“When Stories Become Solutions: Zambian Learners Find Their Voice”

By Alain Kabinda 

In a classroom, a student's story can easily be dismissed as just another personal experience.

But at Crested Crane School in Lusaka, stories are becoming something more powerful — a bridge between learners, a tool for understanding different experiences and a pathway towards solving problems in their communities.

This was the atmosphere as the Ministry of Education officially opened the Narrative 4 Second Inter-School Students Story Exchange and City Schools Challenge Grand Finale, bringing together learners from 10 secondary schools to share experiences and propose solutions to challenges affecting their schools and communities.

For the learners, the programme is about more than standing before judges and competing for a project grant. It is about learning to listen to someone whose life may be completely different from their own. And, ultimately, it is about discovering that young people can play a role in shaping the communities in which they live.

The six-month City Schools Programme has been running simultaneously in Zambia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya, with the aim of building a continent-wide network of civically engaged young leaders.

At the heart of the programme is a simple idea: people can better understand one another when they are willing to share their stories and listen to the stories of others.

That approach has particular significance in schools, where learners come from different social, economic and cultural backgrounds. Through story exchanges, students are encouraged to step outside their own experiences and consider the realities faced by their peers.

At the grand finale, 10 secondary schools are pitching practical solutions to challenges identified within their schools and communities.

The winning school will receive US$1,300, approximately K25,490, to implement its proposed community project.

Officiating at the event on behalf of the Directorate of Teacher Education and Specialized Services, Principal Education Officer Dr Sikwela Maxwell said the programme represented an important milestone after six months of implementation.

                                                          Dr Sikwela Maxwell

He said the initiative was closely aligned with the Ministry of Education's Competency-Based Curriculum, which seeks to develop learners with critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving abilities.

“Remember that leadership begins with empathy and that your voices have the power to shape a more united and compassionate Zambia,” he told the learners.

Rather than viewing young people merely as recipients of education, the initiative treats them as individuals capable of identifying problems, understanding different perspectives and contributing solutions.

Dr Maxwell said the Ministry remained committed to supporting innovative programmes that promote student confidence, emotional maturity and civic agency.

One of the distinctive features of the Narrative 4 approach is its emphasis on teachers as facilitators.

Teachers participating in the programme are trained to become certified facilitators, allowing storytelling and empathy-building activities to continue beyond the grand finale.

Dr Maxwell said this was important because education should not be confined to textbooks.

“Narrative 4's methodology — using story exchanges to build empathy and compassionate leadership — aligns directly with our national objectives. By training teachers to become certified facilitators, this programme extends education far beyond textbooks,” he said.

This approach creates the possibility of embedding communication, empathy and problem-solving into everyday learning.

For learners, it also creates a safer space in which they can express themselves, listen to others and explore challenges that may otherwise remain hidden.

Meanwhile Crested Crane Academy Head Teacher Mr Issaac Mphande, whose school hosted the event, encouraged learners to embrace the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences with students from different schools.

                                                       Mr. Issaac Mphande

He said the platform provided an opportunity for learners to discuss issues affecting their lives and connect with their peers.

When students encounter people with different experiences, they are given an opportunity to challenge assumptions and develop a broader understanding of the communities around them.

That can be particularly important for young people preparing to become tomorrow's professionals, entrepreneurs, community leaders and decision-makers.

The City Schools Challenge also shifts the focus from identifying problems to developing solutions. And the participating schools are expected to present practical responses to challenges affecting their communities.

The competition therefore gives learners an opportunity to apply skills such as research, teamwork, communication, creativity and critical thinking to real-life situations.

The winning idea will not simply receive recognition; it will have an opportunity to become a project on the ground.

For the students, this creates a direct link between an idea developed in school and an intervention that can potentially benefit their wider community.

The Ministry's support for the programme comes at a time when education systems are increasingly expected to prepare learners for challenges that cannot be solved through memorisation alone.

Climate change, unemployment, inequality, technological change, social tensions and community development require people who can listen, analyse problems, work with others and develop practical solutions.

The Narrative 4 programme seeks to nurture some of those abilities through a simple but powerful starting point: listening to another person's story.

