AVAILABILITY OF AIDS SERVICES LOW IN SA

More than seven out of ten people in Limpopo consider HIV and AIDS services in the province to be available and good but less than five out of ten people share this view in KwaZulu-Natal, African democracy institute Idasa report has revealed.
According to senior researcher in the Budget Unit of Idasa’s Governance and AIDS Programme (GAP) Godknows Giya, the proportion of citizens who said that HIV AND AIDS-related services in their provinces were available and generally good was relatively low.
In an opinion survey conducted in different municipalities in four provinces by African democracy institute Idasa, perceptions of availability and accessibility of HIV and AIDS services vary significantly from province to province.
“An average of 56.8% of respondents across the four provinces said HIV AND AIDS-related services in their provinces were available and good,” read the report in part. “However, 12.6% said that HIV AND AIDS-related services were available but not good, 7.8% said that services were available but not accessible to all, while 4.3% said that HIV AND AIDS-related services were not available. A total of 8.1% of respondents said that they didn’t know whether or not HIV and AIDS-related services were available in their wards at all.”
 According to the report, worst off are citizens in rural and informal areas, where 8.1% and 6.6% of citizens respectively said that HIV AND AIDS-related services were not available at all, compared to the 62.4% and 64.3% of citizens in tribal and urban areas respectively who said that HIV and AIDS-related services were available and good in their areas.
 “More than four in every ten KwaZulu-Natal citizens indicated that HIV and AIDS
interventions were available but of poor quality.  Over a third of KZN citizens indicated that antiretrovirals were not available in their province.,” read the report. “About one-fifth of citizens of Mpumalanga indicated that home-based care was not provided.  More than a third of the citizens of North-West province did not know whether HIV and AIDS
interventions were available in their province at all. Mpumalanga province has the highest proportion of citizens who said that HIV and AIDS- related services were available but not accessible. 6.5% of the citizens in North-West province said that HIV ND AIDS-related services were not available in their area, compared with 4.8% in Mpumalanga, 4.6% in KZN and 1.3% in Limpopo.”

ZAMBIA, A ROBUST YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROMOTER-COMESA

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has described the Zambian government as a robust promoter of entrepreneurship and innovation among the youth in the country.

COMESA Director of Investment, Promotion and Private Sector Development Chungu Mwila said he is aware of Government's projects to empower the youth such as the Youth Development Fund meant to give Government loans to young entrepreneurs to start up businesses for special projects.

He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2010 Small and Medium (SME) Global Entrepreneurship Week in Lusaka today.

ZANIS reports that Dr. Mwila said it was imperative for the country to be holding meetings such as the Global Entrepreneurship Week as it encouraged young people to generate ideas and embrace innovation.

He also disclosed that the event which had attracted about 80 participants was well balanced and included students, youths and Small and Medum Entrepreneurs SMEs country wide.

Dr. Mwila disclosed that the Youth Graduate Empowerment Programme was another Government programme being implemented through technical colleges to support graduates with technical tools to set up business ventures.

However, he thanked Access bank for expressing interest to partner with COMESA to host a national event such as the 2010 SME Global Entrepreneurship Week calling on other banks, businesses and institutions involved in business development and innovations to emulate Access bank Zambia.

Dr. Mwila encouraged the participants to make use of the knowledge and skills they acquired from the meeting adding that they should not remain the same.

ZANIS

HOLISTIC APPROACH NEEDED IN DEALING WITH YOUTH CHALLENGES - LUMBAMA

Government has said a holistic approach in dealing with challenges faced by youths in the country is important in the advancement of the nation.

Central Province Permanent Secretary Denny Lumbama said when he officially closed a 10 days national peer educators training at Zambezi Source Lodge in Kabwe that government recognizes the importance of a holistic approach when dealing with challenges faced by youths in the nation.

He said government’s commitment is evidenced by deliberate policies put in place to support the positive growth of youths such as in the national youth policy, national plan of action, the African youth charter and the national standards on Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) and HIV/AIDS.

Mr Lumbama noted that peer education was a popular and important strategy for Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) and HIV/AIDS programs throughout the world.

He said the recently adopted approach to peer education has transformed both government and Non-governmental organizations towards the development of a Health Agenda for young people in the nation.

Mr Lumbama said that Peer education has been preferred as it has been proved to enhance communication among educators and their audience.

The Permanent Secretary noted that young people were more receptive to information from their peers.

Mr. Lumbama however observed that these interventions would not be effective without capacity building for peer educators a situation that has compelled government through the ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development to initiate the training that is the first of its kind since the launch of the National Standards for SRH.

