Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) early childhood care programmes have produced another set of children ready to enter into formal primary education. At least 83 children from the 2017 intakes of the Ndeleni and Nsungeni childcare centres on the Copperbelt will go into Grade One in 2018.

The childcare programmes, which have been running for over six years, have educated 563 children of market traders since inception. The children receive education, uniforms and meals subsided by KCM, while their parents work in the local markets.

Attending the Ndeleni Early Childhood Centre graduation ceremony in Chingola, the District Commissioner (DC) Mary Chibesa lauded KCM’s commitment to improving education and literacy standards in local communities.

“I am aware that KCM provides early childhood learning and day care to 320 children at two modern day care centers here in Chingola and Chililabombwe and over 1,000 children enrolled at KCM supported rural preschools in Nampundwe, Shibuyunji district and this is not a mean achievement,” she said.

Mrs Chibesa commended the partnership between KCM and the government in working to attain United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal No. 4 of providing quality education for all by 2030.

“A number of successes have been scored in the education sector and this has been made possible with the support of cooperating partners like KCM and other agencies who have been very instrumental in promoting educational programmes from preschools to tertiary levels,” she said.

Churches Council of Zambia (CCZ) General Secretary Fr. Emmanuel Yona Chikoya saluted KCM for the continuous funding to the early learning centres over the years. He also appealed to community members to continue supporting the vital childcare programmes.

“I would like to urge you all to support this centre in any way you could because this is our own project which must not fail to run at any time,” he said. “As KCM is supporting us financially we should all embrace this project and take it as our own because the children and parents being helped today shall be better citizens tomorrow and we will all be proud to say we worked together to fight poverty in our community.”