SUPPORT A GIRL CHILD GO TO SCHOOL is an initiative that is aimed at raising support and awareness on the plight of a girl child. This is in a bid to help the Girl Child have access to formal education by providing School basic needs such as books, pens, uniforms, shoes and sanitary pads.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Rosario parish is a parish in the Catholic Diocese of Mansa in Zambia. The Parish is located in Chiengi District in Luapula Province of Zambia, about 350km north of Mansa the Provincial Administrative Centre and Diocesan Headquarters. It was established in the 1960s by the Missionaries of Africa popularly known as the White Fathers who came to the Northern part of Zambia in 1891. Due to some difficulties and unbearable conditions experienced by the priests, the Mission was closed and reduced to a sub-parish under the pastoral care of St. Paul’s – Kashikishi Parish in 1976. In 2011, the sub-parish was again raised to the status of a full parish with the first Parish Priest appointed, who took residence in the parish.
Chienge district, home of Rosario parish, has a general populace whose living standard is below poverty datum line with only a fraction of the population in formal employment. Therefore, the main activities of the indigenous people include fishing and small-scale subsistence farming. Some are involved in making local Crafts and Artworks. However, there is a challenge in fish stocks; the surrounding Lake Mweru is experiencing a depletion of natural fish stocks rendering many households to wallow in abject poverty.
Currently, the Catholic population for Rosario parish stands at approximately 9,500 Christians (according to 2021 statistics), out of which children make up over 49% of this population (approximately 4,655). Out of this number about 21.5% (approximately 1000) is the girl child between the age of 12 to 14.
In 2013, the parish set up a deliberate program of helping the vulnerable children in the community. Initially, it attracted support from Home Based Care (HBC) a program which was run by the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ). Through HBC, the vulnerable children both boys and girls were helped with basic necessities and a lot were helped to go back to school. Unfortunately, CHAZ only funded the program for three years from 2013-2017. Early, 2017 CHAZ completely stopped funding the home-based care program. This left the Parish with a lot of vulnerable children to support. However, the parish had no financial capacity to continue with the support program. This adversely affected the life of the vulnerable children especially the Girl Child.
The program continued under an initiative themed “SUPPORT A GIRL CHILD GO TO SCHOOL”. The program is sustained by donations from well-wishers and other friends. From 2017 to 2020, the program was supporting 20 girls. Due to the increased levels of vulnerability of the girl child, the number of girls in need has also increased. The girls themselves have requests and other requests have come in through village headmen. As of January 2022, a total number of 40 girls between the age of 12 to 14 years as the would-be beneficiaries has been identified. These are mainly our Catholic members whom we see to be very vulnerable. However, we have also included non-Catholic members.
The program is purely a work of charity and social service to the community by the parish. It is monitored by the Bishop, implemented by the parish priest in collaboration with a lay person who is a teacher. Records, of beneficiaries, donations and things distributed will be nicely kept in the parish and regular reports will be sent to the donors. Each child will require an estimated amount of $89 (about K1,500) and a total of $3,560 for the 40 girls we have been identified. This money will be distributed as shown in the table below;
Table of estimated Costs per year.
| School uniforms, pens, books, shoes | $59 |
| Sanitary pads | $30 |
| Per child | $89 |
| 40 children | $3,560 |
SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM
- To raise awareness and financial support for the Girl Child to access formal education.
- To provide the Girl Child with School basic needs such as uniform, books, pens, shoes and sanitary pads.
- To reduce illiteracy levels for the Girl Child.
- To prevent the Girl Child from marrying or becoming a mother at a tender age.
JUSTIFICATION OF THIS PROGRAM
We have noticed, that the Girl Child in Rosario parish faces daunting challenges to survive. We have noticed the high rates of girls dropping out of school due to lack of support. This has led to high levels of unwanted teenage pregnancies and in most cases leading to early marriages. It is against this background that we wish to come to the aid of the Girl Child.
We have noticed that the Girl Child stays away from School on the grounds of her hygiene. Here, the girl feels shy to present herself in School when her family cannot afford to buy her sanitary pads. Without sanitary pads the girl finds herself unable to freely be herself around others. Providing sanitary pads gives the girl her pride.
We believe, in helping the Girl Child of today, we are building a well-founded future. The Girl Child once educated will contribute to the development not only of the church but the entire world. It simply means we will help to curb teenage pregnancies and other complications which come with child bearing as most girls will be kept busy with school.
SOME CHALLENGES WE ARE CURENTLY FACING
The parish has a huge project of building a decent church building. Hence, we find ourselves constrained financially and cannot effectively help the Girl Child go to School.
The number of people wanting to be helped keeps on increasing, we are afraid to abandon the program because that will contribute to the increase in illiteracy levels in the community.
The Covid-19 pandemic has also worsened the situation. It has left many families and the parish too without any means of survival.
BANK DETAILS
Should you be willing to support us, money can be sent on this account and address;
BANK NAME: ZANACO
ACCOUNT NAME: ROSARIO CATHOLIC MISSION DEVELOPMENT
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 1819879100107
BRANCH: KAWAMBWA
SWIFT CODE: ZNCO ZMLU
SORT CODE: 012104
For Mobile money: Airtel 0975725948, MTN 0965868903, ZAMTEL 0955459293 NAME: EMMANUEL BESA
For more information on the support program contact the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Besa at Email: bems.emmanuel@gmail.com; Phone: (0975725948, 0965868903).
Not only girls help us boys as well
Thank you very much. It is true only that at the moment the focus is on the girl child