He further commended the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for the financial, material and technical support that they have rendered to the successful implementation of the training.

And speaking earlier Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) Director of Programs and Partnerships, Edford Mutuma commended government for its continued support in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Mr. Mutuma expressed hope that the new approach to peer education training will go along way in sexual reproductive health and HIV/AIDS programs.

Over 15 youths have since been trained in SRH and HIV/AIDS countrywide.                       

 ZANIS

RDA INSTRUCTED TO START WEST ROAD REHAB

A Senior Government official in the Office of the Vice President has instructed the Road Development Agency (RDA) to mobilise the community and start rehabilitation works on the Nalikwanda- Namengo Road in Nalikwanda constituency immediately.

Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit National Coordinator Domiciano Mulenga said with close supervision the community could start working on culvert slabs while logistics were still being sourced.

Mr. Mulenga told ZAINS in Nalikwanda yesterday (Wednesday) after an assessment that community mobilisation would help in catching up with time which he noted as the biggest challenge considering that the rain season had already started.

He said once started the rehabilitation of the three culverts namely Liandi, Litawa and Nakanga would be completed within two to three weeks.

And Mr. Mulenga said that the transportation of building materials to the operational sites would be conducted within Government departments due to high transport costs in the Province.

He stated that it was very expensive to transport building materials such as culverts from Lusaka to Western Province adding that it was not wise for Government to spend more on transport hence the private sector may not be engaged as the road would be done with minimum cost.

ZANIS

OVER 2 MILLION ZAMBIANS WERE HIRED BETWEEN 2009, 2010

Over 2 million Zambians were hired between 2000, 2010

Lusaka, November 18, ZA NIS-----Minister of Labour and Social Security Austin Liato has disclosed that about 2.5 million Zambians were employed between 2000 and 2010 in the formal and informal sectors out of the 4.6 million targeted potential employees in the country.

Mr Liato stated that most of these jobs were from the informal sector which he described as the most ideal achievement in a growing nation like Zambia.

ZANIS reports that the Minister was responding to Lukulu Member Member of Parliament Batuke Imenda who wanted to know the number of jobs Government had created between 2000 and 2009.

He also disclosed that about 3, 112 800 jobs were lost between 2000 and 2010.

And Mr Liato revealed that Government was currently recruiting health personnel in the country in order to reduce the deficit the sector was facing.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao told Parliament today that the MMD Government was doing everything possible to improve the health sector and called on the private sector to join hands with Government in ensuring that the citizenry were availed with good health facilities.

He said the Government of President Banda was there to prove to the Zambian people that it was there to fulfil the promises made by the republican president in 2008.

ZANIS

AMBASSADOR SIWELA HAPPY WITH ZAMBIA’S MCC LATEST SCORECARD

Zambia’s Ambassador to the United States of America and Plenipotentiary, Her Excellency, Mrs. Sheila Siwela has said she is happy with the latest Millennium Challenge Corporation’s  report on Zambia.

 In the 2011 scorecard released today, Zambia made progress in the Control of Corruption at 77% compared to 2009 and 2010 when the country scored 71% and 74% respectively.

In Trade Policy, Zambia scored the highest this year at 95% compared to 2009 and 2010 when the figures stood at 62% and 93%

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) released country by country indicator data today measuring the policy performance of 84 developing countries that are candidates for grant assistance from MCC in 2011.

The country data will help inform the eligibility decisions of the MCC Board of Directors at its quarterly meeting, scheduled for December 15, 2010.

 Zambia qualified for the MCC compact assistance in December 2008 when its control of corruption indicator exceeded the median of all low income countries for the first time.  The result was based on the 2007 performance.

Zambia’s qualification for MCC compact assistance followed the country’s good policy performance in the 17 indicators under the three areas of Ruling Justly, Investing in People, and Economic Freedom as explained above.

Under the Compact program, Zambia, through the Ministry of Finance and National Planning recently submitted six programs for consideration by MCC but only two were accepted. The Greater Kafue National Park and Community Economic Development Project- building the capacity for improved park and wildlife management and the Lusaka Water Supply, Sanitation and Drainage Project – provision of clean and safe water supply and adequate sanitation and drainage in targeted areas

In 2006 Zambia received US $ 24.3.7 million whose purpose was to reduce corruption, improve government effectiveness and facilitate Zambia’s eligibility for MCC Compact funding.

The Zambian government departments that directly benefited included the Ministry of Lands, Immigration Department, Anti-Corruption Commission, Zambia Development Agency, the Patents and Company Registration Offices (PACRO) and Chirundu Border Post.

