Zambia
VSO Zambia's programme focuses on HIV & AIDS, secure livelihoods (gender & food security), and citizen participation, gender and governance.
Life expectancy is one of the lowest in the world and almost one in five Zambians is living with HIV or AIDS. VSO is working to raise awareness of sexual healthcare and safe sex practices; the rights of people living with HIV & AIDS to access treatment, care and counselling programmes; increase the ability of community based organisations to operate efficiently and access funds that can support their activity; and ensure community schools and other child care 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.
Although Zambia has a lot of fertile ground, only 14% 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% 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, those with communications and advocacy skills and business and financial advisers.
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. 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 organisations to increase their understanding of the rights of local people and to support them in campaigning for those rights to be met.
Programme Summaries
VSO Programme Offices
Quick facts
- Population:
- 11.4 million
- Capital city:
- Lusaka
- GDP per capita:
- $943
- HDI ranking:
- 165
- Life expectancy:
- 37