GEWEL PROJECT SUCCESS RATE ELATES MINISTER

By ANNIE ZULU

The Girls Education, Women Empowerment and Livelihood (GEWEL) Project has made tremendous progress in alleviating poverty levels in Zambia since its inception, Community Development and Social Services Minister Doreen Mwamba has said.

Ms Mwamba noted that the key results for the project included the Supporting Women's Livelihood (SWL) component which has reached approximately 96, 368 women and the Keeping Girls in School (KGS) component with over 70, 514 beneficiary girls. 

The Minister also mentioned the Social Cash Transfer (SCT), as another key result area for the project with over 973, 323 beneficiaries. 

She was speaking when she accompanied World Bank Regional Vice President Dr. Victoria Kwakwa to meet some of the project's beneficiaries at Nampundwe Secondary School in Shibuyunji District. 

"As of 30th June 2022, which is the middle of the project, the budget burn down stood at 49.85%, this is despite the setbacks during the Covid 19 outbreak," Ms. Mwamba said.

 

Hon. Mwamba interacts with pupils at Nampundwe Secondary School in Shibuyunji District.

Speaking at the same event, General Education Minister Dr. Douglas Siakalima  thanked World Bank for partnering with Government in financing the project, stressing that the project has improved livelihoods for many Zambians, especially women and girls.

Meanwhile, Dr Kwakwa has assured the New Dawn Government of support from the World Bank on projects that are aimed at alleviating poverty and improving the livelihoods of Zambians. 

She also commended Government for meeting majority of the targets of the GEWEL project.

"We recognize the efforts by the New Dawn Government in alleviating poverty and promoting gender equality, as World Bank we support such efforts," Dr. Kwakwa said. 

And when giving a vote of thanks, a parent Margaret Tembo testified that the GEWEL project has changed the lives of women and girls in Shibuyunji. 

"Through the project, women are able to do business and feed their families. Girls are being supported and encouraged to be in school," she said. 

The GEWEL project is a Cash Plus Social Protection programme that support the poorest families in Zambia with cash transfers which empowers them to reduce their poverty levels over the longer term through complementary interventions of Supporting Women's Livelihoods (SWL) and Keeping Girls in School (KGS) layered over the same households.