‘Secure future of differently abled children’

IT is the duty of every adult in to secure the rights and future of children regardless of their challenges or inabilities, First Lady Esther Lungu has said. Ms Lungu called on parents of the differently abled children to love and embrace their children as they were a blessing from God. The First lady was speaking at the commissioning and presentation of infrastructure and water reticulation system to Wakwashi Wa Nzambi School for differently abled children in Kitwe yesterday. The school is in Chimwemwe East. "My love for children and the belief that it is our duty as adults to secure their future, is what has brought me here today. That desire to see every child’s future, enjoy all the privileges of childhood without being denied that right because of any challenges or inability, physical or mental by society," she said. Ms Lungu has also donated K10, 000 to the volunteers at the school to help them start up something to sustain the institution. She also donated 20 bags of 50 kilogrammes of rice, 40 five-litre cooking oil, 15 bags of mealie meal, five wheelchairs for children and three for adults, sanitary towels, soap and walking aids. The First Lady has also urged the staff at Wukwashi to continue with their compassion and care towards the children. "May it never emerge that any of you has at any one time treated these children with less dignity, care and love they deserve," she said. Ms Lungu said any ill treatment to the children would be discouraging to her and the donors and a betrayal to the children who had great proportion of trust in them. Copperbelt Energy Corporation Board Chairman London Mwafulilwa said his organisation has spent about K1 million on the construction of the Wukwashi Wa Nzambi School. Mr Mwafulilwa said the company prioritizes education, health and the welfare of youths in society and therefore saw it fit to build three new classrooms, fully equipped physiotherapy room, an ablution block as well as a borehole. He commended the teachers and administration of Wukwashi Wa Nzambi for their dedication to selfless the welfare of the differently abled children. Mr Mwafulilwa said the company was focused on improving welfare of youths and would continue to give back to the community through corporate social responsibility. A representative of the children, Happy Nswana, said the school was unable to sponsor learners to higher education due to limited funding from donors. Mr Nswana therefore appealed to the First Lady to help the school in sponsoring the learners who complete grade 12 such as himself to higher education. He said the handover of the facility and borehole to the school would pave a way for many differently abled children to have access to education. Mr Nswana said the school would enable many special children to excel in their education and compete on fair grounds with the able children.

Any ill treatment to the children would be discouraging to her and the donors and a betrayal to the children who had great proportion of trust in them.

— Esther Lungu