Zambia


  • Population - 13,881,336
  • Infant Mortality Rate - 66.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Life Expectancy – 40 years
  • Population below poverty line – 64%
  • Year ChildFund entered Zambia – 1983

Quick Facts

  • The capital of Zambia is Lusaka, with approximately 1,394,000 inhabitants.
  • Zambia is home to over 70 different ethnic groups.
  • The currency is the Zambian kwacha.
  • The main languages in Zambia are: English and indigenous languages.
  • The main religions are: Christian, Muslim and Hindu.
  • Zambia’s main industries are: Copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs and beverages. Its main agricultural sources are: Corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts and cattle. Zambia’s main exports are: Copper, cobalt, electricity, tobacco and flowers.
  • Zambia’s population is growing at approximately 3% annually.
  • Tourism is a significant source of foreign currency with tourist attractions such as Victoria Falls and many safari parks.

Priority Issues

  • Over 64% of Zambians live on less than 1 US$ a day.
  • It is estimated that 14.3% of the population aged 15-49 is infected with HIV.
  • Zambia has one of the lowest life expectancies in the world, ranking 4th worldwide.
  • Malaria is responsible for one third of children under the age of 5 deaths.
  • Approximately 1.1 million children have lost one or both parents to HIV or AIDS.
  • An estimated 4.6 million people do not have access to safe water supplies in rural areas.
  • An estimated 3.7 million rural people do not have access to adequate sanitation.
  • Many Zambian children are exposed to harmful or exploitative labour, with nearly 50% of children aged between 7 and 14 engaged in economic activities.

ChildFund Intervention

ChildFund Zambia has been helping children and families since 1983. Currently, 18,000 children in 23 project locations are receiving assistance. Over 300 of these children are sponsored by ChildFund Ireland sponsors.

As in many developing nations Zambia suffers from far reaching poverty and a HIV&AIDS pandemic, which place new-borns and mothers at great risk. 64 out of 10,000 women die in pregnancy or childbirth. ChildFund Zambia is addressing this problem with its Safe Motherhood programme. The Safe Motherhood programme ensures access to health care facilities for prenatal visits, emergencies and births. Participants are given vitamin supplements, as are babies and children under the age of five.

With financial support from Irish Aid as well as funding from ElectricAid, AWAS, RTE One World Fund and Bank of Ireland Group Employees Fund for Third World Aid, ChildFund Ireland and ChildFund Zambia have collaborated on maternal and child health projects since early 2005. Specific emphasis in our project in the districts of Nyimba and Masaiti is currently being placed on issues of HIV&AIDS prevention, care and support as well as improved availability and access to reproductive, maternal and child health information and services, and build community capacity to address issues of child protection and gender based violence. There is a focus on improving access to quality safe motherhood services, accessing improved quality family planning services, reduction of reproductive health morbidity amongst youth through adoption of safe sexual health practices and improving facilities at some of the rural health centres, thereby providing greater access to safe delivery for mothers.

ChildFund’s education programme in Mumbwa District, has changed how children experience learning. Classrooms have become places of discovery and fun. Children’s faces light up with huge smiles as they raise their hands, eager to answer the teachers’ questions. They are thrilled to interact with fellow students in small group projects, something unheard of before ATLAS, which is ChildFund’s Active Teaching and Learning Approach in Schools. ATLAS is the result of a joint venture among ChildFund New Zealand, ChildFund Zambia, ChildFund International and the International Reading Association, a network of non-profit organizations promoting literacy.

Education wasn’t always that way. In 2002, when Zambia made education free for all children, classes became overcrowded and teachers were overwhelmed. Teachers often followed the philosophy that children should be seen and not heard, so they simply lectured to their classes. By following teacher-centred education methods, they seldom allowed children to participate in class. Something needed to be done. With its child-centred, active learning approach, ATLAS was the perfect tool to use in the Mumbwa schools. Today, students ask questions and the entire class benefits. Teachers are interacting with children and allowing them to be more inquisitive and participatory, all to enhance the learning process.

 

Comments are closed.