After INERELA+ Zambia conducted a capacity building workshop for Local Religious leaders in Katowa constituency in Chibombo District on the 7th of July 2025, Mr Sibanda Christopher (in picture), an Area Councilor for Muchenje Ward in Katowa constituency, Chibombo Town Council, was impressed with the capacitation and strengthening of social systems to reduce teenage pregnancies, early forced marriages, drug abuse, violence towards Key populations, and effective dissemination of SRHR information. Mr Sibanda Christopher confirmed that, “In Muchenje Ward, we have given them a place where they will build. As a civic leader, I’m really impressed with the coming of ZANERELA+”, after realizing the need for INERELA+ Zambia’s work and impact to be replicated through creating safe spaces that will provide counselling services, accommodate victims and survivors of GBV, sexual assault, discriminated Key population individuals.
Findings had shown that before INERELA+ Zambia approached the community, there were a lot of teenage pregnancies, violence, and rampant discrimination against the key population. Community members were lamenting immoral and abusive underage arranged marriages where both the girl and the boy are still at primary school and are hardly aware of their own bodies or what it takes to be a father or mother. This has been a challenge where perpetrator parents answer to nobody, even the authorities, Mr Sibanda Christopher included, could not intervene, as society embraced the practice in their cultural sense. Lack of knowledge, SRHR, and mere appreciation of human rights exacerbated the situation of n the sense that those particular two children who are being married together.
However, the practice and all other abusive norms, drug abuse, and violence against Key populations were addressed through the training of INERELA+ Religious leaders who are regarded as mouthpieces of the voiceless. The Religious leaders, with the help of Local Authorities, Traditional leaders, and healthcare personnel, are now able to approach parents, victims, and survivors in solving this scourge in society with confidence and well-informed. Mr Sibanda Christopher testified that post workshop, “The community now understands me when I denounce immoral practices, violence against Key populations, due to sensitization efforts now being conducted by trained religious leaders in their churches. The subjects have become so popular in the community due to enlightened congregants sharing information with their families and, in some cases, during social gatherings or with their friends. So, as a community, as a civic leader, we have really welcomed ZANERELA+. We want ZANERELA+ to be in our place. No wonder, as the area council, we located a place for ZANERELA+ where they’ll be working from. It means we have
received ZANERELA+ with both hands. Because ZANERELA+ services are still bearing fruits. The community has changed now. The mindset has changed now.” Currently, the community, parents, and authorities are making efforts to send back all the children who dropped out of school due to teenage pregnancies, early child forced marriages, and those who were sexually violated by taking advantage of the free education offered by the new government of Zambia. ZANERELA+, through the capacity building workshop and the trained Religious leaders, created a springboard of hope to key populations and children. The community’s efforts now is to avoid contradicting or downplaying ZANERELA+’s impact by supporting initiatives towards reducing violence against Key populations, drug abuse, child early marriages, and teenage pregnancies.