Real Life Matters Zambia

We are a non –government, community based organization which shall represent values, ideals and principles which touch the common people’s hearts across our catchment communities. It is basically a group of 14 people that volunteer to help men and women with social problems and those in need through Voluntary work to assist humanity with all its pressing issues.

Our Vision

• To be a respected Organization that shapes the lives of our people that need help in many different ways such as thinking that makes their perception of life more productive and self-sustaining.
• Our general organizational approach would be to act as a human mind opener which changes the way humans in need look at life that will
encompassing effective interaction amongst members of society in order to empower them and to relate and interface with ,first, their communities, and eventually, with the world at large.
• The group aspires to become a standard group for African living etiquette and morals in giving out the best of our noble cultural values.We aim to be among the best indigenous African groups in the world that would promote communal human development through providing counseling, training, and rehabilitation, philanthropic-care services that benefit personal and human social development.

Our Mission

• To empower the vulnerable women and youths, build their human capacities, skills, and confidence in helping them bring to fore their full potential realization as humans in their respective communities.
• To undertake a diverse range of consulting activities and interventions aimed at ,dissemination and application of different skills thus developing knowledge-imparting base for positive change towards the youth in Zambia and Africa at large.

General nature of activities:

a) REDUCTION OF COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION BY EMPOWERING
WOMEN.
b) EMPOWER, BUILD CAPACITY & RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN YOUTHS
c) TO RESTORE SELF ESTEEM IN VULNERABLE HUMANITY THAT MAYBE IN
NEED.
d) TO REDUCE STREET ACTIVITIES SUCH AS STREET KIDS AND VENDORS.
e) TO ADVOCATE AGAINST DOMESTIC ABUSE ON WOMEN AND/OR
CHILDREN,
f) TO ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN’S RIGHT,
g) TO ADVOCATE AGAINST CHILD ABUSE,
h) TO ADVOCATE AGAINST RAPE AND SEXUAL ABUSE.
i) TO PROMOTE UNITY AND PEACE IN THE COUNTRY (ZAMBIA).
j) TO PROVIDE CARE FOR THE AGED.
k) TO ENGAGE IN COUNSELLING ACTIVITIES,
l) TO TRAIN, REHABILITATION AND INSTIL PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.

BACKGROUND

REALLIFE MATTERS ZAMBIA LTD, is an organization that started as a Facebook Forum. Its activities started in March 2010. AS is the case with many social networks, the membership quickly grew to more than 9500. Under this forum we were just engaged in counseling activities to people who had different problems ranging from HIV/AIDS, Poverty, marital problems, etc. It was observed that many of the people that sought help had emotional problems but they failed to go for counseling due to lack of courage. Such people were encouraged to write in their problems specifically to the forum administrators.The Forum members would discuss the problem putting forward their views on the group page. Every member of the forum was given an opportunity to share their views. Premised on this, we decided to register our group under Real Life Matters Zambia Ltd were we volunteered to help various communities that are in need especially youth’s and women as well as the aged who have been neglected in society.

This Organization chose to embark on a number of programs and activities that are commencing January 2012. The following are some of the problem areas
that we have a keen interest in:
i. Commercial prostitution in Zambia:
In Zambia there is a sizeable population of women engaged in commercial prostitution. This is due to poverty, broken family values, community rejection, lack of income earning skills, homelessness, poor family upbringing, mental illness, alcohol and drug abuse, psychological problems and a variety other reasons. The Real Life Matters Organization
does not at all view prostitution in Zambia as a rational socio-economic choice for women who are vulnerable regardless of age. Therefore, it is our aim to contribute to the reduction of the levels of prostitution in Zambia by taking some women for rehabilitation and enroll them in life changing programs as well as helping them with skills to enhance there lives than by way of exchanging there bodies for money and also to mitigate in the HIV/AIDS spread through various interventions in preventive management endeavors.We also believe that there is a concern for homeless children or street kids who we intend to transform their lives through skill empowerment or literacy program interventions that would help them integrate in normal
communities.8
ii. The aged and vulnerable people:
As Zambians, we must be dedicated to marshaling the thoughts and experiences of older persons as well as those who work towards ensuring their health, enjoyment, personal and economic security and not forgetting their rights. The aged in most instances have been neglected and with our professional experts in aging, we wish to undertake various innovations and ensure the aged are taken care of. Older persons must be allowed and encouraged to see themselves as actors in society and not just as passive and needy people.
iii. Child Abuse:
Most Children in Zambia, in every sphere of the country are vulnerable to the many different forms of child abuse. The abuses may include sexual abuse, exploitation of their innocence and labour, total neglect, beatings and violence, which results in them going to the streets to beg for money even when they have parents in there homes were they are coming from.
Premised on this, the REAL LIFE TEAM, realized they can play a role in life changing programs and help in poverty reduction by working with the Government as well as link certain individuals to various institutions that may also be of specialist help. Due to AIDS related deaths of able bodied men and women, most kids are left young resulting in an increase of orphans in the country. We believe child abuse can be overcome and we 9 shall be committed to give support and the survival means to the
individuals and communities at large ready to work together to protect
children from child abuse.
iv. Youth empowerment and capacity building:
We intend to engage people in communities to participate in actions
based on community interests, both as individuals and through groups,
organizations and networks like:
a. To identifying their needs, opportunities, rights and responsibilities
that will help them build capacities and skills.
b. To build relationships, trust, shared norms and networks.
c. To represent the interests of all local people in matters that affect
them.
d. To develop skills that will also include learning and training
opportunities for individuals and groups, and sharing through
networks and mutual support,
e. To develop skills, knowledge and confidence.
v. Advocacy against gender based violence:
Gender-based violence (GBV) is everywhere around the world and it
infringes upon the rights of women, men, girls and boys. Violence against
anyone based on gender is a global health, human rights, and
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development issue that transcend geography, class, culture, age, race and
religion to touch every community in every corner of the globe. We as a
REAL LIFE Team, we want to play a role in advocating for people’s rights
against Gender based violence as it hinders the ability to contribute to
social and economic progress.
vi. Real life intervention products:
Help individuals, families and communities in:
1. Becoming Entrepreneurs.
2. Growing more food.
3. Helping them rebuild after conflicts.
4. Help them get a elementary education.