UMWINKO is a women project that encourages women to express themselves and share their experiences on a number of issues like discrimination, lack of information, domestic violence etc.etc. An 'umwinko' is the traditional cooking stick that women use to prepare Zambia's staple food, nsima - a thick maize porridge. During the Umwinko project we will get a lot of ladies together and get them into debate with each other and those who have a say in their lives, like their husbands, employers, church leaders and traditional authorities. Women lobby groups like Women in Law in Southern Africa and the network of Mrs. Phiri's modern initiators will be invited to speak on how tradition can be used to promote emancipation and a respectable distribution of domestic tasks. Encouraged by a yearly Umwinko project, we hope to create a permanent Umwinko-network that can be active in advising local communities, helping individual women and propagating women's issues with the stakeholders in their lives, from husbands to politicians. 

 

The first Umwinko project will be launched in June 2008. Apart from organising activities in the large cities, we will aim to get out into the villages and spread the word. If you are interested to help develop and realise the Umwinko-network, please get in touch!