First Lady asked to help fight early marriages
Written by Millennium on July 30, 2019
John Kombe writes
@SunZambian
CHONGWE District Commissioner has appealed for assistance from First Lady Esther Lungu to help fight rising early marriages in the district.
Mr Robster Mwanza made the appeal at the weekend when the Esther Lungu Foundation Trust visited Chongwe OVC community school.
The Trust donated assorted foodstuffs to the school’s feeding programme.
In a speech read for him by the district administrative officer (DAO), Ms. Laura Gondwe, Mr Mwanza thanked the First Lady for the noble gesture.
He said that the fight against early marriages in Chongwe had become a big challenge due to logistical problems.
“We are doing all we can to curb early marriages, but this has not been easy. We have several challenges, such as safe housing for the girls,” he said.
Mr Mwanza said that World Vision Zambia (WVZ) had renovated one facility, but funding still remained a huge challenge to use it.
“We need safe housing for the girls who are retrieved from early marriages. WVZ helped to renovate one house and we thank them for the gesture, but the facility is not funded to start operating,” he said.
Mr. Mwanza also said that the district was eager to embark on gender-based empowerment programmes, but funding was a problem.
He, therefore, appealed to the First Lady to help in setting up a youth training centre in the district.
That, he observed, would help curb illicit activities and drug abuse among the young population.