As Dr Maxwell reminded the students, their voices matter. The challenge now is to ensure that those voices do not end when the grand finale closes.

If the programme succeeds, the real measure will not simply be which school wins the K25,490 grant.

It will be whether the learners leave with greater confidence to listen, understand, lead and act — and whether the stories exchanged between young people eventually become the ideas and solutions that help build more connected, compassionate and resilient communities.

NCC CALLS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS TO BUILD LOCAL CAPACITY

By Alain Kabinda

LUSAKA, September 24, 2026 — The National Council for Construction (NCC) has called for Zambia’s infrastructure investments to deliver more than physical projects by creating local businesses, jobs, skills and technological capacity.

NCC Board Chairperson QS Collins Sitali says major infrastructure projects should leave the country with stronger Zambian contractors, engineers, artisans, suppliers and manufacturers capable of undertaking increasingly complex projects.

Speaking at the opening of the BuildZambia Conference and Expo 2026 in Lusaka, Mr Sitali said the construction industry should not merely execute projects but also contribute to building the wider economy.

He said inclusive infrastructure development must be reflected in who receives business opportunities, develops skills, supplies materials, owns construction companies and participates in major projects.

Mr Sitali, who spoke under the theme “Driving Inclusive Infrastructure Development for an Equitable Zambia,” said local participation should, however, be supported by competitiveness and professionalism.

“A Zambian contractor must be able to compete on quality, price, safety, delivery, technology, financial management and professionalism,” he said.

He said the long-term objective should not simply be to give local contractors projects, but to develop companies capable of winning and successfully delivering projects because of their capacity and expertise.

Mr Sitali called for improved access to affordable finance, equipment, predictable opportunities, timely payment, continuous training and genuine transfer of knowledge and technology.

He also urged construction companies to develop sustainable enterprises rather than businesses established only to pursue individual tenders.

Meanwhile, NCC Executive Director Prof. Paul L. K. Makasa said the Council's mandate goes beyond registering contractors.

Prof. Makasa said the NCC is responsible for regulating, promoting and building capacity within the construction industry.

He said the success of the Council should ultimately be measured by the number of capable, compliant and competitive Zambian construction enterprises developed.

“Registration must be the beginning of the journey, not its destination,” Prof. Makasa said.

He challenged participants at the conference to turn discussions into practical partnerships involving contractors, financiers, manufacturers, developers, suppliers and investors.

“Countries are not transformed by conferences. They are transformed by what people do after the conference,” he said.

And Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Permanent Secretary Prof. Albert Malama said infrastructure development should be viewed as a tool for economic and social transformation.

Prof. Malama said roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, housing, energy, water and communication infrastructure should improve access to opportunities and contribute to better livelihoods.

He said inclusive infrastructure must benefit citizens across the country while creating opportunities for Zambian professionals and businesses to participate in the infrastructure value chain.

“A road must leave behind more than a road. It must leave behind skills, businesses, jobs, technology, stronger communities and, ultimately, a stronger Zambian construction industry,” Prof. Malama said.

He further called for infrastructure to be designed and constructed with climate resilience, accessibility and long-term maintenance in mind.

Meanwhile, Engineering Institution of Zambia Vice President for Policy, Public Relations and National Development Eng. Dr Chilala Kakoma Bowa said quality infrastructure begins with quality engineering.

Dr Bowa said professional competence, ethical practice, standards, continuous professional development and innovation were essential to delivering safe and durable infrastructure.

He said the engineering profession must also respond to climate change, rapid urbanisation, population growth and technological advancement.

The BuildZambia Conference and Expo 2026 has brought together Government, regulators, contractors, financiers, manufacturers, professional bodies, academics and other stakeholders to discuss infrastructure financing, local participation, technology, housing, climate resilience, safety and job creation.

The stakeholders are expected to use the conference to strengthen partnerships aimed at ensuring that Zambia's infrastructure development contributes to long-term economic growth and domestic construction industry capacity.

 ZAMRA, IBA Move to Tackle Misleading Health Claims on Airwaves

 By Alain kabinda 

A promise of healing on radio or television can reach thousands of people before a regulator has an opportunity to question it.

