38 children saved by the pursuit of truth

To keep asking questions is a calling that has always resonated for me deeply. But last year I was part of a project by BBC Media Action, training journalists like me to investigate deeply, to keep asking questions and to keep pursuing the story to find the truth.

A shallow copper mine collapsed in the Copperbelt region, and Beverly Subeti, one of the young journalists on the project attended the funeral of a 21-year-old boy killed during the destruction. We learned another two boys who died were just 14 and 16.

It led Beverly and I to follow the story, into a labyrinth revealing one injustice after another.

We uncovered that many more children, as young as 14, had died in these mines. Their deaths were often reported as traffic accidents, to hide that children were being trafficked to work in these mines. Their small bodies allow them to work in narrow tunnels. But it’s deadly and illegal.

We kept pushing to uncover the truth and the depth of the story.

We discovered a house in Chingola district where more than 30 child miners were living and published the story. 

Our articles placed pressure on the authorities and as the media pressure increased, the word spread. Eventually local police raided the home where the children were being held.

They rescued 38 children who had been trafficked and were working in horrific conditions.

More than one whole classroom of children are now at home with their families, instead of risking their lives underground. I can’t put into words what an incredible feeling it was to achieve this.

But I know there are thousands more children who have been trafficked into this life in the mines and we still have a lot more work to do. This is why local journalism is vitally important. It can create lasting change, it can affect policy.

But many of the media houses in Zambia must spend most of their budget just to stay on air. Resources for these kinds of investigations are scarce.

Telling the tough stories is not always easy. Journalists often face threats and intimidation.

I'm thankful that the mentoring by BBC Media Action is more than a single training. It is for the long haul and is such a worthwhile programme. It covers editorial standards, production techniques and fair and impartial reporting. I've been a mentor and received mentoring myself, I even learned techniques from BBC Africa Eye; they always have someone we can talk to and to get advice. 

Following the training given to my team and I, we've been working with BBC Media Action to train other local journalists and strengthen independent media partners here in Zambia. 

Of course there is always much more to be done, but the training and financial support from BBC Media Action has been essential to help local media here to keep reporting the most challenging stories in the best way possible.

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Charles Mafa is Editor at MakanDay Centre for Investigative Journalism in Zambia

Read the original articles published here - Blood on the Copper Part I and Part II.

Top photo credit: Beverly Busanga, Zambia