ARISE I
I swim across the river to get to children at risk of child labour
Under the ILO ARISE Project in Zambia, a total of 3,000 children are targeted to be reached for child labour prevention through behaviour change and peer-to-peer education. To facilitate this process, 200 peer-to-peer educators have been trained by the project, among them Mr. Innocent Chitengi, from Chitwa community in Kaoma District. This is an inspiring story of a peer-to-peer educator.
During a recent visit of the ILO ARISE Zambia Project Team to Chitwa community in Kaoma district, Mr. Chitengi shared his experience as a peer-to-peer educator on the prevention programme facilitated by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) under the ILO-ARISE Project.
Chitwa is a community that has some areas cut-off during the rainy season due to flooding. The bridge which was being used by children to cross to the school collapsed and this affected their attendance.
But this did not hold back Mr. Chitengi from reaching out to the children and young people with whom he shares experiences and information on life skills and behaviour change.
He narrated how he would swim across the river to get to his target groups. The team was very inspired by this kind of dedication.
Shortly before the visit of the ILO ARISE Zambia Project Team, there were some awareness-raising activities by Jesus Cares Ministries (JCM) and YWCA which motivated the traditional leaders to take action to relieve this plight of their community members. A week after the team’s visit, information was received that traditional leaders mobilized the community to come together during the holiday on “Youth Day” and they put up a bridge. Now, children can get to their school and the work of peer-to-peer educators like Mr. Chitengi has been greatly enhanced.
Extracted from “Weekly Splash!”, ILO Lusaka Country Office, Highlights and News, Week 31, Issue No. 37, 27 July 2015.
Chitwa is a community that has some areas cut-off during the rainy season due to flooding. The bridge which was being used by children to cross to the school collapsed and this affected their attendance.
But this did not hold back Mr. Chitengi from reaching out to the children and young people with whom he shares experiences and information on life skills and behaviour change.
He narrated how he would swim across the river to get to his target groups. The team was very inspired by this kind of dedication.
Shortly before the visit of the ILO ARISE Zambia Project Team, there were some awareness-raising activities by Jesus Cares Ministries (JCM) and YWCA which motivated the traditional leaders to take action to relieve this plight of their community members. A week after the team’s visit, information was received that traditional leaders mobilized the community to come together during the holiday on “Youth Day” and they put up a bridge. Now, children can get to their school and the work of peer-to-peer educators like Mr. Chitengi has been greatly enhanced.
 Mr. Innocent Chitengi, from Chitwa community in Kaoma District |
Extracted from “Weekly Splash!”, ILO Lusaka Country Office, Highlights and News, Week 31, Issue No. 37, 27 July 2015.