This is contained in a press statements issued by First Secretary for Press at the Zambian High Commission in Washington DC Ben Kangwa.

UNHCR TO CONTINUE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION OF ANGOLAN REFUGEES

The United Nations High Commission for  Refugees (UNHCR) in Zambia says  it will continue to encourage Angolan refugees to consider voluntary repatriation.

UNHCR Country Representative Joyce Mends-Cole, said at a press briefing in Kawambwa District, yesterday, said Angolan nationals have limited time left.

The briefing followed the Angolan tripartite meeting held last week between the Angolan and Zambian governments , including the UNHCR.
“ Angolan refugees should take advantage of the remaining period to repatriate. The Cessation Clause maybe invoked maybe invoked at the end of 2011. If this clause is invoked, it means that the refugee status of Angolans will cease refugees,” she explained adding :”. As UNHCR, we believe the peace in Angola is durable.”
Ms Mends-Cole said while UNHCR is encouraging voluntary repatriation as the most preferred durable solution, other options such local integration and resettlement will be pursued.
The Zambian Government, together with UNHCR are currently conducting the spontaneous Angolan repatriation.
The UNHCR head in Zambia said her agency was currently conducting a re-verification exercise of refugees in the two settlements of Mayukwayukwa and Meheba, then the urban areas and the self-settled.
“ So far, we have concluded the re-verification in Mayukwayukwa and we now have 9, 883, of which 8, 083 are Angolans. Of these Angolans in Mayukwayukwa, 52 percent want to return home, while 46 percent want to remain in Zambia , the rest are undecided,” she explained.
She said the Zambian government has not made its stance known regarding those Angolans who will opt to remain in Zambia.

However, the Zambian government  will decide on what to do with those Angolans who opt to remain in Zambia , while UNHCR will play its advocacy role to lobby for the refugees.

Ms. Mends-Cole said there are a variety of reasons why some Angolan refugees don’t want to return to Angola . Some of the reasons she cited were the fact that some refugees were born in Zambia , others have lived in the country since 1966, while others are married to Zambians.
The Government will decide what status to accord the refugees once the cessation clause is invoked. As for us as UNHCR, we will continue with our advocacy role to ensure that some alternative status is given to the Angolan refugees, she said.
Between 2003 and 2007, UNHCR and the Government of Zambia repatriated 74, 000 Angolan refugees under the organized repatriation. An additional 2, 400 have been repatriated since 2008 under the ongoing Angolan spontaneous repatriation.
The repatriation this year for Angolans has been slow. We have only managed to move two convoys, said Ms. Mends-Cole.
ZANIS

ZAMBIANS IN DIASPORA URGED TO MARKET ZAMBIA

The Zambian High Commissioner to Swaziland Agness Ngoma has commended Zambians resident in Swaziland for upholding high standards of intergrity and their contributions towards the consolidation of bilateral relations between Zambia and Swaziland.

Ms. Ngoma expressed her  appreciation that relations between Zambia and Swaziland have continued to grow adding that the Zambian community in that monarch nation  has continued to play a critical role in the social and economic development of Swaziland.

This is contained in a press statement made available tho ZANIS by First Secretary Political Zambian High Commissioner to Mozambique Siyambango Siyamba in Lusaka today.

The High Commissioner said Zambians in Swaziland have contributed to that country's key sectors such as in Health, Education, Agriculture and Sports where a number of them are employed or have invested.

She  said this when she officiated at  a ceremony marking Zambia's 46th Independence anniversary held on October 31st at Manzini social club in Swaziland.

The function which was jointly organized by the Zambia High Commisioner and the Association of Zambian  Nationals in Swaziland (AZANIS) was attended by more than 200 hundred Zambian nationals who came from various parts of the country.

The function was chacterized by various artists from Zambia's current crop of popular musicians and traditional dancers.

Ms Ngoma noted that the Commission has continued to receive favourable reports about the Zambian community in Swaziland.

The High Commissioner has since appealed to the Zambians to look after their hard earned incomes and in vest wisely both in Swaziland and zambia.

He warned them to guard against people that would want to lure them into 'quick money making ventures' that could be illegal and ultimately ruin their lives and turnish Zambia's image.

Mr. Siyamba briefed the community on the current economic and political developments in Zambia which he described as stable and favourable and furthern encouraged them to take keen interest in the electoral process in Zambia so that they participate in the 2011 elections by voting for a government that would meet their aspirations.

He also outlined Zambia's economic strides particularly in the Agriculture sector where the country has recorded unprecedentedmaize and wheat surplus.

