Chichetekelo Outreach Partners Project, Kabwe

In Zambia free medication is available for TB patients, even in rural areas.The problem is making individuals aware that they have a disease which can be cured if they come forward for treatment – that TB is not a stigma which must be kept secret. Many of the projects funded by TB Alert aim to tackle the stigma surrounding the disease by informing people making them aware of the symptoms ofTB, its causes and how it can be cured.

One such project is Chichetekelo Outreach Partners (Chichetekelo means hope), working in the Kabwe province of Zambia under the direction of Billy Sichamba. Kabwe is a poor rural area with high rates of TB and HIV/AIDS, where someone with TB is likely to be regarded as the victim ofwitchcraft, rejected by family and tribe.

The work of Chichetekelo is striking in its simplicity. First, it arranges workshops and training sessions with groups of men and women who have been cured of TB. They then become outreach partners and, once they have been trained in the TB awareness message, they go out in groups to the villages to spread the word about TB. The outreach partners speak in schools, churches, or wherever the villagers can gather together.The effectiveness of those that have been cured of TB speaking openly about the disease cannot be understated.

Billy Sichamba told us about a visit to one village:

“The outreach partners started with giving information about TB, correcting myths and misconceptions, giving personal testimonies of how they managed their own situation and coped with the stigma and discrimination, encouraging people that they can also deal with TB. They answered the many questions which the villagers asked. Some villagers almost broke into tears when they heard the stories told by the outreach partners, which had great impact because of the truth and genuineness coming from the lips of these people. We would like to thank TB Alert for all the support because this project has brought a lot of hope into the lives ofso many individuals and families.”

Why do we need to raise awareness of TB in Zambia?

Read about the project's activities in Kakabalika here

Click here to found out more about our rural outreach program in 18 Miles

To find out about our sessions in Mulungushi click here

To see some conclusions from the project click here