Zambian sisters address gender-based violence by focusing on healthy relationships
In the heart of Ndola’s industrial area, a convoy of trucks enters a factory while workers operate forklifts, moving back and forth to load boxes of raw materials onto trucks.
Joel Kabwe recalls how the stress he experienced due to his failing marriage to Anna Kabwe affected his focus while supervising loading operations here, 319 km north of Lusaka, Zambia’s capital.
“I opted for binge drinking beer as a way to seek solace and manage frustrations that often lead to domestic conflicts, but that exacerbated our relationship problems,” Kabwe told Global Sisters Report.
Kabwe, a resident of Twapia township in Ndola, emphasized that his ability to concentrate on his responsibilities was impacted, which negatively affected his work output and contributions to his family’s welfare.
Kabwe’s story exemplifies a common challenge faced by many young couples in Zambia, where issues of mistrust often complicate marriage realities. His experience highlights the broader societal and relational difficulties that can hinder marital harmony among youth in this mining town.
Despite concerted efforts to curb gender-based violence in Zambia, the latest government report shows more than 10,000 incidents recorded in just the second quarter of 2025. This reflects the deep-rooted influence of harmful gender stereotypes, patriarchal norms, economic inequalities and inadequate legal protections in the country.
Gender activists say these factors contribute to a culture where violence against women is normalized and often goes unchallenged, hence the need for comprehensive interventions that challenge these social norms and strengthen legal and community responses to gender-based violence.
Similarly, the experience of Aaron and Roiness Chimfwembe from Ndola’s Kavu area illustrates that even long-lasting marriages, like their 10-year union built on mutual affection, face challenges.
“The major issue in our relationship was Aaron’s secrecy regarding his phone, which was always password protected and I had no access to it. This secrecy contributed to our growing insecurities over time,” Roiness told GSR.
In October 2023, Roiness persuaded her husband to enroll in the SMART Couples Methodology program, facilitated by the Dominican Sisters of the Sacred Heart under the Ndola Diocese. The initiative, which has successfully served more than 20 couples in Ndola, is part of ongoing efforts by the U.S. church’s Catholic Relief Services to strengthen family life and enhance communication within households by overcoming mistrust and fostering openness, honesty and mutual respect between partners.
