Following the continued spread of COVID-19 in some parts of the country, government is through the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services embarking on an exercise of relocating streets kids across the country to orphanages and health care homes.
The mobilization programme which is set to begin on March 27, 2020 is among the measures of mitigating the spread of the Coronavirus as cases in the country have risen to 16 as of March 26, 2020, confirmed by the Minister of Health Dr. Chitalu Chilufya.
Speaking at a joint media briefing in Lusaka on March 26, 2020, attended by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Minister of Community Development and Social Services Kampamba Mulenga-Chewe explained that the programme is meant to protect and safeguard the vulnerable across the country in the current crisis of COVID-19.
She said some vulnerable individuals such as the old aged will be directed to go back to their homes and will be provided with food supplies to be distributed in communities in order to keep them off the streets.
Mulenga-Chewe further confirmed that a team of social workers are currently on the ground to sensitize the public on the threats of COVID-19 and advise them on the preventive measures to be undertaken in their homes to curb the virus.
She added that the Ministry of Finance has provided funds which will be disbursed under the social cash transfer to help the vulnerable stay home without having them get back on the streets.
“We have over 635,000 beneficiaries under the social cash transfer scheme across the country and the monies to be released will help us provide food supplies which will be disbursed to their homes. This exercise will be done across the country starting with Lusaka on March 27, 2020 and will move to the copperbelt and then all other promises,” She said.
A survey conducted by the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development indicates that Zambia has over 900 kids begging on streets with 360 in Lusaka, 320 in Kitwe and 250 in Ndola on the Copperbelt.
Speaking at the same media briefing Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development Emmanuel Mulenga said the ministry in conjunction with the Ministry of Community Development have identified centers where vulnerable street kids will be relocated to adding that those who will resort to going back on the streets will be arrested and legal litigation will follow.
He added that street kids who will be relocated from the streets to identified orphanages and health care homes will be provided with care takers and government will provide food and beddings to help protect the interest of a child.
Zambia’s major cities of Lusaka, Kitwe and Ndola have struggled with the problem of street kids. There was an initiative that proposed that the national service takes up the responsibility and accountability for ending the street kids matter, but this plan has not been fully implemented.
