2015 Walk - combating child labour

The purpose of this year’s sponsored walk is to help combat child labour in Zambia. Over 600,000 children between the ages of 5 and 14 are forced to work – about half of them full-time. We want to raise £22,000 - seems like a lot, but last year you raised an amazing £18,800! So it's possible!

See the project details below.

On Friday 15th May 2015 we will be at Shanes Castle from 11am until 10pm. We will be barbecuing for all and the café will be open. The walk is suitable for wheelchairs and buggies. We have sponsorship cards to help you in your fundraising. Please get in touch for cards or more information.

THE PROJECT

THE NEED:

In Zambia over 600,000 children between the ages of 5 and 14 years of age are forced to work – about half of them full-time. Tearfund, together with Jesus Cares Ministries (JCM), wants your help to combat this.

THE PLAN:

500 vulnerable children currently being exploited through child labour will be given vocational skills and access to good education.

2000 ‘at risk’ children will be prevented from entering child labour through Life Skills Training.

400 caregivers will be taught skills to improve their income.

100 local churches will raise awareness of child labour and awareness will be raised in 4 local communities, impacting approximately 150,000 people.

THE COST: The direct costs, for 12 months, come to £22,000

Education support for children (school materials & uniforms)	6,000
Vocational Skills training	3,000
Life Skills training	2,000
Empowerment of 400 caregivers	2,000
Formation & training of 20 Self Help Groups	4,000
Church & Community Mobilisation Programme	1,000
Awareness Raising activities	2,000
Quarterly monitoring visits	2,000

THe location

Chipata and Katete in Zambia have been chosen for this project because they have had the highest incidences of child labour and HIV & AIDS in Zambia. A study showed that over 25,000 children, most of whom were orphans, were not in school and were engaged in child labour on farms or herding cattle for their families. This is partially due to high poverty levels, inadequate education facilities and the HIV & AIDS pandemic.

This project addresses poverty, lack of education, sensitisation on issues of child labour, and empowerment of vulnerable households affected by child labour and HIV & AIDS.

making a difference?

Below is the story of Josephine Phiri, a mother whose life has been transformed by the work of Jesus Cares Ministries.

My name is Mrs Josephine Phiri. I am 41 years old and married with 7 children. I live in Chibeteka Village in Chiparamba Community, where we are all peasant farmers.

I sent my daughter Maureen (12 years old) and Alpha (8 years old) to JCM Transitional School for early childhood education and now they are at Chiparamba Primary School. Maureen is in Grade 5 and Alpha is in Grade 2. Their school performance is very good.

I am so grateful to God for the empowerment I received through JCM. I was trained in baking to sustain the livelihood of my family. My husband helped me build a traditional baking oven, which I use to bake buns that I sell to the community. With this money I can support my children with their school needs such as uniforms, books, pencils and school fees.

My baking business earns me K50 (approx. £5) every day and I am able to make a saving of K20 (approx. £2) everyday to boost my profits. With the remaining money, I buy more ingredients for my baking business. With the surplus I have also diversified into a charcoal business. I do this with my family, which enables me to meet all of our needs - I never run out of money to meet the needs of my children and the family.

Last February (2014), I decided to join a Self Help Group (SHG) called Yamikani SHG in Chibeteka Village. The 20 of us meet weekly and make a contribution of K5 (approx. 50p) monthly, which is loaned to the group members who pay back with an interest of 10%. I managed to get a loan of K20 (approx. £2), which I used to buy baking ingredients (flour, salt and yeast).  This earned me K53 (over £5), which enabled me to paid back my loan with 10% bringing the total amount to K22 (over £2). I had a balance of K31 (over £3), which I put back into my business and also used some of the money to meet the needs of my children.

I thank God that this has transformed my life and mind set. I am now aware of our locally available resources, which I can use to help meet the needs of my children, my family and the community at large. To God be the glory.

What impact will this have?

Since Jesus Cares Ministries began this project in 2007, they have seen the number of children enrolled in community schools and formal schools increase. There has been a reduction in cases of child marriages, child pregnancies and child labour and more of the existing cases of child labour and abuse are being reported. Children are more aware of their rights and responsibilities towards education.

Thanks to Church & Community Mobilisation, the Church have understood their role as the salt and light of this earth and are addressing the way they meet the spiritual and physical needs of their communities.

Community participation is key. Communities work alongside JCM wherever possible and are more aware of their potential and locally available resources.

As the Self Help Group concept has now been adopted amongst caregivers, transformation in households and communities is highly evident, with 90% of children in the target communities now attending school.

Who is doing the work on the ground?

Jesus Cares Ministries (JCM) Zambia was founded in 1995. Tearfund have been partnering with JCM since 2007 and supporting them in their work with children and women through education, health services, social mobilisation, awareness raising, research and advocacy.

The vision of JCM is a better world for all, where the poor and less privileged are empowered and their human rights protected and promoted. JCM is guided by the values of Christ-centeredness, love, servanthood, teamwork, excellence, hope, faith, transparency, accountability, integrity, non-partisanship and gender sensitivity.

what can you do to help?

Giving

The project needs financial support to run. We would like to raise the £22,000 required to meet the direct costs of the project in Zambia for one year. Last year we raised £18,800 so our target is achievable.

please continue to Pray

·         Thank God for the success of the project so far – in particular for people like Josephine mentioned above, who have experienced such positive change in their lives as a result of JCM’s work.

·         Please pray that JCM would find the funds and people resources required to cope with the numbers of children who are being withdrawn from child labour.

·         Please pray for a change in cultural practises (such as childhood marriage) and statutory laws that are still governing the land and making it difficult for JCM to intervene.

Thank you for your continued support and prayer concerning Tearfund’s work