Gethsemane Mwizabi
6 June 2008
analysis
Ndola — KANTOLOMBA is a place of many contrasts and contradictions. Like a rocking chair, it is a busy place. Men and women, boys and girls and children alike crowd every corner.
Some line up to draw water and others simply crowd shebeens. With high unemployment levels, poverty, HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancies, this Ndola township knew very little about development until now.
It is a fact that bringing development to an impoverished community like Kantolomba could be a daunting task.
Lots of youths there spend most of their time in shebeens drinking opaque beer, chibuku and the illicit brew Kachasu. Boys and girls alike have become endangered species to vices like HIV/AIDS and drug abuse.
Kantolomba's socio-economic challenges are a common phenomenon. Other townships like Chipulukusu, Nkwazi and Kawama, among others have similar challenges.
However, Kantolomba's problems have attracted attention from companies that have placed social responsibility on top of their agenda. One such company is Boart Longyear, a global drilling services provider. The company has partnered with Rainbow Elizabetha Project; a Catholic project that runs a number of HIV/AIDS programmes focused on the protection and development of widows and orphans in the area.
The project, which runs solely on sponsorship and assistance from members of the community, not only runs a home but also helps impoverished members of the community in form of counseling for HIV/AIDS and related health and social issues. The project also runs nutritional food supplement programmes and supports two-community schools.
As major sponsor, Boart Longyear has provided monetary assistance to the project. The money is being used to buy medicine, food, baby formula, mosquito nets and school uniforms for the community's children. The company spends over US$3,000 every month on food and medical supplies.
Many children in the community hardly have three meals, as their guardians are unable to provide for them. As such, pupils at Rainbow Elizabetha Community School are provided with high protein meals regularly.
"We have an obligation to develop communities where we operate. We want to secure a future for the people of Kantolamba especially children," Boart Longyear general manager, Deon Nolan says.
True, life in Kantolomba has been a challenge for a lot of people in the area. With high unemployment levels and no recreational facilities, youths turn to beer drinking as an escape from their troubles. Further many have not been spared by the impact of HIV/AIDS and poverty.
Kantolomba has the highest number of TB, STDs, and HIV cases in Ndola district. This is due to the fact that the township acts as a manufacturer of Kachasu, the illicit beer. A lot of men and women, including youth idle around taverns and sink their lips into cups of chibuku too.
The collapse of the extended family system, once Africa's strong institution, has had an effect on the way of life in communities like Kantolomba.
"We have many orphaned children here. Many of them come to school, others we just follow them," said Rainbow Elizabetha project coordinator, Charity Simwaka.
Ms Simwaka is concerned with high rates of HIV/AIDS and poverty in the area.
Currently, the project has 50 people on antiretroviral (ARVs) treatment and among these, there are 21 women and 20 men on TB treatment.
"We are grateful to Boart Longyear for securing medicine and food for our clinic," she said.
The fully stocked and only clinic in the community is located at the community school. It has one volunteer doctor, who attends to patients. Before the clinic was established, residents used to go to near by townships like Lubuto and Masala to access health services.
In addition to the financial assistance, the company has drilled a borehole in order to provide clean water to the community.
Sanitation has long been a huge problem for the community. Sinking of the borehole will somehow meet some of the many needs in community.
"We have not had such development before. Kantolomba is like an abandoned place because it lies in isolation," said Josephine Mpanga a local.
Ms Mpanga has lived most of her life in Kantolomba and is aware of the challenges faced by her community.
She is concerned with lack of recreational facilities and high unemployment levels in the area. Her biggest fear and frustration, is that a young generation might be lost.
She says redemptive measures like improving social amenities might be a solution to make life better for residents.
She is, however, grateful that the drilling company was helping to improve the area.
"Most of the children didn't have uniforms and shoes. We are grateful for the investment in education," she said.
She said education investment for underprivileged children would be the only way to secure a brighter future.
With the population of 7,000, Kantolomba has been in existence for 60 years. It was named after a colonial constructor named Kant Robert, who worked in the area. He married a local woman and stayed in the area until his death. The local people failed to pronounce his name, hence Kantolomba.They named the place in his honour.
Families in the sprawling township are in need of good roads besides the borehole dug for them.
According to Mr Nolan, his company is also assisting with a request for electricity to the community school, which has had no power since it was built.
Other companies too, should consider developing places like Kontolomba. Only then will the much talked about social responsibility have meaning.
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africa.livingcompassion.org
Living Compassion is on the ground in Kantolomba. Initially there to feed its 3000 hungry kids, they've now drilled the first wells for fresh drinking water, have a medical clinic going, and their microfinance program is kicking into high gear. Their goal is for Kantolomba to be self-sustaining.
africa.livingcompassion.org
I just wanted to know if one wants to send contributions how do you that? I would really like to help out with the little that I have it can go long way. thanking you
Salome