New Head of MS-Zambia

After four years as Country Co-ordinator for MS-Zambia, Ms. Lis Bjarnesen is leaving Zambia. “I have done my part and it is time for some one else to take over,” she says in this interview. Taking over is Mr. Ladislous Ndeke Kanene, who is very familiar with MS-Zambia and looking forward to working for the organisation again.

By Evans Kanda, NewZ reporter

Ms. Lis Bjarnesen has resigned as Country Co-ordinator a year before her contract ends. She has worked for MS-Zambia for four years. She started working in March 2000.

“I think I have done my part. I am tired and need some rest,” says Lis Bjarnesen.

One of her major duties in the past four years has been the demanding task of reorganising the Country Office and contributing to the formulation of the MS-Zambia Policy Paper 2002-2006.

Lis Bjarnesen is very familiar with Zambia. From 1984-1986 she was in Zambia with her family working as a volunteer under Danish Volunteer Service – now MS-Zambia.

“I have had a lot of happy moments in Zambia and it has been wonderful working with the staff at the Country Office,” she says.

“The achievements we have seen in this programme over the past years are a result of good team work among the staff at the Country Office and the partners of MS-Zambia. This programme is the best in MS and I wish my successor all the best,” she says.

Very frank and direct

Ms. Lis Bjarnesen is known to be a very frank and sometimes strict person and she admits it.

“I will be remembered as being tuff and frank and at times sitting on the money box. During my time we cut heavily on the administration costs of the Country Office and of course that has been experienced as a rough but necessary exercise,” she says.

The cutting of the MS-Zambia programme turned out to be very helpful, when MS in general had to cut down due to cuts in development aid from the Danish Government. MS-Zambia had already done the cutting so that the programme could continue relatively untouched.

Back to MS-Zambia

The incoming Country Director Mr. Ladislous Ndeke Kanene is familiar with MS-Zambia having worked for MS-Zambia as Programme Officer from 1990 to 2001.

He has been an Advisor to the National Authorising Officer for European Development Fund in rural development and social sectors of Zambia. His ambition is to share his gained expertise and contribute effectively to poverty eradication.

“I have gained a lot of experience, knowledge and skills especially in project preparation, design, implementation, mid-term reviews, monitoring and evaluation as well as in managing and administering Technical Advisors of large sector programmes in health, education, natural resources management, public welfare assistance schemes and micro-projects. I have a lot to contribute towards poverty eradication,” says Kanene.

“I like the approach of MS-Zambia towards tackling poverty because all parties are involved and participate in reaching the goal of poverty eradication. MS has a bottom-up approach and I strongly support the possibilities of helping poor people come out of poverty,” says Kanene.

Time for implementation
“The priority now is the implementation of the MS-Zambia policy paper 2002-2006. The focus is to ensure that all the partnerships contribute to the achievement of the MS-Zambia policy objectives. We, in MS-Zambia will use the partnership approach and dialogue with all partners to ensure that activities supported in the partnerships are relevant and effective in terms of addressing the dimensions of empowerment as indicated in the MS-Zambia policy paper. These dimensions are well-being, awareness, participation, access and control,” says Kanene.