Professor Stephen Chan honoured by the President of Zambia

26 May 2022

Photo credit: Adine Sagalyn

In celebration of Africa Day on 25 May, Professor Stephen Chan was conferred the honour of the Presidential Insignia for Meritorious Achievement by the President of Zambia.

This recognised the community work Professor Chan has carried out for 42 years in Zambia, driving community and youth upliftment through the martial arts and building a sizable national movement in the process.

In reaction to the honour, Professor Stephen Chan said:

“The award came as a complete surprise. I was very very pleased the awards were made on Africa Freedom Day. The President made ten state awards but mine was the only one given to a foreigner. The belief in freedom and equality has driven me in my work across Africa - starting 42 years ago in Zimbabwe and later in the same year in Zambia - where I went to live for some years amidst the exiled liberation groups headquartered in Lusaka.

The new President has very recently made education free in Zambia, but I found on my visit in March that many of the girls in the city slums could still not go to school because their parents could not afford to buy them uniforms, shoes, a school bag and writing materials. So we've started providing these things, starting with a small number, in the most violent slum in the city.  If anyone wants to help, the entire kit comes to only £35 per girl.”