Awareness of Effects of Lead Contamination in Zambia's
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AWARENESS OF EFFECTS OF LEAD CONTAMINATION IN ZAMBIA’S MAKULULU AND KASANDA MINE COMPOUNDS OF KABWE DISTRICT by Shankaya Christopher Dissertation submitted to the University of Zambia in partial fulfilment of the Requirement for the Award of Master of Education degree in Environmental Education. The University of Zambia Lusaka 2014 1 AUTHOR’S DECLARATION I, Shankaya Christopher, do hereby declare that this dissertation represents my own work and that it has not previously been submitted for a certificate, diploma, or degree at the University of Zambia or any other University. 2 NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT All rights reserved. No part of this dissertation may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author or the University of Zambia. 3 CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL This dissertation of Shankaya Christopher is approved as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Master of Education degree in Environmental Education by the University of Zambia. Examiners’ Signatures: 1. ………………………………………………….. Date ………………………...2014 2. …………………………………………………... Date ………………………...2014 3. …………………………………………………... Date ………………………..2014 4 ABSTRACT The principal areas and causes of environmental degradation include land degradation through erosion, land, air and water pollution to mention only but a few. Many of these environmental issues emanate from mining activities in one way or the other. Although these environmental concerns are increasingly reflected in sectoral policies such as those of mining, tourism, agriculture, among others, the public awareness of environmental issues and individual responsibilities are poor in urban and rural communities. This, with other factors made the study sought to establish residents’ awareness of the effects of environmental hazards in form of lead contamination in Makululu and Kasanda Mine Compounds of Kabwe district. To achieve the aim above, the objectives of the study were to establish the state of awareness by residents of Makululu and Kasanda Mine Compounds of Kabwe on the effects of lead contamination on their environment; to determine the nature of sensitisation that has been done concerning effects of lead contamination in their lives; to investigate residents’ participation in different activities aimed at reducing the effects of lead contamination in the affected areas and to establish the contributions made by Environmental Education (EE) to address effects of lead contamination in the lives of Makululu and Kasanda Mine Compounds residents. The study used the general research question to establish the state of awareness by residents of the study areas about effects of lead contamination on their environment. The general question was addressed through the following specific research questions: how aware are the residents of the study areas about the effects of lead contamination on their environment? What sensitisation programmes on effects of lead contamination have been conducted in the study areas? How involved were residents of Makululu and Kasanda Mine Compounds in activities aimed at reducing levels of lead contamination in the study areas? What contributions have been made by EE to address effects of lead contamination in the study areas? The study used a survey design which was mainly qualitative though complemented by quantitative approaches to collect data using semi-structured questionnaires and interview guides. The sample size was 125 respondents and comprised 105 residents in Makululu and Kasanda Mine Compounds, 20 facilitators from NGOs and other government ministries. The study established that most of the respondents from the category of residents were aware of effects of lead contamination. However, the knowledge has not been translated into behavioural and social change to influence residents’ life style in regard to effects of lead contamination as attitude of residents towards the environment continue to be bad. This was due to lack of organised way of accessing information about effects of lead contamination in the study areas. Further revelations from the study were that the main ways in which residents were accessing information were through the clinic and neighbours. Among the major challenges faced in the awareness programme included lack of funds and few trained facilitators. Resulting from these challenges the study recommended that the Kabwe municipal council should fund awareness programmes and 5 train more environmental facilitators. The study also suggests that other possible ways EE could address environmental hazards included raising awareness programmes through localised curriculum, use of drama, theatre and television among others. 