Mr. Siyamba has since urged the leaders of AZANIS to help masrket Zambvia abroad so as to attract further inverstment in Agriculture in order to make this year's independence them 'consolidating our independence through food security' a reality.   

ZANIS

NEW PARTY FORMED

A new political party called Africa’s Democratic and Economic Development Organization (ADEDO)-Zambia Must Change Now (ZAMUCANO) has been formed and set to be lunched this Sunday.
ADEDO-ZAMUCANO leader Brown Kapika announced the formation of the new party to ZANIS in Lusaka today.
Mr. Kapika said he has come back to Zambia from the Netherlands where he is based to save the country from what he termed recycled leadership that has characterized the political scenario in Zambia.

He added that the country needs a leader with wisdom.
He expressed confidence of scooping next year’s tripartite elections bragging that there is no political party in the country with the vision to transform the country into a developed nation other than his party.

He said his party has formulated 17 points manifesto which he said will develop the country and better the lives of its citizens.
In the manifesto, the new political party has among other things pledged to offer free and quality healthcare, education up to university level and nationalize the
mining sector.
The new party leader said his party has already been spread to copper belt and Eastern province saying the party has adopted the red card as its symbol.
Mr. Kapika said his party has come to form government and implement the good policies to make the country a better country for all Zambians.
ADEDO-ZAMUCANO political party has joined several other political parties that
are vying to form government come 2011.
Zambia is one of the African countries with over 20 political parties most of
which only come on the scene during election.
ZANIS

UNEXPECTED RAINFALL TEMPORALLY DISRUPT CLASSES IN KAPIRI

The learning process was yesterday temporally disrupted at Mubalashi Basic School in Kapiri Mposhi district after unexpected rains soaked both staff and pupils.
The unexpected rains soaked pupils and teachers during lessons held in a roofless classroom at the school.
The 1X3 classroom blocks school had its roof blown off by strong winds early this year and has not been replaced causing lessons to be conducted in unroofed classrooms.
Parent Teacher Association (PTA) chairman, Emmanuel Sinyangwe told ZANIS in Kapiri Mposhi that the pupils and teachers were soaked during class lessons.
Mr. Sinyangwe has appealed to the office of the District Commissioner (DC) and the Ministry of Education (MoE) to find a permanent solution to put up a roof at the school before the rains intensify.
He said the school should be roofed in order to safeguard both pupils and teachers lives and improve the learning environment.
The PTA chairman said his association has failed to raise funds to work on the roofing of the school.
He also said there is need to provide a roof over the school building before the commencement of the grade nine examinations to protect the pupils from the rains.
Mr. Sinyangwe feared the examinations will be disturbed unless the classrooms are not roofed on time.
The PTA Chairman advised the government and other well wishers to organize tents to cover the classrooms as a temporal measure to allow the grade nine pupils write their examinations which commence on 15th November.
ZANIS

THE MARRIAGE RACE

Love is one of the most elusive yet widely recognised concepts that can describe the level of emotional attachment to another.

Love makes the world go round, and joins couples together to live, work, laugh together and even compete with each other.

There are two types of competition in relationships:

Healthy, growth driven that brings out the best in each partner; and unhealthy competition that is jealous, creating an atmosphere of rivalry and mean-spiritedness.

This type of relationship sometimes deteriorates to a level where the parties involved become “intimate enemies” people who share a bed, but are not always on the same side and may even work against each other.

Birds of a feather flock together, therefore when coupling, it is only natural to be attracted to those who hold the same aspirations as your own. Ambitious and driven people tend to be attracted to each other.

The challenge they present is enough to cause a potent love chemistry that makes them very desirable in each other’s eyes. Two type A personalities (competitive, ambitious, go-getters, who have an urgency to succeed) have enough adrenaline to propel them to great heights, if they channel this energy the right way.

The same energy can produce disaster if it is used to undermine and envy. When a man and a woman get together as a couple, one of the main considerations of suitability is the prospects each party holds.

Ambitious people will carefully weigh what the other is bringing to the table now and in future. This is determined during courtship by observing, listening, and evaluating the other parties “modus operandi.”

It soon becomes obvious to them whether they are dealing with a non-starter, or a go-getter. A young man who is confident and working towards his goals to become a CEO in future will most likely set his eye on a woman who looks like she too is going places.

When they are dating, and in the early bloom of love, they are fascinated by strides the other is making. They enthral each other with stories of their corporate conquests and plans.

They decide that they are made for each other – two beautiful people on the fast track to success. Their admiration for each other is not just based on ambition alone; their physical appeal adds more energy and chemistry to the mix.

