Zambia is a country in Southern Africa with an abundance of natural resources but an appalling lack of opportunities for the untapped talents of its young people. The population is almost 12 million and 7.5 million of those people live below the poverty line. The most affected group is the youth who make up about 68% of the population.
When poverty and HIV/AIDS take root in the lives of young people they are cut down right at the time they should be most productive. The prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in the 15-49 year age group stands at 17.0% among the Zambian population. It estimated that one in every five people is infected with the virus (according to the report on global AIDS epidemic in 2006/07 by UNAIDS, see further statistics below).
Poverty is the most common cause of the spread of the infection through early marriage (young girls resort to marrying elder men who might be infected to sustain their lives and those of their siblings and parents), unemployment (out of the entire population only 400,000 people are formal sector), and prostitution. The situation is made worse by lack of education, youth delinquency and high-risk behavior.
Zambian youth face huge challenges to sustain their lives socially and economically:
1. Unemployment
2. Lack of resources (shelter and other basic needs)
3. HIV/AIDS
4. Lack of education/information on life/livelihood skills
5. Lack of opportunities
6. Lack of training/skills
Without methods to address these major challenges young people have no direction or purpose. Feelings of helplessness result in many getting involved in illicit activities such as prostitution, theft, drug abuse which in turn make them more vulnerable to the effects of HIV/AIDS virus. Increased infection results in increased poverty levels since most of the affected/infected are the breadwinners, by necessity.
The majority of the youth in Zambia are socially and economically disadvantaged. They have no access to the basic requirements to develop and live an independent life. Despite these challenges Zambia is a rich country in terms of young people who are enthusiastic and talented. They have the potential to be the agents of change who will lead and help others to make a difference.
Zambia Youth has designed multimedia (Multicast) online interactive programs and other grassroots initiatives to address problems for the youth in Zambia, such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, illiteracy (education advocacy), youth leadership.
We currently have some HIV/AIDS awareness programs in Government Schools, churches, local community areas in Livingstone (in the Southern Province of Zambia) and to plan to extend to other parts of the country. We intend to do more through youth involvement in peer education, life/livelihood skills, HIV/AIDS education, talent development (music, sports, entrepreneurships).
To increase our programs and services we require:
1. Funding for operations of projects.
2. Equipments/materials for trainings
3. Office space (we are currently using residential space) and more facilities for programs.
With trainings and services, the youth of Zambia can become the agents of change in their community/country.
Auldridge Chibbwalu
Zambia Youth
ZAMBIA STATISTICS
0. Population: 11.7 million (World Development Indicators (WDI), 2006).
0. Average life expectancy: 41 years (WDI, 2006). UK: 78 years (UN Statistics Division (UNSD), 2007).
0. Average per capita income: US$1,140 (purchasing power parity (PPP) rate) (WDI, 2006). UK: US$69,560 (£37,600) (World Bank development data, 2005).
0. Gross national income (GNI): US$13 billion (PPP rate) (WDI, 2006).
0. Average annual growth rate: 6% (International Monetary Fund estimate, 2008).
0. Percentage of people not meeting daily food needs: 51% (Zambian Living Conditions Monitoring Survey, 2006).
0. Women dying in childbirth: 830 per 100,000 live births (UNSD, 2005). UK: 13 per 100,000 (UNSD, 2007).
0. Children dying before age 5: 182 per 1,000 live births (WDI, 2006). UK: 6 per 1,000 (UNSD, 2005).
0. Percentage of children receiving school education: 93.5% (UNSD, 2006).
0. Percentage of people aged 15-49 living with HIV/AIDS: 17% (WDI, 2005). UK: 0.2% (UNSD, 2005).
Percentage of people with access to safe, clean water: 58% (UNSD, 2006).