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost I would like to thank the Almighty God for His unfailing love to me; otherwise I am but a pencil in His hands. My ever heartfelt thanks go to my supervisor Professor Charles Mwendabai Namafe, for his invaluable support, patience, generous assistance, inspiration and all constructive guidance that made it possible for me to come up with a sensible dissertation in the end. Thanks to Kabwe Kasanda Mine and Makululu compound residents, Environmental Health Technologists in the areas of study, the two Members of Parliament for these areas, three area councillors for the same areas, Non Governmental Organisations, Kabwe Mine, and other stakeholders for assistance and cooperation during this study. I also acknowledge the assistance and encouragement I received from my fellow Environmental Education students especially Hambulo Caesar, Yamba Maybin and Sitali Namakando Grace. My gratitude also goes to my friends Chilekwa Epilius, Katusi Joseph, Mwanabaleya Felix and Kaoma Chrispine for their unwavering support. Finally I would like to thank my brother Dr. Shankaya M, wife Twaambo, children Luyando, Lushomo and Lumba, who desperately needed material and spiritual support, physical presence and persevered through hardships to enable me complete my study. 7 DEDICATION To my late mum and dad Sarah Chinyama Mbiiza and John Pombe Zimba Shankaya who have been a driving force in my life. M.T.S.R.I.P. Their support was unwavering. 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Authors Declaration ………………………………………………………………. i Notice of Copyright ……………………………………………………………….. ii Certificate of Approval ……………………………………………………………. iii Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………. iv Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………... vi Dedication …………………………………………………………………………. vii Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………….. viii List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………….. xi List of Appendices …………………………………………………………….….… xii List of Acronyms …………………………………………………………………… xiii CHAPTER ONE: BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY ……………………… 1 1.1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………… 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem ………………………………………………… 3 1.3 Purpose of the study ……………………………………………………… 4 1.4 Specific Objectives …………………………………………………………. 4 1.5 General Research Question ………………………………………………… 4 1.6 Significance of the Study …………………………………………………… 5 1.7 Delimitation ………………………………………………………………… 6 1.8 Limitations ………………………………………………………………….. 6 1.9 Theoretical framework ……………………………………………………… 7 1.10 Operational Definition of Terms …………………………………………… 8 1.11 Structure of the dissertation ………………………………………………… 9 1.12 Summary of the chapter …………………………………………………… 10 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ….…………………………….. 11 2.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………………. 11 2.2 Environmental Awareness and Sensitisation ………………………………. 11 2.3 Community Participation …………………………………………………… 14 2.4 Methods used in Sensitisation ……………………………………………… 15 2.5 Contribution made by EE to Address Effects of Lead Contamination ……. 16 2.6 Environmental Education and mining ……………………………………… 21 2.7 Impact of lead mining ……………………………………………………… 25 2.8 Lead Exposure Routes ……………………………………………………… 27 2.9 State of Awareness and Environmental Education in Zambia ……………… 28 2.10 Environmental Education and mining in developed countries …………….. 30 2.1 Environmental Education and mining in Australia ………………………… 32 2.12 Environmental Education and mining in developing countries …………… 32 2.13 Summary of the chapter …………………………………………………… 34 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ……..…………… 35 3.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………………. 35 3.2 Descriptive of the study areas ……………………………………………… 35 3.3 Research Design …………………………………………………………….. 36 3.4 Target population …………………………………………………………… 37 3.5 Sample size and Sampling procedure ……………………………………… 37 3.6 Data Collection procedure ………………………………………………….. 38 3.7 Research Instruments ……………………………………………………….. 39 3.8 Data Collection ……………………………………………………………… 40 9 3.9 Data Analysis ………………………………………………………………… 40 3.10 Validity and Reliability …………………………………………………….. 41 3.11 Ethical Considerations ……………………………………………………… 41 3.11 Summary of the chapter ……………………………………………………. 42 CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS ………… 43 4.0 Introduction ………………………………………………………………… 43 4.1 Respondents’ awareness of effects of lead contamination …………………. 43 4.1.1 Social background of the respondents ……………………………………… 43 4.1.7 State of Awareness among respondents ……………………………………. 47 4.1.8 Methods used to teach awareness ………………………………………….. 48 4.1.9 Most vulnerable groups to lead contamination ……………….……………. 50 4.2 Sensitisation programmes on effects of lead contamination in the study areas … 53 4.2.1 Awareness of sensitisation programmes …………………………………… 53 4.2.2 Accessibility of information by residents