Zambia
Why are we working here?
Around two-thirds of Zambians live below the international poverty line, which translates to about 7.5 million people. Social indicators continue to decline; specifically life expectancy, which is approximately 41 years, and maternal mortality, at around 729 deaths per 100,000 pregnancies.
The education system has suffered a decline over the last twenty years in Zambia. Despite the government’s reforms in education, it is still not adequately investing in the system. As such, lack of education remains one of the reasons why Zambia has one of the world’s most devastating HIV/AIDS epidemics. With over half the population of Zambia under 18, education is therefore a key priority area. Data from household surveys show that just over 55% of primary school age children are attending school, and only around 18% of children attend secondary school.
What do we do?
Maziba farm and work in the community
African Revival has worked in Zambia since 2006, based in Kalomo District in the Southern Province. The organization has been based on Maziba Farm, where a new school and health post has been constructed, serving the local community. The clinic is providing basic health services, such as antenatal care, HIV counseling and testing and health education sessions, on issues such as hygiene and sanitation and malaria prevention.
In the last two years African Revival has worked with local communities to improve their quality of life, from providing safe access to drinking water to training traditional birth attendants. Click to read more about our successful projects to date.
Education
African Revival in Zambia is now looking to focus it’s energies more on developing the education sector in the area.
African Revival has been running a Schools Linking Programme in Zambia since 2007 and is now working with 16 schools in the area. The programme offers a chance for children in Zambia to learn more about the UK, and vice versa. In addition funds raised by the UKschools are being used in Zambia to help improve the school environment and to purchase much needed resources.
Looking to the future, African Revival is going to be implementing a broad education development programme, focusing more attention on some of the schools we already work with. In addition African Revival has started a programme sponsoring teachers through training so that teacher motivation, quality of teaching and resulting quality of education can improve.