Spending nights in the cold, braving drugs in the streets, begging and stealing for survival did not deter Tobias Tembo from becoming a graduate he is today. Tembo's life stands as a true story of rags to riches, as he defied all odds to graduate with a degree in psychology at the University of Zambia. - While he is not materially rich, he has obtained a level of education that most street kids have rarely achieved. With the death of his father when he was still a baby and scanty memories of his mother, Tembo has little knowledge of his parents. He does not even know his exact age. Differences of opinion with his guardian, an aunty who had very little regard for education, pushed Tem…

Having slept with hundreds of men, exposed to drugs, Beatrice Chanda's life was condemned to nothing. The possibility of her living a normal marriage life after so many years in prostitution, to anyone seemed impossible. She is happily married now and enjoying her new life with her kids and husband. - After seven years of exchanging sex for money, Chanda finally found her redemption through a drop- in-center called ‘Tasinta,’ where she is now an instructor for former prostitutes. Chanda 37, a proud wife and a mother of three now, takes AfricaNews reporter through her journey of change. Chanda disclosed she was lured into prostitution as young as 13 after the cold hand of …

Had anyone met Jean Mandela 17 years ago, they could have probably just met a 25-year-old Hutu student happily laying the ground for a brighter future. But the dawn of the 1994 Rwanda genocide changed his life forever. The massacre left a death toll of 800, 000 people with Jean looking a possible casualty at every stage of his escape that eventually landed him in Zambia. - Jean though Hutu looks more like a Tutsi (as he has been told many times), and he believes he survived the 1994 genocide not on the basis of his tribe, but because luck was on his side. Jean, 42 years old now and a photographer, was a university student at the time the genocide occurred and relives the unforgettable ago…

On October 24, Zambia will be celebrating 47 years of independence and continue its record of four decades of peace. Zambia has never known civil war despite the 73 tribal diversity and 90 percent of people surviving on less than a dollar per day. - The Zambian people are well known for their hospitality, in fact second republican president Dr Frederick Chiluba during his reign declared the country a 'Christian Nation' as a way of preserving peace. As the country prepares to celebrate its 47th birthday, the citizens are also bracing themselves for the presidential and parliamentary polls. Official political campaigns have not yet been launched (by the President) but tension can …

The prospect of getting educated, getting a decent job and having a feel of city life seemed only a mile away when Vincent Chenjela got a part-time job at a Chinese-run coal mine in Sinazeze, southern Zambia. But getting shot by his own foreign employers without any compensation has left him and his family crying for justice. - Poverty forced Chenjela, a grade eight pupil at Nkandabwe basic school, to get job to pay his way through secondary school but little did he know that his job, with all its promises of a better future, could turn up to be a curse in his life. With a part time job as an underground miner, Chenjela was sure of a good life, away from the village where even safe drinki…

Meeting Miriam (real name withheld) for the first time, one needs no further explanation of what she does. Her appearance sums it all. She is a commercial sex worker. Three years ago, 16-year-old Miriam had a normal life like any other child until she was defiled by a 30-year-old man in her neighborhood. - Miriam, who now looks much older than her age struggled to give this reporter an interview. But after much persuasion and explanation that sharing her experience might change someone’s life, she gives in. Miriam says her life changed when she was defiled by a man who always pursued her for a relationship. She explains that on the fateful day, she was sent to the market to buy some…

Surrounded by her five children around a brazier, Maggie prepares nshima as bed time meal for her family. She is only 27 and has five children, with six years in marriage, her belly never goes flat. If she is not recovering from her last pregnancy, then she is pregnant. Her first bone is six years and has four siblings. - Family planning is a thing Maggie does not want to adhere to. She has tried modern family planning methods from oral tablets to jabs, all seem to give her serious side effects. She says her husband does not accept to use condoms because he believes it reduces the sensation. Natural birth control methods have proved difficult for Maggie because she does not understand…

President Rupiah Banda has requested the soccer governing body FIFA to dialogue with the two factions of the FA to resolve the impasse that has rocked Zambian football. The president who is also the Patron of the FA said he spoke with the FIFA president Sepp Blatter on football matters in the country. - President Banda said a six-member delegation that will consists of two government officials, two members of the Kalusha executive and two members of the Kalusha petitioners will travel to Zurich to dialogue over the impasse that has rocked Zambian football. The meeting is set for December 21 in Zurich. Earlier FIFA sent a letter inviting Kalusha Bwalya and a government official to dialo…

World Soccer governing body FIFA have told the petitioners of the Kalusha Bwalya executive to wait for the elections in 2012 if they want change of administration. The news surfaced at FA emergency council meeting in the central part of the country through FIFA manager of associations Primo Corvaro. - "We will not recognize the new executive they did not follow procedure,there are many ways of expressing anger they should wait for 2012.”Corvaro said. The petitioners of the Kalusha Bwalya led executive met on November 26 were they pronounced the FA dissolved and formed their own parallel executive committee but FIFA has refused to recognise their executive. Constitutional cri…

