Anna Mulenga during an outreach activity in Mukuni Village
What was the CYLA Zambia project you participated in?
ANNA: I participated in the Young Women in Politics (YOWOP) project in 2022. The programme brought together participants from both political parties and civil society, a combination that really deepened our learning experience. I gained a lot of knowledge about youth and women's participation in politics.
Through the mentors, I learned how to handle social media, build personal visibility, and navigate challenges that women commonly face in politics. We also discussed how to achieve work-life balance, domestic responsibilities and being a civic leader.
We also had a Swedish facilitator who shared insights about the state of women in politics in Sweden, how they handle challenges, and the representation of women in leadership roles in their political parties.
Of the experiences you mentioned, gaining knowledge about social media and visibility, understanding the challenges women face in politics, and navigating work-life balance, which one has had the most lasting impact on your life, and how are you applying it today?
ANNA: What stood out the most for me, and what I’m still applying today, is the knowledge I gained. Before the programme, I was aware of the challenges women face, but mostly from a distance.
However, during the programme, we went into communities and had real conversations with women about their experiences. That hands-on interaction opened my eyes to a broader understanding of civic leadership as a woman.
I learned how to carry myself as a young leader. My confidence and sense of preparedness increased. Today, I engage far better than I did before YOWOP because I now have a solid foundation of knowledge, exposure, and practical experience.
Reflecting on how you now practice politics on the ground, what is the one key lesson guiding you, and how does that differ from how you approached it in the past?
ANNA: To be honest, before YOWOP, whenever I was called to speak on a platform, my knowledge was limited. But after the programme, I now speak from a much more informed perspective due to the direct engagement with communities.
I remember we also had interactions with Members of Parliament and mayors, which boosted my confidence and taught me best practices. I now engage my community more effectively because I understand the realities on the ground and the challenges that people, women and children face.
As a young politician, I rely on that knowledge when determining how I can help address community challenges. When I speak on platforms today, I can provide deeper insights and use real-life examples to back up what I’m saying.
Why was this particular change in knowledge and exposure important to you?
ANNA: It was important because knowledge is power. As a leader, I can’t lead people without understanding their issues, otherwise, what kind of change would I inspire?
To serve people effectively, I need to know the challenges they face and how to address them. Without knowledge, my efforts would miss the mark and fail to respond to real needs. But with knowledge, I can say, “Okay, these are the issues, and here’s what I need to do to address them.”
Anna, just a quick follow-up, did the programme teach you how to research and gather up-to-date, relevant information about a community before designing interventions or engaging with them?
ANNA: Yes, it did. We had a session on how to gather stories and present them in both captivating and informative ways.
We were assigned to groups that practiced researching community issues by gathering information from a wide range of people such as children, marketeers, the working class, and those with no formal education.
From this, I learned how to interact with and gather insights from all these different groups, and how to use that information in proposals, reports, articles, speeches, or interviews.
What specific aspects of the YOWOP programme do you think helped you get the most out of the experience?
ANNA: The opportunity to carry out mini projects in communities had the biggest impact on me. The first part of the programme was mostly structured like a conference, with various facilitators sharing their experiences in sessions.
But when we went into communities, it brought those lessons to life. It gave a human face to the issues we had discussed theoretically. Those community interactions helped me to start viewing things from different angles, not only from a theoretical or personal perspective.
Gerald Sikazwe
The author works as CYLA’s Communications Assistant.
