Zambian first lady Thandiwe Banda is greeted by a child with a bouquet

The first Lady of Zambia lends her commitment to SOS Children's Villages Zambia during the official launch of the organisations seven year strategic plan. This public launch brings the care of vulnerable children to the nation's attention.

The First Lady of Zambia, Thandiwe Banda recently launched SOS Children's Villages Zambia strategic plan. The plan, which will cover the next seven years of the organisations operations within Zambia was officially launched at a prestigious ceremony held at State House presided over by the First Lady Mrs Thandiwe Banda and the national director of SOS Children's Villages, Mrs Florence Phiri.

Attended by many dignitaries and public figures, including heads of government ministries, NGO's and high commissioners and the Norwegian Ambassador (SOS Children's Villages Norway are key funders of several projects in Zambia, including the SOS Children's Village Livingstone), the event was a diplomatic success.

Mrs Banda, a strong supporter of SOS Children's Villages Zambia called upon all community and business leaders to contribute towards the work that the organisation was doing and to join hands to in sensitising the nation about the situation of vulnerable children so that solutions to some of the problems could be found.

Mrs Phiri explained that currently, the organisation was supporting over 6,000 needy children through their children's villages and the related out reach programmes.

The plan has been adopted by SOS Children's Villages and will be ratified by the organisation's international hierarchy. It covers all operational aspects of the national organisation, highlighting areas where differences and improvements can be made to the care of children supported by the organisation. Presentations were made by the First Lady herself; Mrs Florence Phiri the national director and even a video appearance from the President of SOS Children's Villages International, Mr Helmut Kutin attested to the professionalism of the organisation.

The plan includes the key objectives of increasing the number of children being cared for in both village care and outreach programmes - from the current 6,070 to 16,000 by 2016 and to increase the number of consistent, committed givers from the current 40 to 250 by 2016 and have 743 professional, committed and motivated co-workers.

The launch of the strategic plan in such public view brought SOS Children's Villages Zambia right into the eye of the public and the media. Co-workers and Board members also took the opportunity to re-dedicate themselves to the organisation. Chairman of the Board, Mr Jitesh Naik said "may I on behalf of the entire Board congratulate you and all the SOS Zambia co-workers in making this event a great success. I also wish to extend my congratulations to ... the entire Fund Raising Committee where this idea was mooted and conceived. Your team carried out the ideas discussed by the Committee to perfection. We should not relent on the exposure we have received and follow it up with an open day at the Lusaka Village where we can physically show off what SOS Children's Villages Zambia is all about."