Tuberculosis and Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) are out of stock in most clinics in southern African country of Zambia. This came to light when a team of officers from Treatment and Advocacy Literacy Campaign (TALC) toured medical stores in the capital Lusaka. - TALC Literacy Officer, Christopher Mumba, said the medical stores of Zambia have run out of TB drugs and ARVs specifically known as abacavir and Lamividine. Mumba has also expressed concern that the shortage of drugs affected some HIV positive patients and those on TB treatment. A Lusaka TB patient Clement Tembo said he has been off the drug for one week now. “I have been taking my medication for a month now but it’s n…

- Zambia’s FA president Kalusha Bwalya has become the first ever Zambian to serve on the CAF executive committee. The 1988 African footballer of the year whose leadership back home has come under scrutiny won the CAF Southern Zone committee member by a landslide. The elections that were held at CAF 33rd Ordinary General Assembly in Khartoum saw Bwalya getting 38 votes while his closest rival Walter Nyamilandu from Malawi got 6 votes. Others in the Southern Zone race were John Muinjo Namibia with 5 votes and Adam Mthethwa of Swaziland with 3 votes. The Northern Zone Tunisia’s Tarek Boucchamaoui was elected unopposed and Zone West A had Guinea’s Almamy Kabele Camara w…

- South Africa 2010 World Cup CEO,Danny Jordaan has withdrawn his candidature for a position on the Caf executive committee. Jordaan has told BBC Sport that he has pulled out of the CAF race to focus on the Fifa contest. Africa's football governing body will elect six new members at a general assembly in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on 23 February. Sixteen candidates across the continent are contesting those positions. "There are about seven candidates from our region going for CAF," he said. "I would rather concentrate on the FIFA position and step back from the CAF position. "I have had discussions with other candidates on the continent and particularl…

- Morocco have been awarded the right to host the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations and South Africa will host the 2017 edition. CAF made the decision at a meeting held in Lubumbashi, DR Congo on Saturday. The race for the hosting rights of the 30th and 31st editions of the continental showpiece football event was reduced to a two-nation affair after Congo DR withdrew. Both Morocco and South Africa have previously hosted the event in 1988 and 1996 respectively, whilst Gabon and Equatorial Guinea will jointly host the 2012 edition and Libya in 2013. Rwanda will host 2016 edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) with Morocco hosting the 2013 edition of the CAF U-17 Championship.

FIFA has told all FA affiliates who are aggrieved with the Kalusha Bwalya executive to air their grievances at the next annual general meeting set for March next year. - On Monday FIFA called for meeting in Zurich with Bwalya, the parallel FA executive and government to find solutions to the impasse that has rocked Zambian football. According to a statement on FIFA website, FIFA recognized Bwalya as the legitimate FA president and told aggrieved FA members who want to table a motion of non-confidence against Kalusha and his Executive Committee, to present at the next annual general council scheduled on March 2011, following the proper procedures established in the FA statutes. The sta…

- TP Mazembe have become the first African team to make it to the Final of the Club World Cup, beating Internacional 2-0 in the semi-final on Tuesday According to kickoff.com incredible strikes from Milota Kabangu and Dioko Kaluyituka they were able to stun the pre-match favourites Internacional into silence, booking their place against either Inter or Seongnam. The first half belonged to Internacional, as they created numerous chances, many of which were wasted. Tinga caused havoc across the pitch, spreading balls and adding urgency in sweltering conditions. Half-time came without either side seriously testing the oppositions No. 1, more urgency and directness was required after t…

- The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has seized two vehicles belonging to Zambia’s top opposition leader Michael Sata’s wife Christine. This in a case in which Sata is been investigated for alleged money laundering involving $100, 000. The vehicles two vehicles both costing $100, 000, were driven to DEC offices by Sata’s drivers and Lawyers. Edward Mumbi, the former chief executive of Sata’s Patriotic Front who is now a member of the ruling party, on November 6, 2010 accused Sata of paying the money to Catholic priest Frank Bwalya to encourage him to be critical of the government.

CAF Champions league winners TP Mazembe will host the 2011 edition of the Orange CAF Super Cup which will take place end of January 2011 at their home ground Stade de la Kenya in Lubumbashi. - According to Goal.com this will be the second successive time that Mazembe will be playing host to the annual one-off match, after beating Stade Malien of Mali 2-0 in the last edition early this year. Mazembe will face-off against FUS Rabat of Morocco which won the Orange CAF Confederation Cup. The Super Cup, which began in 1993 will officially bring to a close the 2010 continental club football calendar. Egyptian giants Al Ahly have won the CAF Super Cup four times - more than any other club …

- Zambia has urged South Africa to work towards addressing the decline in trade balance between the two countries as revealed by the latest statistics. Despite South Africa being the largest exporter to Zambia, the trade balance shows a steady decline of South Africa's exports, which were valued at R11.2 billion and R7 billion in 2009 and 2010 respectively. Zambian President Rupiah Banda, who began his three-day official visit to South Africa on Thursday, said the something can be done to overcome the problem. "It's something that concerns us but we have agreed that there are ways that things can be done to address the problem, we think the issue can be overcome,…