For a listener searching for hope, a testimony about a spiritual intervention, a traditional remedy or a product said to cure a serious illness may sound like a solution.

They are some of the difficult questions which are now confronting Zambia's broadcasting and medicines regulators as they seek to establish clearer boundaries around spiritual, traditional and cultural content aired on radio and television.

The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA), Zambia Institute of Marketing and other stakeholders have begun working together to find practical solutions to the growing challenge.

ZAMRA in Partnership with IBA held a stakeholder engagement in Lusaka under the theme “Promoting Responsible Broadcasting of Spiritual, Traditional and Cultural practices” The engagement focuses particularly on advertisements, testimonials, demonstrations and promotional material involving spiritual, traditional and cultural practices where health or therapeutic claims are made.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting IBA Director General Webster Malido said broadcasting has enormous influence over public opinion, choices and behaviour.

He said, comes with a responsibility to ensure that information reaching audiences is presented accurately and responsibly.

“Broadcasting is a very powerful tool that shapes public opinion, choices and behaviour,” Mr Malido says.

The IBA monitors content aired on radio and television stations to assess compliance with applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and broadcasting standards.

Through this work, the Authority has identified instances involving spiritual and traditional practices, as well as advertisements and promotional material for medical products and services, that have raised concerns from a public-interest and broadcasting perspective.

Mr Malido said that some of the concerns relate to how claims about the effectiveness or benefits of products, treatments and services are presented.

Testimonials and demonstrations can be particularly difficult because audiences may not always be able to distinguish between a person's belief, personal experience, promotional material and information that can be independently verified.

The regulators acknowledge that Zambia's spiritual, religious, traditional and cultural practices are an important part of society.

Mr Malido stressed that the IBA's concern is not with beliefs or practices themselves.

He also said that this is how claims associated with those practices are communicated through broadcasting platforms.

Zambia's Constitution protects freedoms including freedom of expression and religion, while the country's diverse traditional and cultural practices also deserve respect.

The challenge is therefore to find a balance between protecting those freedoms and protecting audiences from content that could potentially mislead or cause harm.

“We need to look at how we can find an appropriate balance — one that respects legitimate spiritual, religious, traditional and cultural beliefs and practices while protecting members of the public from content that could potentially” cause harm, Mr Malido said.

That balance is becoming particularly important when a spiritual or traditional claim moves beyond an expression of belief and begins to promise the prevention, treatment or cure of a disease.

And ZAMRA Director General Mr. Makomani Siyanga said that the authority has a responsibility, together with other institutions, to protect the public from potential harm arising from misleading health claims and unlawful advertising and promotion of medical products.

Mr Siyanga said ZAMRA, IBA and the Zambia Institute of Marketing had already met in March 2026 to discuss advertising of approved medicines and allied substances.

The latest engagement, he said that reflects a broader “one government” approach to addressing complex issues involving advertising, public health and consumer protection.

“Every day members of the Republic are exposed to advertisements making extraordinary claims about products, services or interventions purporting to cure diseases,” Mr Siyanga said.

Some of these claims may be rooted in traditional, cultural or religious beliefs and practices that are deeply embedded in communities.

But when such claims are used to advertise or promote products, particularly unapproved products, the public can potentially be exposed to harm.

Mr Siyanga draws attention to Section 62 of the Public Health Act, which prohibits the advertising of medicines, appliances, articles or claims purporting to cure or benefit certain diseases and conditions specified under the law.

He also noted that monitoring of print and electronic media has shown that some advertisements continue to make claims that may fall within the concerns addressed by the provision.

The problem is that a claim presented as spiritual or supernatural may also amount to a health or therapeutic claim.

“We need to answer where spiritual expression ends and where a regulated health claim begins,” Mr Siyanga said.

The question becomes even more important when an advertisement moves from saying that a person believes in a particular intervention to claiming that the intervention can prevent or cure a disease.

Mr Siyanga is quick to clarify that ZAMRA does not regulate traditional beliefs or traditional medicine practices as such.

The authority regulates conventional medicines and allied substances, including medicines formulated in conventional forms such as tablets, capsules, syrups and injections, as well as products assessed through established regulatory processes.

