Tributes salute Philip Pascall legacy

By Derrick Silimina

People from all walks of life converged at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka recently to honour the life and legacy of Philip Pascall, the co-founder and visionary leader of First Quantum Minerals Ltd.

Philip steered the mining giant to global heights, leaving an indelible mark on the world mining industry. Under his leadership, he established an entrepreneurial culture that saw the company formed in 1996 grow from a 10,000 tonnes tailings re-processor with the Bwana Mkubwa project in Zambia to one of the world’s largest copper producers with operations spanning five continents. 

Philip’s legacy stretches into the local communities in which FQM operates, bringing improved standards of health and education in often remote places and employing more than 20,000 people globally. 

In a touching tribute to Philip who died on September 19, 2023, his young brother Matt Pascall shared a great insight of Philip’s early life and experiences in rural Zimbabwe and how his unique character helped shape his professional and entrepreneurship journey. 

Matt noted that Philip was born in Southern Rhodesia in 1947, the present day Zimbabwe. At five, he suffered from malaria and was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for some days, then and later on his parents had to evacuate him from Salisbury, now Harare, to Mutare via a train. 

That was a daunting experience for the young Philip. Philip’s legacy stretches into the local communities in which FQM operates, bringing improved standards of health and education in often remote places and employing more than 20,000 people globally People from all walks of life converged at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka recently to honour the life and legacy of Philip Pascall, the co-founder and visionary leader of First Quantum Minerals Ltd. 

Matt further stated that Philip’s illustrious mining career started after he studied at a University in England where he pursued Control engineering, a branch of Electrical engineering which had nothing to do with mining. 

After that Philip was involved in oil exploration in Nigeria and Mozambique. Following a short stint in Australia where he was project manager for a diamond mining firm and civil engineering, he later built many mining projects not only in Australia but also in Zimbabwe, Indonesia, America and other countries in the world. 

“It all started in 1996 when he came to apply for a hunting concession in Zambia. Out of curiosity for other opportunities, Philip founded Bwana Mkubwa Mine in Ndola which became a solid foundation for FQM. After the privatisation of ZCCM, we extended our operations to the Kansanshi mine and later another mining project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),” Matt narrated. 

And Kansanshi Mine General Manager Anthony Mukutuma said Philip would be remembered as a man who built a top-tier mining company in under 20 years, and that his greatest legacy would be the people, lives and livelihoods of millions that he had impacted directly and indirectly. 

“The people’s first culture at FQM is Philip and it is our attempt to put to paper Philip’s approach to life and the world that made him so impactful,” Mukutuma said in remarks given on his behalf by the company’s Corporate Secretary Joyce Muwo. 

The General Manager emphasized that Philip’s idea of giving was not based on what he had but how he could better the lives and livelihoods of others; particularly in the areas of personal growth, education, health and sustainable development. 

CHANGED 

In this context, courtesy of an FQM University of Cape Town Scholarship, Philip has changed many lives including young Zambians of humble background whom he empowered academically, offering them unique opportunities. 

Reminiscing on his humble beginnings during the memorial service, FQM Trident Technical Manager-Mine Maintenance Nathan Mbulo paid his glowing tribute to Philip and disclosed how difficult life was, growing up in a family that relied on his mother’s meagre salary. 

Mbulo, 34, stated that at tertiary level, his university prospects were limited to Zambia as his family could not afford an education abroad. 

“Thanks to FQM, after a series of interviews and tests, I was awarded a scholarship to study Electrical Engineering at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Thus, I began my journey with First Quantum that has spanned three continents.” 

He noted that over the last 10 years, he had been privileged to attain two master’s degrees and had enjoyed various roles, eventually rising to his present position. Tamara Habile is also among recipients of an FQM University of Cape Town Scholarship who studied Chemical Engineering. 

“The deliberate plans by FQM in giving back to the community has made a mark on my life personally. It has made me a graduate of one of the most prestigious universities in Africa and additionally gave me a great start to my career,” Habile added. 

OPPORTUNITIES 

Mahali Zabangwa who also studied Chemical Engineering affirmed, “Today, I stand a seasoned Senior Metallurgist, a position that might have remained out of reach were it not for the opportunities and support provided.” 

Zabangwa acknowledged that Phillip’s vision established a sturdy foundation for exciting careers and promising futures. 

Aibaki Tembo who also studied Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Cape Town echoed his colleagues’ sentiments and said, “I stand as proof of his dedication to nurturing talent and his generosity. His legacy will forever echo in the corridors of the success he built, and his impact will be felt in the lives he touched.” 

Tembo described as “inspiring” Philip’s generosity and vision to cultivate a new generation of ground-up leaders. 

COMMUNITY PLAYER 

In his tribute, Chief Mumena of the Kaonde people hailed Philip as a community player who touched many lives. 

“What we learn from Philip is that he came to our land and not to reap but to sow; and he did so through a wonderful seed, real seed which is the seed of humanity. He exhibited that through being a community player and a great partner in socio-economic development. Philip was a true African as much as he was a global citizen with a footprint on almost all the continents on the globe,” Chief Mumena said. 