- Zambia’s ex-star Collins Mbesuma is reported to be training South African top league side Lamontville Golden Arrows with hope of landing a contract after falling out of favour with most South African teams. According to SuperSport website, Mbesuma was sported at the clubs training base at the University UKZ on Wednesday. Mbesuma, who was once upon a time a super striker has been been training under his agency Prosport International academy to regain shape and fitness to clinch a deal with any club. Some critics have started to write him off following unhappy spells at clubs like Portsmouth (England), Bursaspor (Turkey), Mamelodi Sundowns and Moroka Swallows since leaving Kaizer…

- The Football house in the capital Lusaka is being manned by heavy police to prevent the FA parallel structure from invading the premises. A check at football house found over 60 police officers in riot gear manning the premises. The FA has been entangled in wrangles following the resignation of four of its members in October which rendered the FA dysfunctional according to the constitution. Some FA affiliates petitioned the Kalusha Bwalya led executive to step down and has since formed a parallel FA structure.

- Ghana FA has set December 15 as a deadline to get a new coach for the black Stars. According to the FA spokesperson Randy Abbey nine coaches from the 106 applicants for the vacant post have been shortlisted. “The executive committee has set a 15 December deadline to find a new coach and after reducing the number to five, we will then conduct the interview and settle on the new coach,” Abbey said.

- Zambian top female boxer Esther Phiri on Monday left for the United States of America to intensify her training ahead of the unification bout against Columbian Lely Luz Florez on January 29 next year in Lusaka. Esther will be vying for the vacant World Boxing Organisation (WBO) light welterweight title and will be defending her Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) in the same bout. Speaking before departure Esther, a title holder of six belts said her trip to the US was not a holiday. Esther said she knew Florez would be a tough opponent hence the need to train hard. “I expect a tough fight that is why I have to train hard, I’m not going for a holiday,…

- The Zambia national team will be idle on November 17 when all the countries will be engaged in international friendly games. November 17 is a FIFA sanctioned day for international friendly games worldwide but the Zambian FA has failed to secure one. The FA was courting Sudan for a possible friendly in Khartoum but it is believed there was communication breakdown. Zambian FA vice president Boniface Mwamelo said everything was in line but there was some communication breakdown along the way. “It’s unfortunate we won’t be able to play, there was a breakdown in communication,” Mwamelo said. However some soccer fans in the country believe that the FA has channeled i…

Congolese giants TP Mazembe on Saturday claimed the African Champions league title for a second successive time making a record of four titles. - The Congolese side drew 1-1 with Tunisia's Esperance in the second leg of the final but their 5-0 victory in the first leg secured them a 6-1 aggregate victory. Host Esperance scored first on 13th minute through Harrison Afful but the side’s chances were hampered when defender Ayman Amor was sent off shortly after Afful’s goal. Mazembe’s Deo Kanda equalized 20 minutes before full time which gave the hosts an impossible task. "This means life to me," the Mazembe midfielder Christopher Semakweri told the BBC aft…

- The Zambian Football Association has finally succumbed to pressure by football clubs to call an emergency Council meeting that will discuss the legality of the FA executive. The FA general secretary George Kasengele announced at Football House in Lusaka today that the FA has set November 27 as the date for the emergency council meeting to be held in Kabwe. Kasengele said the FA decided to call for the meeting after wide consultations from stakeholders as a way of promoting dialogue. He said the agenda for the meeting will be the FA president's speech and discussing the legality of the current FA executive. "This meeting has been called in conformity with the FAZ executive and…

Zambian super division clubs have threatened not to release players for international assignments if the FA does not call for an emergency council meeting that will seek the impeachment of the entire Kalusha Bwalya led executive committee. - The FA is negotiating an international friendly match on November 17 and the country is set to participate in the CECAFA Cup on November 27 in Tanzania. The Zambian national team is mostly comprised of local based players who are drawn from super division clubs when it comes to international friendly matches and non FIFA tournaments such as the CECAFA Cup. The super division clubs also boycotted their league fixtures at the weekend to show the FA h…

- THE Zambian sports mother body (National Sports Council) has said the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) dissolved itself following the resignation of four of its committee members. The FA is currently rocked with squabbles that has seen four members of the FA members resigning and some affiliate members calling for resignation of the FA president Kalusha Bwalya. Some affiliates argue that the resignation of the four FA members dissolved the FA executive committee according article 27 (3) of the FA constitution. However the FA president Kalusha is adamant heed to calls by FA members to hold an emergency meeting that will call for fresh elections. The squabbles in FA forced Nationa…

- THE Zambian sports mother body (National Sports Council) has said the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is dissolved itself following the resignation of four of its committee members. The FA is currently rocked with squabbles that has seen four members of the FA members resigning and some affiliate members calling for resignation of the FA president Kalusha Bwalya. Some affiliates argue that the resignation of the four FA members dissolved the FA executive committee according article 27 (3) of the FA constitution. However the FA president Kalusha is adamant heed to calls by FA members to hold an emergency meeting that will call for fresh elections. The squabbles in FA forced Natio…