A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Lifeline/Childline Zambia, has set up a telephone helpline for children to seek counsel when they are facing various kinds of abuse.
 The line, which is toll-free, will also enable adults to call on behalf of the children to seek advice from counsellors who are available on 24-hour basis.
 The child helpline, which is a new way of dealing with cases of child abuse in Zambia, also exists in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya and many other Africa countries.


The NGO was chosen to host the line by a steering committee comprising Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development, Plan Zambia, Save the Children and UNICEF Zambia. 


Executive director of Lifeline/ Childline Zambia Florence Nkuwa disclosed that the steering committee has been working for the last one year to establish the hotline and to learn from other countries which have already implemented the project.
 Mrs Nkuwa says the hotline provides children an opportunity to call a toll-free number, 116, and the advice given by the counsellors is non-judgemental, or practical support to a child in difficult circumstances.
 She further adds that the hotline will help reduce the burden of child abuse, homelessness, depression and other problems that children and young people face in their daily lives.
 She said her organisation intends to expand the service to other provinces, establish drop-in centres and strengthen referral networks so that cases are well managed for the benefit of the children.
 Mrs Nkuwa says calling the toll-free number can make a big difference for a child who is in distress.

Source: http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/index.php/politics/3395-helpline-launched-to...