Maureen urges Church to tackle issues affecting underprivileged

Maureen urges Church to tackle issues affecting underprivileged
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Monday, April 06, 2009 3:27:34 PM

MAUREEN Mwanawasa has said Zambia will not be a middle-income economy by 2030 if the leadership, civil society and the Church cannot articulate the grassroot people's dreams into reality.

During the fundraising tea party organised by the women's fellowship of the Reformed Church of Zambia, Chelstone Congregation last Saturday, Maureen, the widow of president Levy Mwanawasa, said as a person who had been working in the community with the grassroots for over six years now, she was aware of the many challenges that most youth and women currently face especially in empowerment, business and life skills.

She said it was time for Zambian citizens in all sectors including the Church to rise to the occasion and endeavour to tackle issues that affect the underprivileged in communities.

Maureen said in these difficult economic times of the financial and economic crisis when employment levels among the people were dwindling, it was of great importance that all citizens of Zambia which is blessed with so much resources stand up and be counted.

She said it was not a time to heap blame on one another, but to join hands as citizens and help the underprivileged to weather the storm.

Maureen said the underprivileged also had dreams of a better life, better tomorrow and a better Zambia.

"Zambia will not be a middle-income economy by 2030 as envisaged if the leadership, civil society and the Church cannot articulate grassroots people's dreams into reality by making available proper skills, capital and resources needed to translate Zambia's economy into an economy that would better the standards of living of the very grassroot people," said Maureen, who is chairperson of the Maureen Mwanawasa Community Initiative (MMCI).

She said there was need to sensitise the community and translate government documents such as the Vision 2030 into the language that would be best understood and appreciated by the grassroot.

Maureen said it was well known that the economy of every country was dependent on its people and natural resources, the pace of technology and the prevailing peace in that particular country.

She said the aim of the fundraising tea party was to source funds for the establishment of a multi-skills resource centre that would create various business activities for the benefit of the less privileged and vulnerable in the surrounding communities of Kamanga, Chainda and Chelstone.

Maureen said the issues of a dwindling economy in the country and world over did not need a critical analysis to be noticed.

She said the financial meltdown had not only hit the developed world but it was impacting negatively on the grassroot people in the community who at the worst had no income to fall back on.

Maureen said MMCI planned to establish what they called Centres of Economic Activity in disadvantaged communities in both rural and peri-urban areas.

She said the aim of the Centres of Economic Activity was to strengthen economic activities among disadvantaged communities by adding value to already existing natural resources.

Maureen explained that each centre would have a prominent business venture, which would give birth to other smaller businesses in the centre.

And Chelstone Congregation Women's Fellowship chairperson Cynthia Banda said the church targeted women and youths because they were more vulnerable.

MMCI also donated various items, which included blankets, two wheelbarrows, bath towels, 100 jerseys for children, shovels and assorted clothes.