The traditional leader indicated that Philip was a great mining stalwart who invested in the livelihoods of people in the province through education, health, infrastructure and agriculture among other corporate social responsibility programmes. 

Dean of the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross Father Charley Thomas affirmed that Philip’s pioneering spirit extended the mental and physical boundaries of the Copperbelt Province. 

“Philip was driven by purpose and had a clear vision to create a better world. The impact of Philip’s world is beyond the 20,000 employment created globally by FQM or even the 10,000 indirect jobs; the impact of what he started is going to stay for years to come,” Fr. Thomas said in his sermon. 

“Philip's reputation and his unique signature on life continues to positively impact many lives. He indeed ran a good race that is resoundingly a true definition of what the Bible in Ecclesiastes 7:1- 4 reminds us that, "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death is better than the day of one’s birth.” 

Present at the memorial service was Home Affairs Minister Jack Mwimbu who was flanked by senior Government officials, former Vice-President Enock Kavindele, Chief Kapijimpanga and Chief Mumena of the Kaonde people, and FQM senior staff. 

Philip is survived by his wife Vivien, children and grandchildren.

Sisters in Zambia support children with disabilities

By Derrick Silimina

Changa Chitabo, 19, and his younger brother, Josephat, 17, stagger and struggle to maintain their balance and walk as their class teacher rushes ahead to give the young lads support. 

They had no access to special learning facilities, considering their home village is on the rural outskirts of Ndola town, some 750 kilometers (466 miles) north of Zambia's capital, Lusaka. 

Innocent Chitabo, the 45-year-old father to Changa and Josephat, told the Global Sisters Report he used to spend sleepless nights trying to provide for their health care, sustain their basic needs and find a special needs school for his boys. Both live with Usher syndrome, a rare genetic disease that affects both hearing and vision and sometimes causes problems with balance. In 2021, Chitabo finally secured spaces for his sons at the Bauleni Special Needs Project and School facility and is happy to see how they are progressing and responding.

Born and raised in rural Ndola, Chitabo spoke emotionally of how difficult it is to raise disabled children in a rural area. He noted that the young boys faced social and economic challenges in terms of mobility, and lack of access to health care and special education facilities for their severe disabilities.

In Zambia, disability is stigmatized due to negative traditional beliefs, entrenched stereotypes and ignorance. As a result, children and adults with disabilities are often neglected, isolated and discriminated against. 

In 1995, the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary carried out a survey in Bauleni township, a poor, densely populated slum about 10 kilometers southeast of Lusaka, to ascertain the number of children with special needs living in that area.

The sisters discovered that more than 100 disabled children between 10 months and 24 years lived in homes, isolated from the public due to their disability. The ravaging effect of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the early 1990s also led to an increase in the number of orphans who flooded the streets of Lusaka.

Having started with four classrooms, the school runs two tracks, special needs education and general education, and has grown tremendously. More than 200 children with disabilities from preschool to grade 12 are enrolled. The facility has more than 1,000 learners and has expanded to offer job skills and nutrition training. 

In response to those needs, the Bauleni Special Needs Project and School, managed by the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in the Archdiocese of Lusaka, was born one year later.

"We are the only school in Lusaka and Zambia as a whole with classes for children with deaf-blindness and children with multiple disabilities, and that is a huge success for us," Sr. Yvonne Mwila, school director, told GSR.

Mwila said that the facility, in conjunction with the Zambia Institute of Special Education,  looks at a child holistically and establishes the need for qualified teachers before learners are admitted to class so they can incorporate into society and participate effectively.

The school provides psychosocial support, physiotherapy, speech therapy, counseling and provision of epilepsy drugs, among other services.

In addition to being recognized as a center of excellence for inclusive, special needs education, the school also offers in-service training for its teachers and support staff who work with children and young adults with special needs.

Chomba Nakazwe, a teacher specializing in working with the most severely disabled children at the facility, said it is fulfilling to contribute to the well-being of disabled children.

Her classroom is dubbed Lowani, a Chewa language term that means, "Come in."

Driven by her passion for serving, Nakazwe noted that some of the most severe cases among her learners are those with autism. But thanks to the Bauleni school, they can interact with their friends and learn. 

The facility supports parents and families by offering counseling services and free physiotherapy services for their disabled children, along with job skills and training to help them secure a brighter future. The project also runs a home-based education program for more than 200 children with disabilities without access to the facility and in the catchment area of the school and rural areas.

To make the project sustainable and self-reliant, the school runs income-generating ventures, including a bakery, vegetable production, carpentry, tailoring, a shop and a piggery.

With its motto, "called to love and serve," the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary home-based program for disabled youth in Zambia emphasizes child safety and rights. 

Known for its mission to champion children with severe developmental needs, the school has brought hope to formerly suffering families now receiving care. 

Gertrude Phiri, mother of a 10-year-old child born with cerebral palsy, said she was in denial about her second-born's disability.

"But after I got counseled here, I believed that God would see me through the struggle that comes with raising a child that is physically challenged."