European Union and UNHCR visit World Vision programmes and projects
European Union (EU) Delegation to Zambia and COMESA Head of Cooperation Arnaud Borchard; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Country Representative, Perrine Aylara; World Vision's Southern Africa Regional Leader, Mark Kelly, and World Vision's Zambia National Director, John Hasse, participated in a joint mission in the Northern and Luapula provinces on 1st and 2nd February 2022.
The objective of the visit was to monitor progress in the quality of prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) in the visited communities, as well as the support provided at sexual and GBV (SGBV) one stop centres through the EU-funded Natwampane programme.
Reducing SGBV in Zambia is a common objective of the government, as well as the EU and other cooperating partners. The visit provided better insight into the important work accomplished by the implementing partner. World Vision, and their outreach down to the community level.
The visiting delegation gained an increased understanding of the particular challenges in fighting SGBV in different districts, as well as in the Mantapala Refugee settlement.
“I am impressed with the community involvement and how the programmes are integrated. Sustainability and empowerment of vulnerable households are important, and this is well embraced in all the programmes and projects implemented by World Vision in Zambia”, commended Arnaud Borchard.
In Luwingu, the delegation visited a one stop centre under the Prevent SGBV Project at Menga Rural Health post.
The delegation also visited Mantapala Refugee Settlement in Nchelenge to further appreciate different programmes in Health, Livelihoods, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and Child Protection; and how these are integrated to respond to cases of SGBV.
Perrine Aylara expressed happiness with World Vision’s interventions implemented in the refugee settlement. “We need to continue with these collaborations to offer refugees a better service, and I am pleased that World Vision is comprehensively and in an integrated manner responding to the needs of the people in Mantapala by providing WASH, Education, Livelihoods and Child Protection”, she said.
