World Vision Zambia, Zanaco Bank and CFAO Motors have signed a three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will see the three organisations work together to support girls rescued from child marriage or facing such risks.
The Strong Girls, Strong Zambia campaign is a World Vision Zambia (WVZ) initiative to mobilise local resources and implement community activities in Pemba District from 2022 to 2025.
The goal of the campaign is to reach and empower 15,000 girls retrieved from child marriages and those at risk to live safer, healthier, more productive lives. The campaign will run from October 2022 to September 2025.
“Through this MoU, CFAO motors Zambia, Zanaco and World Vision Zambia commit to collaborate in the successful implementation of campaign activities related to the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education and livelihood sectors under the campaign in order to offer practical and sustainable solutions to girls who are retrieved from marriages and those at risk of the vice, for a successful fight against child marriage” said World Vision Zambia National Director John Hasse.
CFAO Motors Zambia CEO Dino Bianchi – said, “CFAO is proud to be part of this important initiative to support young girls and help them get on the right track as they start their journey through life. Education is key to this, and I urge the Ministry of Education to invest further in schools and teachers so the whole nation will benefit from nurturing of well-educated and productive girls who will contribute meaningfully to society and the economy. It is an exciting prospect that more corporates should recognise and support.”
Meanwhile, ZANACO CEO Mukwandi Chibesakunda said: “We are conversant that the fight against early marriages will take concerted efforts to ensure the attainment of the sustainable development goal of ending child marriage by 2030. As a bank that places importance on gender parity, we will continue to support initiatives that ensure our girls and young women have access to equal opportunities in life.”
As part of the actualisation of the MoU, the three partners have also embarked on construction of a school ablution block with modern menstrual washroom facilities and a 1×3 classroom block at Kanchomba Secondary School in Pemba district at the cost of K1.7 million. CFAO and ZANACO will provide financial resources to World Vision Zambia, and World Vision will provide overall implementation and accountability for the projects.
