One-size-fit Programme for Children's Rights?

Recently I came accross an article on All Africa news talking about the Convention of the Rights of Children http://allafrica.com/c/-4T7Bb #zimbabwe via @allafrica . It reminded me and my colleagues at CHBC-SLA how at times we tend to ignore our government's commitment to this very important law, and wonder why children are not knowledgeble on their own rights. At CHBC-SLA the story is different. We feel that by working through parents Teachers Associations, and getting them engaged in the affairs of not only the schools, but of the wellbeing of children, we came make a difference. Just recently we had a meeting with one local PTA in a small peri-uban community school where the PTA members have promised to "act and see change in the lives of children's rights". We asked them a few questions on what they know about "Children's Rights" and here are some of the responses: CHBC-SLA: As part of your school curriculum, do you encourage your school to teach children's rights? PTA: Yes, rights begin from home and therefore we expect children to recieve their rights even when in school. That is why in most cases, the schools do not offer any user fees but only ask children and their familes to contribute whatever they have to keep the school going. CHBC-SLA: From a scale of one- five, with five being very good, how do you rate your staff's knowledge at school when it comes to Children's Rights? PTA: Five- We are confident on this becuase we have not had any serious children's rights violations so far at our school compared to other schools CHBC-SLA: What in your opinion is an appropriate programme to enahance children's rights in community schools? PTA: There is no one-size-fits-all type of programme when it comes to promoting children's rights in school. What is critical is that the school needs to embrace children's rights as part of their bigger strateg in providing education to every child. By Theresa Bwalya Director of Recreation and OVC Programme Chindwin Home Based Care- SLA

Investing in young girls is smart economics

Just recently I came across an interesting article written by Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre (ZRC) zwrcn@zwrcn.org.zw/ in Zimbabwe talking about the value of investing in women and girls. Immediately I read this article, it reminded me of the great work Chindwin Home Based Care is currently focusing its energy to build a strong and resilient movement of women who willing to transform their lives to be a force of change. This might seem so dramatic when you read it, but with every small step we take, we continue the journey to our “north star” to ensure that women and children live in a just world where their rights are respected. So how do we go about our work? Similar to ZWRC we are bring young girls in front of the line by putting them bank into school and giving them an opportunity to build their self esteem and long term prosperity. Because there are other families who still side line girls, we are embarking on a vigorous campaign to work with Parents Teachers Associations (PTA’s) to ensure that communities are in sync with our plan to put back over 50 young girls back to school- Yes, this can happen. Women from resource poor families, spend time worrying where the next meal will come from, how to feed their children and let alone, their own personal needs. This already diminishes their self esteem and put them vulnerable in society. HIV and AIDS is the number one the need to face, as some of them end up adopting risky copying strategies in order to survive such as prostitution, and getting married into polygamous marriages. To curb these challenges, Chindwin Home Based Care SLA is working with women by providing small but innovative micro enterprise grants and offering training on sustainable livelihoods. For more information on our work, please visit the website at www.sloansassociation.org

Police officers suspected of making 30 pupils pregnant

The story published in the Zambia media that law enforcment officers (Police)made 30 pupils at Limulunga rural High School where they camped was shocking, and at the same time sickening http://www.lusakatimes.com/2012/03/17/police-officers-suspected-making-30-pupils-pregnant-mongu-riots/ Why would such events happen on innocent young girls left vulerable to these men? That is why at CHBC-SLA, we continue to do what we do- Helping young adolescent girls with basic education on how to become reslient in these difficult times of poverty and inequality. Probably these young girls were promised "goodies" or were forced to have sex. Whatever the reason, we need to help our young girls out of this situation and give them the skills to do so. Young girls/adolescent girls have the resilience to overcome such pressure; but inorder for them to do so, it has to come from their homes/parents. We need to continue providing support services to our children, even just spending a few hours a day talking to them.

Thank you

Accepting Failure is Critical for Success

Chindwin Home Based Care- SLA admits that accepting failure is vital for any grassroots organization to mature. In the year ending 2011, we have realized that not everything came so easy on our path. But in order to realize that we failed to reach our priorities, we need to accept failure. As we begin our year, we'll work on our failures and take them as a learning opportunity. We are curious to hear from our readers, how they embrace failure in the work they do. If we planned to reach out to 10 women groups to help them improve their livelihoods and at the end of the year women did not change as we had anticipated, we put on our breaks and revisit why we failed so that we mitigate the same problem the following year.

Three Dollars, Three Women, Three Opportunities

Three Dollars Three Women Three Opportunities "3-3-3 Campaign"

Chindwin Home Based Care-SLA is launching its "3-3-3 campaign" to reach out to marginalized women in Zambia's rural areas of Kabwe to "mobilze, organize and act" on three issues that affect their lives. In groups of three, women will begin a journey within their communities to reach out to other women and engage them in a small but effective movement building. With only $3 (16,000 Zambian Kwachas) you can make a difference. Click the link For more information on the "3-3-3 campaign.. or visit our website www.sloansassociation.org

You can support this campaign with $3 per month by clicking on our donate link on the side bar

Recreation- A POWERFUL COPING STRATEGY AMONG WOMEN

Most of us living in poverty are chronic worriers,particularly for women. We need to put food on the table, make sure our children go to school (if we can afford) and many other chores forced upon us.However, at Chindin Home Based Care-SLA www.sloansassociation.org , we are now trying to encourage women to exercise more often--and regularly. Studies have shown that chronic worriers who exercised appeared to be less likely to suffer depressive symptoms than non exercisers, but unfortunately in most communities we live in, we don't have tools for exercising. CHBC-SLA launched a women's netball team to get "women out there to exercise and forget about their worries that are making them unhealthy" Join our group by sponsoring women's netball tournaments with $20 for the annual year women's netball tournament on www.sloansassociation.org (secured papal online donation form)and help women come out of their worries, by exercising more and meet their peers to talk about how they can overcome some of their problems/challenges they face. Thank you

Esther Phiri-Zambia's Female Hero!!!!

Chindwin Home Based Care www.sloansassociation.org looks at Esther as a symbol of hope for other women and girls who feel hopelessness in society due to their gender and economic worse they face. Esther Phiri grew up helping her grandmother sell vegetables in a poor township in the Zambian capital Lusaka.Today she is a world boxing champion and a household name in Zambia.It is for this reason that our small organization is striving hard to build the resilience of women to stand up and be counted. In 2011, CHBC-SLA launched a child sponsorship programme to support children of mothers who have not been so lucky like Esther to get a career out of boxing or household livelihoods to put food on the table or send children to school. With only Zkw50,000($10) per month we can send girls to school while with a donation of ZKW500 ($100) we can support women groups to start livelihoods projects to help them become organized women's movements to help one another out of poverty. Join CHBC-SLA and make a difference this month.

PS: CHBC-SLA wishes Esther Phiri a quick recovery on her wrist as she prepares for the next fight soon to come. Viva Women Power!!!