We Also Lack Some Things At State House, Says Esther
FIRST Lady Esther Lungu says nobody has everything on earth and that even at State House there is something that they lack.
And Esther says one of the drivers of teenage pregnancy and child marriage is non- participation of men and boys in ending harmful practices.
Speaking after she received some gifts from Madzimoyo Day Secondary School yesterday where she donated rice, cooking oil, sugar and sanitary towels and promised to sink a borehole, the First Lady, who was winding up her weeklong tour of Eastern Province, said the heart of giving should be emulated.
“Most people think we have everything at State House, this heart of giving, it is what my girl (school head girl Gladys Banda in her vote of thanks) said should be emulated by many others. Even at State House, we have a number of things that we are lacking; nobody has everything here on earth. Secondly, I would like to react to the challenges the head girl has highlighted by donating a borehole to the school,” she said.
Earlier, the First Lady who went to the school to dialogue with children on issues regarding child marriage and teenage pregnancy said factors associated with the two vices were complex, intertwined and were driven by social, economic and sexual patterns that were influenced by age, peer pressure, absentee parents, glamorisation of pregnancy, substance abuse and sexual abuse.
“…that is why it is important to continue building synergies among all relevant sectors at grassroots level. There is need to also adopt evaluation frameworks to ensure that impact is measured and evaluated at grassroots and community levels. We have to continue supporting our traditional leaders to champion ending teenage practices and child marriages,” she said.
Esther said stakeholder involvement should be encouraged as well as continuation of sensitisation and awareness programmes.
“One main driver of teenage pregnancies and child marriage is the non-participation of men and boys in ending these harmful practices because of negative socialisation. We need a paradigm shift in the context of assumed entitlement for boys verses the assumed deprivation of girls. That is why it is cardinal that the mobilisation and engagement of men and boys in ending teenage pregnancies and child marriages should be central in programming,” she said.
The First Lady said the Esther Lungu Foundation Trust would remain determined and do everything possible to support boys and girls in school.
“It is my hope that you will accept my humble contribution of 30 by 20 kg rice, 50 by 750 ml cooking oil, 15 by 5 kg sugar and 230 packets of sanitary towels. These sanitary towels have been a hindrance to the girl child to obtain good results in schools. What I have observed during my outreach programmes, especially in rural areas where my focus is, is that the girl child during the time of menstrual periods, she will not go to school for lack of sanitary towels and at the end of the day we take it that the girl child is dull; the boy child is intelligent without realising how many days the girl child has missed out in school during her menstruation,” she said.
Esther said she seemed to be inclined to the girl child not because she hates the boy child but she wants them to move at the same wavelength.
RCZ vice-synod moderator Reverend Moses Mwale said Madzimoyo was one of the oldest church schools to be established in Zambia.
Rev Mwale said it was historical for the first lady to visit the school because it was also a historical site adding that fourth Republican president Rupiah Banda was one of the pupils at the school.
He said the school had contributed greatly both in terms of the academia and leadership.
And speaking when she paid a courtesy call on chief Madzimawe, Esther commended the traditional leader for taking various initiatives aimed at developing his chiefdom.
“You have touched all areas of humanity, it’s not easy. All these programmes or projects need resources and singlehandedly you are trying and it is normal that you may not reach the target and therefore you need support. I am here to appreciate you and indeed stand for you, lobby on your behalf to the President who in turn will get in touch with the respective ministries. Where I myself and the President can chip in to give you a hand, we shall do it,” said Esther.
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