Chinese firms join malaria fight
MORE than 30 families of workers in Chinese companies on the Copperbelt received assorted items for participating in the competition aimed at improving their surrounding and preventing the spread of malaria in the communities.
The families who participated in the competition were from Ndola, Luanshya, Kitwe, Chambishi, Mufulira and Chingola.
Zambia Chinese Association (ZCA) Copperbelt chapter and the Malaria Partners Zambia organised the competition and the award-giving ceremony held at Mawlaik barracks in Kitwe,
ZCA Copperbelt chapter President Wang Xin said competition was aimed at encouraging the employees of Chinese-owned companies to clean up their surrounding and reduce the chances of spreading malaria within the communities.
Mr Wang said the initiative was also aimed at ensuring strong and close relationship between the employees and Chinese employers.
He was hopeful that that participants, who had come third or fourth in the competition, would strive to come first or second in the next contest.
"This being the first competition, no one will go empty-handed. Everyone will go with something so that those
who have come third, fourth, fifth or sixth will work hard to become first or second.
"The whole competition is aimed at making sure that employees compete in keeping their surrounding clean. Apart from this, we believe the competition, will also ensure strong and closer ties between the employees and the management," Mr Wang said.
Earlier, Malaria Partners Zambia, executive director Martha Lungu said the competition was looking at various issues like blocked drainages, exposed trash, stagnant water and general cleanliness of each house's surrounding.
Ms Lungu, who was one of the five judges, said of all the six districts, Luanshya was outstanding in various areas and that other districts needed to work hard in the next competition.
She said she was happy that the families which participated in the competition were cooperative from the time the competition started up to the time it ended.
"Finally, we are coming to the prize giving ceremony of this competition which had been smooth from the beginning because as judges, we received a lot of support from you, the participants.
"One thing I must state is that the competition was tight in Luanshya and we had a difficult time to pick up the winner, but we had to come up with the winner anyway," Ms Lungu said.
And the first prize winners walked away with groceries worth more than K1,200, while the second winner prize got groceries worth more than K850 of groceries.
The third prize winner got K750 worth of groceries with the fourth prize getting K550 worth of groceries
Apart from the prizes to deserving winners, all the participants were given a 2.5litres container of cooking oil, a box of face masks and hand sanitizers.