Award winning singer and song writer Emeli Sandi says she feels good coming back to Zambia because she feels connected to the country.
Emeli born to a Zambian Father and a British Mother says Zambia is always close to her heart.
Emeli whose album has gone seven time platinum was visiting Zambia as part of her advocacy work with Oxfam GB on a gender based campaign called ‘I care about her.’
She visited Rufunsa and Kalulushi to learn fist hand the challenges that ordinary people go through to access health services and the levels of inequality between men and women.
“The most striking was for me to seeing how real the problem is, when you read the fact sheets you take in but when you go there and see a hospital without resources that is when it hits home,” Emeli recounted.
“In Rufunsa, I met this man called Alex whose daughter had been defiled and she was willing to share her ordeal. It was so moving to see the faith and tenacity of this family and they are now ready to change the community.”
She added, “When you are then you suddenly realise that these problems are real. It is no longer us and them, we are one people. I do feel like home, I do feel connected to this country.”
Emeli who studied medicine in the UK said health is such a fundamental right and there is need to increase access to health for the poor.
“If you are not health and you don’t have a chance to heal then you can’t make any changes. Heath issues hit home with me.”
She revealed that she would start exploring possibilities of hosting a concert in aid of health services in Zambia.
Emeli also called for concerted efforts to scale up the fight against gender based violence in Zambia.
“I was quite surprised at how openly it is spoken about in Zambia. It is still an issue in the UK but it is something I have never worried about because i know my rights, letting the women know that this is unacceptable helps a lot,” she said.
And Oxfam Country Director Nellie N’yangwa said Oxfam Zambia is using a new approach to fighting gender based violence.
“We have come to realize that the fight against GBV is not only about sensitizing women about their rights, we have discovered that in some cases, the more a woman knows about her rights, the more she is battered,” Mrs N’yangwa.
She added, “Oxfam is implementing a project called I Care about Her campaign aimed at getting men involved in protecting women. We ask the men to personalize the fight against GBV by protecting every girl they come across as if she was their own daughter.”
The poverty and general lack of basic necessities in this nation is appaling! God help us.
Poverty plus ignorance is the most dangerous vile that Government should try to eliminate by working together with independent groups. I doubt it will ever work for tradition has not only contributed to making things worse, but it is the norm!
Good Job there Emeli, just wished local musicians and politicians could be more vocal on such issues instead of fighting each other. There is more news of useless political wrangles than real issues that affect people that need attention, what a shame, anyway, thanks for making an effort!
There is a need for employers to include gender awareness assessment the at job interviews.
Emelie, thanks for coming home and for getting in touch with the realities of our people. As you add your voice to the plight of our medical facilities and the that of battered women, I would hope that you can also make a date with the first lady and the head of state on the same. Make hay while the sun shines.
Did you manage to visit dad’s village? The health centre there would also have told you another needy story.
Thanks for coming… God bless you and your family. Greet your father for us!
She looked ugly without her stage makeup mwe.Good message though.Keep on doing that.
Mmmmmm ba Shungu, would it have been hard for you to just focus on the positive and not have to bring your opinion of how she looks? I say that because often, we are quick to point out the negatives about others without really thinking about the purpose of doing so. One would ask the question, what do her looks have to do with why she was in Zambia. Sometimes, when we don’t have nice things to say, especially when they are unwarranted, its best not to say anything at all because whether your follow on message is a positive one, it would have already been tainted by the negativity that preceded it.
Shungu, she didin’t come to Zambia to show off her beauty, she already has a husband to whom she is all beauty in his eyes! Infact she knew she was coming for very serious business, & not for a catwalk photoshoot! We like her for the way she looked & not stood out like a sore thumb of makeup!
Its EMELIE SANDE not sandi, ba LT. Her music is amazing, she isn’t a fashion model, but an award-winning songbird. Ati, she is ugly ba Shungu? Efyo mufwila!!!! Nga mwamona umukashani ninshi bwaima! Beauty comes in many forms and you can’t stereotype. Nice that Emelie acknowledges her Zambian heritage.We are proud to have her visit.
Shungu, u must be a UPND cadre