Mr Siyanga added that does not mean traditional knowledge should be excluded from discussions about safety, quality and ethical marketing.

He challenged stakeholders to consider how traditional knowledge and practices could be further developed into properly formulated, scientifically evaluated and evidence-based medicines.

Where products meet the required regulatory standards, he says, they can be submitted for registration. Such a process could provide greater assurance regarding their quality, safety and effectiveness while potentially creating opportunities for wider markets.

when a claim is repeated on radio or television, audiences may interpret its appearance on a recognised media platform as an indication that the claim has been verified.

That is why Mr Malido says broadcasters have an important responsibility and The IBA wants today's engagement to go beyond identifying problems and instead produce practical outcomes.

Stakeholders are expected to examine legal, ethical, consumer protection, health, religious, traditional and cultural considerations surrounding advertisements, testimonials, demonstrations and other promotional content.

So this end Zambia must protect freedom of expression and religion while also ensuring that people are not misled by health claims broadcast to the public.

Their concern is what happens when belief is presented as a verifiable medical fact or used to promote a product or service claiming to treat a disease.

Mr Malido says the measures developed from the engagement should respect the rights, beliefs and cultural diversity that are important to Zambian society.

“Our collective responsibility is to ensure that broadcast informs rather than misleads, protects rather than exploits, and strengthens public trust,” he said.

Mr Siyanga similarly calls for broadcasters, regulators and other stakeholders to develop a common understanding of regulatory boundaries and clarify their respective responsibilities.

But for regulators, the difference between a spiritual testimony, a personal experience and a medical claim can have significant implications when the subject is a serious illness.

Ultimately, the regulators have said that the airwaves must remain a place where Zambia's diversity can be expressed while audiences are protected from potentially misleading health information.

 ZASTA BACKS GROW ZAMBIA AGENDA, WARNS FERTILISER-ONLY APPROACH COULD UNDERMINE FOOD SECURITY

By Alain Kabinda

Zambia's ambition to transform agriculture into a major driver of economic growth and food security will require farmers to have access to more than fertiliser, the Zambia Seed Trade Association (ZASTA) has warned.

ZASTA President Patrick Nyumbu said that the success of the Grow Zambia Agenda will depend on improved farmer productivity, quality inputs and stronger collaboration between Government and the private sector.

Mr Nyumbu describes the Grow Zambia Agenda as “a step in the right direction”, saying the measurable production targets provide a clear framework for expanding agricultural production and developing Zambia's export potential.

“The Grow Zambia Agenda that has been spelled out by the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, is a step in the right direction and requires the private sector to step to the front and provide the execution engine that will make it a reality,” Mr Nyumbu said.

He said ZASTA is ready to partner with Government in achieving the targets because its membership includes seed companies supplying varieties required to support national crop production.

According to Mr Nyumbu, three of the key production targets under the Grow Zambia Agenda directly depend on the seed industry.

These are the production of 10 million metric tonnes of maize, three million metric tonnes of soyabeans and one million metric tonnes of wheat.

He said the targets demonstrate the importance Government has placed on agriculture, with five of the eight major targets coming from the sector.

“We welcome the political will and support of the overall agricultural sector as five out of eight targets are from the agriculture sector,” Mr Nyumbu said.

He said this signals an intention to use agriculture to diversify Zambia's export base while improving incomes for rural households and strengthening value chains.

Mr Nyumbu also points to Africa's food import bill, saying the continent spends more than US$100 billion on food imports despite having significant arable land and a young population.

He said increasing production could therefore contribute to improved food security while creating economic opportunities for farmers and businesses across the agricultural value chain.

ZASTA has also welcomed the Kenya maize export initiative, saying regional markets could help position Zambia as a reliable source of grain.

Mr Nyumbu added that agricultural exports require stronger alliances and supply chains that extend beyond national borders.

“The process of growing agricultural exports requires formation of alliances and supply chains beyond borders. This initiative is one such development,” he said.

He says successful regional trade could create additional markets for Zambian farmers while strengthening the country's position within the regional food supply chain.

However, ZASTA is raising concern over what it describes as a developing practice of farmers redeeming only fertiliser under the Government's e-voucher programme.

