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First Lady and Vice President to be to be awarded

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Saboi Imboela and  William Chilufya
Saboi Imboela and William Chilufya

The Zambia Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (CSO-SUN) will honour Vice President Guy Scott and First Lady Christine Kaseba for their contribution in advocating for good nutrition in the country.

CSO-SUN, an alliance of national and community based civil society organizations working to increase understanding of the crisis of malnutrition in Zambia has announced that it hold the first nutrition awards this Friday, December 20, 2013.

Speaking in Lusaka yesterday during a media briefing, CSO-SUN national coordinator, William Chilufya, said Dr. Scott and Dr. Kaseba will be awarded as a way of encouraging them to do more in scaling up the nutritional needs of women and children in the country.

Mr. Chilufya said among other things, Dr. Scott this year represented Zambia at the nutrition for growth meeting in London where he committed that government will reduce chronic under-nutrition by 50 percent in the next ten years.

Mr Chilufya explained that CSO SUN has worked with and monitored the work of different stakeholders who have played a significant role in advocating for good nutrition.

“We have monitored the work of these people which includes among others, media institutions and personnel, The First Lady, Doctor Christine Kaseba- Sata, His Honour, the Vice President, Dr. Guy Scott and many others. These stakeholders will be awarded in different categories for their efforts on Friday, the 20th of December, 2013 at Mulungushi Conference Center.,” Mr Chilufya said.

He added, “awarding these individuals and institutions will not only be a way to appreciate their work towards scaling up nutrition in Zambia and bringing it to the limelight, but a way to encourage them and many others to do more.”

Mr Chilufya stated that under nutrition is injustice and a violation of child rights adding that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) emphasizes children’s right to the highest attainable standard of health hence the need for different key players to come on board to support the call for good nutrition to ensure that children enjoy this particular right.

“It is our hope as CSO SUN that more stakeholders will come forward to contribute in a special way to reducing cases of undernutrition after the Nutrition Awards Ceremony. We want to see Malnutrition taken as everyone’s problem and responsibility, this will result more and effective collective action. We are confident that together, with the right stakeholders fulfilling their roles, we can overcome the issue of malnutrition in Zambia, forever.”

He said under nutrition is a leading cause of death of children in Zambia.

“For infants and children under the age of two, the consequences of undernutrition are particularly severe. For instance, during pregnancy, undernutrition can have a devastating impact on the healthy growth and development of a child. Babies who are malnourished in the womb have a higher risk of dying in infancy and are more likely to face lifelong cognitive and physical deficits and chronic health problems,” he said.

Mr Chilufya commended Government, Cooperating Partners and civil society for their work on nutrition in the year 2013.

“This year has seen tremendous things happening around Scaling Up Nutrition. We were greatly encouraged by Government through our colleagues in the National Food and Nutrition Commission over the launch of the First Multi-Sectoral National Food and Nutrition Strategy and the First 1000 Most Critical Days Programme, which focus on reducing stunting, or chronic malnutrition,” he said.

He said, “On June 10, 2013, Nutrition in Zambia received a further boost when the Government through his Honour the Vice President made commitments during the nutrition for Growth Event in London such as reducing chronic under?nutrition by 50% in the next 10 years through a combination of local efforts and international support.”

“Another key event most recently, we saw a large delegation of senior donor officials visiting Zambia from 1st to 4th December to look at the current state of nutrition in the country and government progress to scale up nutrition interventions. The officials are members of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, which is providing support to strengthen nutrition in countries with a high burden of under nutrition.”

At the same briefing, Save the Children Zambia Advocacy and Communications Coordinator Saboi Imboela encouraged Journalists to take a keen interest in nutrition development in Zambia.

Ms Imboela said the media should keenly follow up issues and programmes around nutrition in Zambia as a way of keeping all players on their toes.

Vice preident Dr Guy Scott talks to First Lady Dr Christine Kaseba
Vice preident Dr Guy Scott talks to First Lady Dr Christine Kaseba

12 COMMENTS

    • We have a lot of people employed in all hospitals that have worked so hard in various districts, did you monitor them? No so GUy just attending a conference is rewarded where was the Minister in charge?

  1. As the Electoral Commission of Zambia said, let me study the contents first and I will issue a statement when I have gathered the evidence that Kaseba and Scott will be awarded or rewarded for eradicating malnutrition in Zambia. Me like the ECZ don’t act on hearsay.

  2. te job hunting iyi? Yamonyokola njala Chilufya. On a serious note, he should also have explained the criteria, who else was on the shortlist, which panel selected the two, is it an annual event, He left a lot hanging. The best should have been to announce the introduction of the awards first as well as the award structure, invite nominations, announce the shortlist and pick and announce winners. The way it is now its like a one man show and lacks credibility and I hope there stakeholder buy in. Mr chilufya and Mrs mwape, please help me with answers here

    • Either that or the reporters are sleeping as usual. There is a basic checklist that they should have posed before writing this article…

  3. ….So that taxpayers’ money is given to these jokers. Am so fed up with this cheap lobying by “tuntemba” NGOs, so called NGOs. All you do is share the loot and the only outputs are reports which even yourselves do not bother to read once your rubberstamp steering committees have approved them.

  4. Motivation is the only way to boost many to follow the good works, this lady will do even more come next year, she deserves it! Congratulations to you madam first lady and the VP.

  5. SABOI SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HERSELF FOR CONTINUING TO USE HER LOZI GIVEN NAMES!!!

    SHE SHOULD JOIN THE ELITE TRIBE.!!!!

  6. The top management personnel for these dubious NGOs have gone into top gear to usurp (grab) the roles of the Minister of Health. Kaseba moved to State House in her capacity as a junior Medical Doctor at UTH and was never in the limelight of UTH’s successes in executing complex illnesses.

    Besides, it is the hard working male and female Nurses spread out in the most remote areas of Zambia who are in the forefront to advise mothers on the right nutritional formulas for their under-fives children.

    The Zambia Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (CSO-SUN) is just a glory seeking NGO fighting for a place (seat) at the high tables of State House. Such fake “awards” going to the well-to-do and well-fed Kaseba and Guy Scott are sickening. We are not amused!

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