Gender Sensitization among Zambia farmers

by Eunice Nkhata and Betty Mtonga ~ October 2011

A note from Patsy: The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Relief and Development Department (CCAP R&D) is a long time partner of CRWRC-Zambia. They currently run agriculture and literacy programs with the support of CRWRC. The following is a story written by staff members Eunice Nkhata and Betty Mtonga.

In the Eastern Province of Zambia, women comprise more than eighty percent of the workforce engaged in farm labor, and these women spend longer hours than men doing agricultural work. They also play a very important reproductive role.

Even though women are the major participants in agricultural production, they are invisible in providing leadership or decision making in agriculture. Women also are key providers of food for their families, but their level of access to health and food for nutritional purposes falls far below that of their male counterparts. Gender sensitization is a key element in the programming of CRWRC’s partner, CCAP Relief and Development (CCAP R&D). In their agriculture programmes, some of the women participants have made significant changes in their lives, and Margret Banda is one of them.

Margret Banda of Samuel Village in the Chieftain Kapichila of Lundazi District is one of the oldest beneficiaries of CCAP R&D agriculture programmes. Samuel village, like any other community in Zambia, did not allow women to lead or make decisions which resulted in this community choosing a male Agricultural Volunteer Worker (AVW) as their primary trainer and representative in the CCAP research and development agriculture program. The programme operated for two years under the leadership of a man. Later on, Gender Equity training was integrated in the agriculture programme.

After a year, when the community had been sensitized in Gender participation, Margret was chosen as the new AVW. Since the election, Samuel village has been realizing outstanding results. Margaret was not only chosen to lead thirty farmers but also to organize other programmes because of her integrity. She has not only become an example of transparent leadership in the group, but also at her own home.

Margret has made changes in all areas of her life. Her business has improved significantly, allowing her to send her four children to high school. She has also built a brick house with an iron roof which is an improvement over the mud huts with grass roofs that most of her neighbors have. She has also made progress in her domestic life because she is now able to sit down, discuss, and make decisions together with her husband. When evaluating the achievements of the community groups that CCAP R&D work with, they found Margret’s group to be the fourth (4) out of sixteen (16) community groups in meeting targeted goals.

When we asked her husband to make comments on the transformation of their family he said “we will forever be grateful to the gender programme for building our capacity.”
 

Prayer Requests:

• Pray for the work and ministry of CCAP R&D that the Lord will continue to use them in transforming families and communities in Zambia.
• Pray for me as I give guidance and direction to the CCAP R&D staff so that they too can be both strengthened and transformed to be more effective in their ministry.

About Patsy Orkar Sagara

Patsy and Ephraim have a long history serving with CRWRC in Africa. Patsy started with CRWRC in 1994 as a relief volunteer in Rwanda. Subsequent to that she spent 2 years in Haiti before serving a 6-year term in Mali. While in Mali, she met and married Ephraim and together they have two daughters, Esther Suzette and Elizabeth Anne.

Patsy’s primary work responsibilities are to provide training and assist with capacity building support to our two partner agencies based in Chipata, Zambia.

Email:  porkar@crwrc.org