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| Bishop George admiring peanut butter made by one of the women. Looking on is Deputy Permanent Secretary Eastern Province-Zambia and the Sisters |
Bishop of Chipata Diocese in Zambia Rt. Rev. George Zumaile Lungu, has asked women to be saviors of one another if they are to improve their life economically.
Bishop Lungu was speaking at a colorful ceremony to mark International Women’s Day at DMI-St. Eugene University in Chipata Town on 20th March 2015; the day the diocese was celebrating the International Women’s Day instead of 8thMarch which was a public holiday in Zambia.
“Gone are the days when most women waited for their husbands to provide everything at home. Today you women must lift each other out of poverty,” he said.
He attributed the high levels of poverty among most women to lack of generosity and cooperation among women. He urged the women to stand up and to be counted among people who are progressive. He said that women were very generous people because they shared whatever they acquired in life and they were always willing to sacrifice on behalf of the family.
During the occasion Bishop Lungu thanked the DMI Sisters from India for assisting many women in the Diocese of Chipata with skills and knowledge to come up with initiatives that have helped them become self-reliant and self-sustainable.
“Because women are able to help one another, it has taken these Sisters from India to come and help our women here in Chipata Diocese,” he said adding that he was aware and happy about the fact that the sisters are helping not only Catholic women but also those from other denominations.
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| Bishop George checking clothes made by some women with loan assistance from DMI-Sisters |
The women have been assisted with skills, knowledge and loans to start businesses which were show cased during the celebrations. A representative of the Women said she was very grateful to the DMI Sisters for the assistance they rendered to her because since then, her life has changed for the better.
She said that by selling her products, she is now able to send her children to school, being a single parent notwithstanding. She has even started building her own house so that she can move out of the rented house.
The International Women’s Day celebration for the diocese was celebrated under the theme: “Gender my Agenda, make it happen.” Over 200 women participate in the celebrations.
By Fr. Jacob Zulu Communications Director, Diocese of Chipata, Zambia
