Zambia

VSO Zambia’s programme focuses on HIV and AIDS, secure livelihoods (gender and food security), and citizen participation, gender and governance. VSO Zambia is contributing to the national priority areas identified in the Fifth National Development plan.

HIV and AIDS

Zambia is one of the countries worst hit by HIV and AIDS with a prevalence rate of 16 per cent. VSO is active in the areas of prevention, treatment, care and support, and impact mitigation. VSO is working to:

• raise awareness of the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS to access treatment

• increase the ability of community-based organisations to operate efficiently

• ensure community schools and other childcare institutions are able to fully support the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children.

Volunteers working in this area include healthcare specialists, management advisers, fundraisers and advocacy professionals.

Secure livelihoods

Although Zambia has a lot of fertile ground, only 14 per cent of its potential arable land is currently being farmed. As a result, food production is low so families and farmers can’t store supplies for periods of drought, which are frequent in Zambia. As well as meaning that people go hungry, the resulting poor nutrition means people are more susceptible to AIDS-related illnesses.

As 70 per cent of farming in Zambia is undertaken by women, this area of work is specifically focused on improving the skills of women to produce food for their households and earn a living and advocating for the right of women to access and control land. Volunteers working in this area include nutritional and agricultural experts, policy advisers, enterprise development advisers, financial advisers, as well as communication and advocacy experts.

Participation and governance

Democracy in Zambia is still young and many government and public structures are weak and do not enable citizens to participate in political decision-making. Many locally elected politicians do not feel accountable to their constituents, so communities are not aware of their legal rights. Women are also underrepresented in parliament, and the needs of people under 15, who make up half of the population, are often not considered. In addition, Zambia is also going through a constitutional review process.

Volunteers are working to increase the participation of citizens in a number of ways. Policy advisers are working with district councils to devise strategies that consider all constituents, while business managers, advocacy and communication specialists and human rights advisers are working with community agencies to increase their understanding of the rights of local people and to support them in campaigning for those rights to be met.