Minister for Education praises CAMFED Zambia for influencing positive change at community level and beyond at Annual General Meeting.
On October 29th, 2021, CAMFED Zambia gathered with partners, stakeholders, government officials, and our young leaders in the CAMFED Association at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka to celebrate our 20th anniversary at our Annual General Meeting.
We were honored to be joined by Mr Douglas Siakalima, the Minister of Education, who reaffirmed his government’s commitment to improving girls’ access to education and supporting women’s empowerment. Mr Siakalima urged cooperation between stakeholders and partners to achieve a shared vision – one where all marginalized children realize their right to quality education.
I join the nation in thanking CAMFED for supporting the education sector and for demonstrating resilience over the 20 years of operations.
Mr Douglas Siakalima, Minister of Education, Zambia
The Honorable Douglas Siakalima (left) is welcomed to the CAMFED Zambia AGM by Dorothy Kasanda (center) and Professor Dickson Mwansa (right).
Attendees included CAMFED staff, partners, stakeholders, government officials, and our young leaders in the CAMFED Association
CAMFED Zambia launched in 2001, in 3 districts, by invitation from the Ministry of Education. By the beginning of 2021, we had partnered with schools in 46 districts, and supported more than 450,000 students to go to primary and secondary school through donor funds, with CAMFED’s Community Champions and graduates in the CAMFED Association supporting over 220,000 more. Through the CAMFED Association, our peer support and leadership network, young women gain the knowledge, skills and resources they need to become independent and influential, and in turn support and mentor more children in their communities.
Dorothy Kasanda, National Director of CAMFED Zambia, highlighted the achievements and impact of our young women leaders.
Each [CAMFED Association] member has taken it upon herself to support five children on average. But when we meet them, we often find out they are supporting many more than that. We met a young woman who has supported 52 children and another one said she has supported 20.
Dorothy Kasanda, National Director CAMFED Zambia
The AGM was an opportunity to build on the successes of the past, galvanize support for the next stage of our ambitious strategic plan, and strive towards a future of truly inclusive education.
Mr Douglas Siakalima, Minister of Education, congratulated CAMFED for supporting Zambia’s education sector and demonstrating resilience over the past 20 years. He reaffirmed government support for and confidence in our programs.
Read the Minister's speechMr Siakalima concluded his address by reiterating the confidence of the Zambian government in CAMFED’s sustainable model, pointing to our grassroots leadership and commitment to the communities we serve.
This is a sustainable strategy and the biggest way of influencing for positive change through knowledge sharing, and shaping attitudes and practices that make communities better places for all.
Mr Douglas Siakalima, Minister of Education, Zambia
We now look forward to the next 20 years of CAMFED Zambia, advancing our partnerships with government, schools, communities, and local stakeholders to improve learning outcomes for all children, and nurture a new generation of women leaders, transforming their own lives, their communities, and creating a more equitable future for us all.
Members of our Sisterhood of climate activists in the CAMFED Association headed to Glasgow (by train and virtually) to participate in several events hosted in and around the UN Climate Change Conference, COP26.
CAMFED Chief Executive Officer Lucy Lake and CAMFED Association Executive Adviser Fiona Mavhinga attended several days of celebratory events to mark the 2021 Princess of Asturias Awards (often referred to as “Spain’s Nobel Prize”).
At this online event, Learner Guides from Tanzania described for us how they create a positive impact in their communities as role models, decision-makers and community leaders.
Steve Osman $100
Roe & Maggie Stone $100
Betty Schwab $25
Jonathan Brody $40
Bonne Mogulescu $150
William Wiedmann $150
Adrianna Timmons $360
Lizbeth Garcia $10
Niall Doherty $370
Nicola Riley €300
John Benson £20
Gareth Waldram £342
Greta Bonnaud £630
Benj Schneider £1600
Martha King $1000