Mr Nyumbu said the practice could pose risks to both household and national food security and potentially undermine the production targets under the Grow Zambia Agenda.

“If a farmer only redeems fertilizer, it raises a question on how the fertilizer will be utilized without seeds,” he said.

He said the concern is that fertiliser accessed through the Government programme could end up being sold to dealers rather than applied to farmers' fields.

According to Mr Nyumbu, such a development could distort the agricultural input market and affect both the supply and demand sides.

He further warned that it could create conditions in which farmers turn to counterfeit or fake seed.

“The success of the Grow Zambia Agenda will require improvement of farmer production and productivity. This improvement cannot be achieved by fertilizer alone,” he said.

Mr Nyumbu said farmers who do not access certified seed may also end up using sub-standard varieties of unknown origin or characteristics, potentially affecting yields and overall productivity.

The seed industry is also urging farmers to consider climate conditions when selecting varieties for the coming farming season.

Mr Nyumbu said the anticipated El Niño conditions make it particularly important for farmers to use certified and climate-smart seed available on the market.

He says such varieties have been tested across different environments and seasons and include varieties bred for heat and drought tolerance.

“These varieties are tried and tested over wide-ranging environments and seasons in addition to being bred for heat and drought tolerance,” he said.

Mr Nyumbu said the use of appropriate seed could give farmers a better chance of obtaining reasonable harvests during seasons characterised by extreme weather.

The message from ZASTA is that Zambia's agricultural transformation will depend not only on setting ambitious production targets but also on ensuring that farmers have access to the right inputs to achieve them.

For the seed industry, fertiliser and seed should therefore be viewed as complementary components of agricultural production rather than separate interventions.

As Zambia seeks to increase maize, soyabean and wheat production and expand agricultural exports, ZASTA says partnerships between Government, farmers and private-sector input suppliers will be critical to translating the Grow Zambia Agenda from targets on paper into harvests in farmers' fields.

 Silent Syphilis: Zambia Sounds Alarm as STI Cases Surpass Half a Million

 

By Alain Kabinda

A person can feel healthy, watch the symptoms disappear and assume the danger has passed. But with syphilis, the silence can be deceptive.

The infection can remain in the body long after visible symptoms have disappeared, potentially progressing to serious complications affecting the brain, nervous system, eyes, ears, heart and other organs if it is not diagnosed and treated.

That silent nature of syphilis is now at the centre of a renewed public health campaign in Zambia, where authorities are confronting a much wider sexually transmitted infection (STI) challenge.

The Ministry of Health says Zambia recorded more than half a million STI cases last year, a figure it says represents a significant increase compared with previous years.

The numbers have prompted Government and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Zambia to launch the Stop Syphilis Campaign, with a message that prevention and treatment must move beyond health facilities and into communities.

Presenting the finding Ministry of Health National STI Coordinator Dr. Irene Bwalya said the statistics are a warning that the country cannot afford to simply watch STI infections increase.

“We are dealing with an epidemic. We can't afford to sit and watch these numbers increase,” Dr. Bwalya said.

Dr. Bwalya says the Ministry has improved testing among pregnant women following the introduction and scale-up of dual HIV and syphilis testing in antenatal clinics.

According to Ministry data presented during the campaign launch, Lusaka, Central, Copperbelt and Southern provinces continue to record some of the highest numbers of newly diagnosed STIs.

And preliminary figures for the first half of 2026 suggest that Zambia has not yet managed to bring the situation under control.

And AHF Zambia Country Programmes Manager Dr. Webster Walubita, said that the greatest danger posed by syphilis is that people may not realise they have it.

“This can be silent. Symptoms can disappear, and yet it is there,” he said.

Dr. Walubita said AHF's experience at its wellness centres demonstrates why active testing is necessary.

AHF operates three wellness centres—two in Lusaka and one on the Copperbelt—and reports that approximately 9 percent of people tested for syphilis at its facilities have been biologically confirmed positive.

If people are only tested after symptoms become obvious, some infections will inevitably remain undetected.

“If we wait only for people to show up with symptoms, we are definitely going to miss it,” Dr. Walubita said.

