ZAMBIA: Support Zambia

After their African Nations Cup victory why not start supporting Zambia?

The African Nations Cup final has drawn the attention of the world on to this small country in Southern Africa...

Why not continue your support for Zambia by supporting this beleaguered country off the pitch... and helping some of the organisations at work there?

Zambia's first football trophy on Sunday beating favourites Ivory Coast is ever the more remarkable when you consider its history. 

A terrible plane disaster led to the loss of 18 players in 1993 when the team's plane crashed into the sea.

However, since then the team has been rebuilt and now this desperately poor nation’s football team has gone on to achieve major tournament success in the African Cup of Nations... Following their nations cup penalties victory on Sunday Zambia coach Herve Renard has since dedicated the outcome to the victims of the plane disaster.

For football fans in England and many across the world it will recall the achievement of Manchester United who went on to achieve European Cup success in 1968 following the Munich air disaster in 1958.

In any case, it is an amazing sporting achievement. But as news sinks in of Zambia's greatest sporting achievement it begs the question why not continue your support for Zambia by helping this poor and trouble-torn country?

According to health and humanitarian agencies the landlocked country of Zambia suffers from high levels of deprivation with the majority of the population struggling to rise above the poverty line... The country is also suffering from an HIV/AIDS epidemic with estimates at around 920,000 Zambians living with HIV and AIDS, almost one in 12 of the population. The country also has a high percentage of orphans related to the HIV/AIDS situation, estimated at about 600,000 children and rising...

As such Zambia desperately needs more support and we are not talking about the football terraces. In terms of sustainable development, especially investment in education and health resources, as well as vital food and water supplies.

Some of the charities working in Zambia include Oxfam whose priority is to reduce HIV/AIDS and help sufferers, as well as providing other development aid including essential services such as food, water and sanitation.

Other charities working in Zambia include Beautiful Gate, a charity that provides care and support to children in need and their families via school and community outreach programmes and foster care programmes... The Butterfly Tree charity is another small charity providing orphan sponsorship programmes and vital health services... International charity SOS Children's Villages is also based in Zambia supporting Aids orphans as well as providing its traditional children's villages which create family-centred care communities...

The combination of issues highlighted by charities operating in Zambia suggests this is a country that deserves some breaks and not just in football penalty shootout terms... Whilst enjoying the razzmatazz of a wonderful sporting occasion and an inspirational victory, let's hope the attention given to Zambia this week on the world stage translates to a continuing underlining of these important humanitarian matters at stake.


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