Profile of Her Excellency Thandiwe C. Banda

MADAM Thandiwe Banda became First Lady of the Republic of Zambia on November 2, 2008, upon the swearing in of her husband, His Excellency Rupiah Bwezani Banda, as fourth president of the southern African state.

Upon assuming the title of First Lady, many expected Madam Banda to begin setting groundwork for the founding of a charity, following the footsteps of her predecessors.

For many, it was just a matter of time before she could make an official announcement that she had formed such a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

The wait went on and on. And when Madam Banda finally did make her announcement, it caught everyone by surprise.

She chose to take the opposite direction. Madam Banda was not forming an NGO but would work with the existing ones as they were already doing commendable work which she would be too glad to help accelerate.

Madam Banda analysed some of the problems facing Zambian people and identified five key areas around which she would rally the support of well-wishers and existing NGOs to help alleviate the suffering of Zambian people.

She picked on the following key areas:

• Increased access to quality education
• Increased access to maternal and neo-natal health
• Increased access to economic empowerment targeting girls and young women
• Increased awareness on gender violence, early pregnancy and early marriage
• Increased access to food security and humanitarian assistance for children and aged women.

Madam Banda has since made a significant impact on many lives with her involvement in helping the marginalised people come out of the shadows of life.

One of the key areas— Increased access to quality education—is actually in line with Madam Banda’s initial professional training, having graduated as a history and political science teacher years before becoming First Lady.

Madam Banda has since added one more feather to her professional cap, obtaining an advanced diploma in Information Technology from the Edith Cowan University of Australia.

Again, the First Lady is only trying to lead by example and show how increased access to quality education—one of her key priority areas—can change people’s lives.

“I am sensitive about the information needs of Zambian women. An informed woman is able to make meaningful decisions for the well-being of her household, and the entire society benefits from that,” Madam Banda intones.

“Women in income-generation at all levels need access to means of acquiring and relaying information so that they may take advantage of business opportunities. I am a strong believer in women networking with women.”

Perhaps this aptly explains why, whenever she has time to spare, Madam Banda is always using the internet on her laptop.

In an interview in April 2010, renowned veteran BBC journalist Veronique Edwards asked Madam Banda about which one item she may choose to get out of State House if accorded that chance.

“My laptop,” was Madam Banda’s modest response!

Little wonder she is now studying for a degree in Information Technology.

While Madam Banda has made significant strides in all her priority areas, Food Security and Maternal Health have impressively stood out, making her a real ambassador of the people in these two areas.

Madam Banda agrees with the African Union (AU) initiative which seeks to drastically reduce maternal mortality through its programme known as Campaign for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA).

She further concurs that, indeed, “No Woman Should Die While Giving Life”, which is why she has been critically involved in programmes targeted at ensuring that giving birth is no longer a nightmare for women.

In addition to being Ambassador of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, Madam Banda has gone a step further by rallying Government and private sector support for the launch of CARMMA in Zambia which took place on June 12, 2010.

On Food Security, the Zambian First Lady has collaborated with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Zambia office to carry out a sustained programme in Conservation Agriculture.

Through this programme, thousands of Zambians are being empowered with knowledge in Sustained Agriculture as well as being given seed and input, which is turning round many people’s lives in the country.

“Of special concern to me is the question of food security at household level across the nine provinces of our great nation. In the rural areas, up to 80 per cent of agricultural production comes from the hands of hard-working mothers.

“This is one of the reasons why I strongly believe that economically empowering women and providing them with access to land ownership will be a major step towards attaining safe motherhood.

While doing all this work, Madam Banda has also remained alive to how HIV/AIDS can reverse the gains so painstakingly achieved.

“In this age of HIV and AIDS and related health challenges, I am involved in efforts to enhance the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. I remain grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV and AIDS (OAFLA) and the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa.”

In November 2009, Madam Banda hosted an OAFLA workshop for the SADC region in Lusaka where Ethiopian First Lady Azeb Mesfin and Swaziland Queen Inkosikati Make La Mbikiza were among the invited guests.

She says that, just as in the case of the spread or prevention of HIV/AIDS, mothers play a cardinal role in all activities of human progress.

“As mothers, we know how to plan for our household. We know how to conserve and how to sow for tomorrow. To crown all that, we are driven by love for our husbands and children because we love unconditionally.

It is with these matters in mind that Madam Banda is working with women across political, religious, tribal or economic lines to ensure that the under-privileged and deprived woman is uplifted and given hope.

“There is hope for every woman in Zambia.”