As time wears on, the relationship dynamics start to change. Somewhere along the way, they subconsciously begin to compete. It often commences with just a feeling.

“Goodness, she looks very seductive today, I wonder if other guys will notice her. I am going to join a gym so that I can also keep her on her toes.” The man feels he needs to be physically fit to make her feel worried about admirers.

If the man is promoted and perhaps offered a brand new company car as a benefit, as much as the woman may be excited for him, she cannot help thinking:

“Wow, with a ride like this, this guy is really starting to feel confident. Young girls have started checking him out, I had better up my game. I think I will apply for that car loan that I have resisted for years, so that I too, can look and feel successful.”

In a case scenario of couple competition gone bad, one woman named Carol, was rather taken aback when she finally realised why her husband of five years had started criticising and undermining her.

This couple met and dated for two years before tying the knot. Her husband initially admired her drive and desire to climb up the corporate ladder.

They often talked and dreamed of how they were going to raise a family with her as a successful administrator working with the United Nations, in a lucrative position. She pursued her dream and made it happen, by landing a job at the UN.

He too joined the banking sector and worked his way up to a middle level manager’s position. Carol decided to embrace further studies and her efforts were rewarded with a promotion.

These days, to her utter surprise, her husband has taken to criticising everything she does. He even tries to keep her in the house in the mornings by bringing up irrelevant matters, so that she can arrive late for work and thus ruin her mood and punctuality record.

“He claims that my job means more to me than my family, an untrue accusation. He even accuses me of infidelity just because I dress very stylishly. He doesn’t like the way I look, and says that I should stop wearing trousers and braids, as I look more like a single girl and not a mother. According to him, this is “unafrican.”

This is very bewildering because I look and dress exactly the way I did when we first met. Since I got the promotion, everything I do has become a reason for him to raise contentious issues. He sees me as a threat.

He ought to be happy and proud of me because I am doing well, I am healthy and attractive, but he has really changed and I’m seeing another side of him and I wonder why,” she ponders. Carol is so unsettled, that she has started seeing a counsellor.

According to her counsellor, it appears that her husband is insecure about his wife’s success and glamorous appearance. Instead of being part of a winning team, he is bailing out to become a rival; a very precarious situation which if not checked will blow out of proportion.

The counsellor feels that this man needs help in coming to terms with the fact that his wife is growing and achieving. He should realise that people and situations change and he ought to deal with this before it is too late.

When your relationship is based on a strong foundation with a mutual understanding to work towards a common goal as team players, you will grow as a couple. At times one person will be on a winning streak and the other on a losing one.

As the winner, you will create tension and rivalry if you flaunt your success and taunt the others failure. This happens when the relationship has unresolved issues such as past mistreatment and infidelity. A “so how do you like me now?” attitude develops.

The competition will be unhealthy and the relationship will revolve around one partner always trying to prove and imply “I am better than you.” Not every relationship has this sort of unhealthy competition.

There are cases where couples spur each other on. It becomes a situation where the marriage grows with determination – “if you can do it, so can I” becomes the mantra that such couples in this energy-filled marriage live by.

This type of competition is good and healthy. The next case scenario serves to illustrate what can be achieved when people put rivalry aside and work for their common good.

Case scenario:

A couple who married when quite young and straight out of college started their lives on a positive note. Initially, the wife landed a well-paid job as a teacher in a private school, while her husband went to work for the government as a district hospital doctor.

After working for some years, he decided to open a clinic where he could attend to his patients when he was not on call at the hospital.

It proved to be extremely tiring, but being a specialist in an upcountry town, his hard work paid off, and his clinic became very busy. He had to decide whether to quit his government post altogether, because shuttling back and forth to his clinic was hectic.

After much consideration, he opted to quit his job. The patients appreciated his full time presence at the clinic, and the word quickly spread. He became quite successful.

Patients would travel from far and wide to see him and the queue in the waiting room would not subside until well after 6pm daily. On this basis, he qualified for a loan, bought a plot, and built a medium sized hospital. His wife was supportive all through and took good care of the family while retaining her teaching job.

As her husband became more and more successful, she felt as though she were lagging behind. She was happy and lacked nothing, but she still wanted to be a success story in her own right too. Her husband was respected and well known in the town, and did not escape the attention of admiring women.

Not wishing to be left behind, his wife decided that it was high time she opened an academy. Given her excellent teaching reputation in the region, the school picked up and became a leading school. Her husband helped to finance this project.

Through healthy competition, this couple managed to beat the odds by utilising the best that each had to offer without rivalry.
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