Potipher Tembo
30 June 2009
IT is around 06:00 hours and there is a lot of noise outside a number of ramshackle buildings in Ndola's Kantolomba Township as men and women, both young and old, 'enjoy life' by participating in drinking the illicit brew known as kachasu.
A good number of women in this slum-like township earn their living by brewing and selling kachasu. Those that are not in the business of brewing or selling the commodity involve themselves by visiting the homes where the illicit brew is sold and spend the little money they have on it.
In Kantolomba, the business of kachasu brewing and drinking has thrived for some time. The majority of women who deal in this business say their husbands are not in employment and the brewing and selling of kachasu is the only means of livelihood they have.
"I have to make money to feed both my husband and my children. Brewing and selling kachasu is the only source of income," said one woman who declined to be named. A couple found taking the beer said they had nowhere to go and pass time after a day's work.
The couple survives through selling some mealie meal in smaller packets (pamela) and charcoal outside their house. This way, life goes on. Kantolomba Township was thus rated number one in Ndola where the brewing and drinking of kachasu was concerned.
However, some concerned people felt such a situation should not be allowed to continue. To help the women of Kantolomba engage themselves in developmental projects and discourage them from brewing and selling kachasu, Ndola Town Clerk, Charity Nanda-Mpande has adopted the literacy centre in the area.
The centre, which has been renamed Charity Nanda Women's Group literacy centre, was set up way back in 2004 by a Kantolomba resident, Nathaniel Mwange with 205 learners. Mr Mwange, who is now Kantolomba ward councillor, said during the launch of the centre that illiteracy in the township had reached alarming proportions with a lot of women engaging in brewing of the illicit beer.
Many men and women drink kachasu uncontrollably while some people engage in selling dagga and smoking it openly. Mr Mwange said alcohol and drug abuse was rife in Kantolomba and the Ndola City Council (NCC) department of health and the State did everything they could to control the situation but to no avail.
When the situation appeared to be getting out of hand, NCC together with the Drug Enforcement Commission started conducting seminars and workshops on the dangers and effects of kachasu brewing and drinking.
Mr Mwange said after attending the workshops, many residents started going for literacy classes and others have chosen to be stone crushers instead of brewing kachasu to make ends meet. Those who joined the literacy school started knitting and tailoring.
They made a request that they needed a woman with a high position and a good reputation in society to guide them. "They proposed many names of different cultures and origins, but finally settled on the name Charity because it had a good meaning including kindness and above all because Charity begins at home," Mr Mwange said.
It was after this that the women approached Ms Nanda and told her that they wanted their club named after her. Ms Nanda took some time to respond to the women's request but when she was approached a week later, she agreed and said she had been wishing to help the helpless in society and give them direction.
After many reports about kachasu brewing in Kantolomba reached Ms Nanda's office, she had no alternative but to take up the challenge of adopting the women's club.
"We thank Ms Nanda for accepting to adopt the women's club here and we pray that she will be strong and give direction to the lost community. Many people have died because of taking too much kachasu," said Mr Mwange.
Copperbelt Province Community Development Officer, Harry Mayaka said his department encouraged developmental projects in townships and hoped the launch of the women's club in Kantolomba would lessen the burden as it would be supplementing the department.
He urged the women to embrace Ms Nanda's guesture and appealed to them to work hard to bring development to their area. He also advised unregistered groups to get registered if they were to benefit from projects. Mr Mayaka advised other non-governmental organisations to emulate Ms Nanda and open up such developmental projects in other needy communities.
"Operating without being registered is illegal. The formation and existence of development groups in communities has many advantages to the local people. People are kept busy, they are assured of recreation, crime is reduced and beer drinking is reduced.
"Production is enhanced, income is created among the families through their development activities and illiteracy and ignorance are reduced," Mr Mayaka said. Ndola Mayor Charles Chiwala said it was pleasing to see a women's club where young and elderly people go to learn come up in Kantolomba.
"It is great to see the old people start learning. It is good to support this kind of venture because we need to see things change. The membership should also increase in this club if life is to improve here.
"We would like to support this and we also appeal to other companies to support this kind of programme," Mr Chiwala said. The club's chairperson Margret Matabula appealed to the Government to help them secure land so that they could also go into small-scale farming.
Her views were echoed by Rhoida Kapange-Namukola and Helen Mwewa-Kantandala who said most women had stopped brewing kachasu but had instead turned to stone crushing. They said if land was secured, the women would be producing enough food for their families as their husbands were not in employment.
"If we are provided with land and fertiliser, we will produce more food for our families. Some of us are now crushing stones for sale instead of brewing kachasu," they said. Since the women have promised to work hard, it would be prudent for a piece of land to be granted to them for use as a cooperative for them to raise more money for their daily needs.
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