Untreated syphilis can progress and affect the nervous system, eyes, ears and cardiovascular system. Some patients can develop visual impairment, hearing problems and other serious complications.

Yet, unlike many diseases that are difficult to treat, syphilis can be diagnosed and cured. That is what makes the continuing burden particularly concerning for health authorities.

An untreated pregnant woman can transmit the infection to her unborn child, potentially resulting in miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, neonatal death or congenital syphilis.

Children born with congenital syphilis can experience complications involving their bones, brain, hearing and other organs.

She further said that it is the continued increase in congenital syphilis.

For a disease that is both preventable and curable, the continued impact on newborn children presents a significant challenge.

“No child should be in life burdened by a disease that is curable, and a disease that the nation has power to eliminate,” Dr. Bwlaya said.

The Ministry says STI infections are particularly affecting the 18 to 25-year-old age group.

Dr. Bwalya says several factors are contributing to the trend, including early sexual activity among young girls, limited condom use and delayed treatment seeking.

Challenges in partner notification can also lead to reinfection, while poverty and transactional sex are among the broader socioeconomic factors identified by the Ministry.

In many communities, sexual health remains difficult to discuss openly, leaving young people to obtain information from friends and social media. And Zambia's progress in HIV prevention could also be affected if STIs are left behind.

Dr. Bwalya says STIs can increase susceptibility to HIV infection and facilitate HIV transmission.

“We've done very well with our HIV prevention programme, but if we leave STIs behind, STIs have been shown to increase susceptibility as well as transmission of HIV,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi, Director of Clinical Care and Diagnostic Services Dr. Lisulo Walubita said Zambia needed to move health promotion from conventional hospital settings into communities.

He said the campaign's messages should be simple enough for ordinary community members to understand.

The objective is not merely to increase the number of people who know about syphilis, but to make testing, prevention and treatment part of everyday community health services.

Dr. Lisulo said partnerships with organisations such as AHF Zambia were helping Government take that response closer to communities.

AHF Zambia has committed significant resources to its community-based sexual health response.

The organisation says it has invested close to US$6 million since 2024 in its three wellness centres, supporting infrastructure, healthcare workers, diagnostics, commodities, outreach, testing, treatment and linkage to care.

During the Stop Syphilis Campaign, AHF plans to test up to 1,500 people for syphilis and other STIs, provide HIV testing to 2,500 people, distribute more than 100,000 condoms and reach over 20,000 people with prevention and treatment information.

But Dr. Walubita says the campaign should not be judged simply by how many people attend testing sites.

People who test positive must receive treatment. Their partners need to be reached. Pregnant women need continued screening and treatment. Communities need ongoing access to condoms and accurate information.

These include improving the supply of testing kits and treatment commodities, training healthcare workers in syphilis case management, improving data systems and integrating STI services into existing health platforms.

The government is also strengthening STI services in youth-friendly spaces and using the ECHO virtual platform to provide technical support to healthcare workers.

Provincial STI and data teams are being brought together to analyse the numbers and develop responses tailored to the circumstances of individual provinces.

A congenital syphilis elimination plan is also being developed, while new STI guidelines and an operational plan are being rolled out.

The Ministry is calling on healthcare workers to integrate syphilis screening into antenatal clinics, outpatient departments and community outreach programmes.

For AHF Zambia, the real measure of the Stop Syphilis Campaign will not be the banners, roadshows or launch events.

And whether a pregnant woman is screened early enough to prevent an infection from reaching her unborn child.

That is why both Government and AHF Zambia are calling for the campaign to become part of a sustained national response rather than a one-week intervention , Zambia's more than half a million STI cases provide the scale of the challenge and the 9 percent biologically confirmed syphilis positivity reported by AHF's wellness centres provides another warning.

And the continued increase in congenital syphilis gives the crisis its most vulnerable face—the unborn and newborn child. The country now has a disease that can be detected, treated and cured, but health authorities say the tools will only work if people can access them. For Zambia, the fight against syphilis is therefore not simply about treating an infection.

It is about breaking the silence around sexual health, taking services into communities and ensuring that a disease capable of remaining hidden does not continue causing preventable harm.