You are here:

Zambia: Power of persistence

Milimo Mwiba and Father Joe Komakoma from Zambia join the Put People First march in London [CAFOD/Adrian White]

Zambia hit the headlines in 2005 when, thanks to your campaigning, 100% of the debt they owed to G8 countries was cancelled. Now campaigners are worried about new loans taken out by the government to cope with the global financial crisis.

Away from the public eye, Milimo Mwiba and her colleagues at Caritas Zambia are keeping a close eye on their government, trying to ensure that debt cancellation benefits the poorest and that new loans are publicly debated, not decided behind closed doors.

“We are urging the government to have a debt strategy,” she explains. “Any new loans should be taken to parliament and debated. But there is no debt strategy. We are worried Zambia will end up in the debt trap again.”

Milimo is quietly passionate about her work. She knows the need to keep pushing patiently for change and is inspired by her faith not to give up:

Please continue the solidarity. Mining companies in Zambia come from here, from developed countries. We appreciate so many people standing by our side

Milimo Mwiba, Zambia

“We have to be very persistent. Change will take some time; it won’t be immediate but I am hopeful it will work.”

“I believe in God and that everyone is created in the image of God. Each person should be treated fairly, should have access to basic needs. If we persist and keep fighting we can get these things from the government.”

In Zambia, with its vast endowment of metals, copper mining is the lifeblood of the economy, providing 80% of its foreign exchange earnings.

Massive job losses

Copper prices, however, and the numbers of jobs dependent on them, rise and fall dramatically.

In the current global economic crisis, Milimo is painfully aware of the impact that these job losses are having on people’s already fragile ability to provide for their families. By April, 10,000 such job losses had been recorded.

Even when the price of copper sky-rocketed and the industry was booming in the years preceding this economic crisis, there was little trickle-down: average life expectancy didn’t climb above 37 years.

But at least there was employment.

“Now that the price of copper has gone down”, explains Milimo, “investors are pulling out, leading to massive job losses as mines close.”

“There is no system to help the unemployed. If you lose your job, you have to fend for yourself.”

It is not only the miners and their families who are losing their livelihoods; thousands of people in connected jobs and casual work will also suffer.

Educational levels are lower for girls, so women are often not even able to get menial jobs and depend on what they can sell to workers in mining towns:

“There’s a woman I know who makes fritters at home and sells them. Once people are laid off from the mine there will be no income for her family either.”

“The loss of copper earnings also means that tax revenue is lost, so there is less investment in health and education.”

In a country with one in five people living with HIV and where one in three children do not attend primary school, these cuts have devastating effects.

International solidarity

Before the G20 this April, Milimo joined the Put People First march through London. This campaign has included calls for greater company accountability, secure work contracts and redundancy packages.

“I wish our politicians could have seen what went on here,” says Milimo. “There were so many people of goodwill, showing solidarity with the poor despite the cold. Back home it would be very difficult to have a permit for a peaceful march like this.”

“Please continue the solidarity. Mining companies in Zambia come from here, from developed countries. We appreciate so many people standing by our side for the lives of the poor in Africa.“