and the negative effects of marrying off their children at a tender age.
Mr Lungu said the health team has so far held one meeting in Mbonge community which he described as successful, because of the overwhelming attendance at Mbonge Basic School.
To attach great importance to the sessions, the organisers partnered with the Zambia Police and the North-western Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who have joined other facilitators in rolling out the programme.
The content of the parent engagement meetings covered the role of parents in educating kids, challenges parents faced in educating their children, reasons as to why kids stopped going to school, complications of teen pregnancies, water purification and what the Zambian law stated on teen marriages.
The other progammes had been scheduled for this week, with parents converging on Kyafukuma tomorrow (Tuesday), which would be followed by another gathering on Wednesday in Chief Kapijimpanga’s area, while Kabwela would host the Thursday activities. – Story courtesy of SUMA SYSTEMS.