CAUGHT BETWEEN CLIMATE CRISIS AND ECONOMIC HARDSHIP

27-year-old Anita Maalila from Chikankata’s Upper Kaleya knows devastation firsthand.

Raised by her mother, a subsistence farmer, Anita dreamed of a better life. But financial barriers crushed her hopes for further education, leading her to marry young in search of stability.

However, her marriage failed, leaving her solely responsible for her two children. “Marrying young was my way of trying to escape economic hardship and ease my mother’s burden,” Anita reflected.

Then came the drought, declared a national disaster by President Hakainde Hichilema, and worsened by El Niño and climate change. The crisis decimated local agriculture and forced Anita to close her restaurant.

“After my husband left when I was five months pregnant with our second child, we relied on the income from the restaurant. When the drought hit, I lost my customers,” she lamented. Reduced to small-scale maize farming and raising goats, her dreams dimmed but never faded.

Hope arrived with Zambia Red Cross Society’s emergency cash assistance program, funded by the Netherlands Red Cross, European Union, Czech Republic, and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The K600 per month for four months will empower 5,872 households in Chikankata.  “Our role as an auxiliary to public authorities is vital,” emphasized ZRCS National President Frackson Ngosa.

For Anita, the assistance is life-changing.

“I plan to invest in my farming business with potatoes and maize. I am truly grateful to Zambia Red Cross,” she said.

Anita’s story highlights the intersection of gender and climate crisis. Despite immense hardships, her resilience inspires hope, showcasing the power of humanitarian aid. Yet, as ZRCS empowers Communities, global solutions remain urgent. Saving Lives, Changing Minds.