Child Aid Chibombo, Zambia

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Child Aid Chibombo, Zambia

Child Aid Chibombo was established in 1990. The project is located in the Chibombo district of Central Province in Zambia and was established in response to the worsening living conditions of children below the age of five in Zambia.

Statistics showed that mortality rate of under-five-year olds in Zambia had raised from 150 to 202 per 1000 between 1980 and 1990. Child Aid was Humana People to People's response the situation. The idea of Developmente Aid from People to People (DAPP)s Child Aid in Chibombo is to empower the participating families with skills and knowledge so they become able to identify problems as well as to find solutions in their communities in order to improve their living standards within the areas of health, education and food security.

The project works to improve children's living standard through community development. To achieve this the project's activities do not only focus on the child, but on improving the situation for the family and community surrounding the child. The activities introduced by the project focus on developing health, hygiene, nutrition, education and food security structures. The project empowers the community with knowledge, skills and tools that help families start their own activities that generate income to buy basic necessities. The activities are aimed at strengthening the capacity and ability of families to improve their own lives and secure a healthy and good upbringing of their children. The project embarks on training individuals as well as empowering communities to take charge of the development process.

In Chibombo District 120 groups were supported to start their own income generating activities. The project has trained family members in crop and animal husbandry methods to enable them to run their own agricultural activities. Families also acquire basic skills in planning, budgeting and business management from the project's training program. The project provides small pass on loans to families looking after orphans and vulnerable children. The pass on loans could either be goat loans or agricultural input loans. After using the goat or agricultural input, the family passes it on to another family, so they can start their income generating activity.

Under health and hygiene the project provides quality health care services close to the communities. 4 rural health centers were established close to their communities by the project in collaboration with the District Health Management Team. Community Based Distributors are trained to teach the community about family planning. The number of people accepting to use contraceptives has steadily increased over the years. The project is slowly influencing Zionists (a religious group against the use of contraceptives) to use contraceptives. Finally birth attendants are trained to deliver babies in their communities. An HIV/AIDS program run by the project seeks to change relationships and gender roles that are engraved in the Zambia culture. The project has had talks with traditional leaders about finding alternative measures to replace traditional cleansing and other sex practices that often lead to contraction of HIV/AIDS. The program has reached out to 15.000 people in 25 villages.

Village Water, Sanitation and Health Education committee members are trained to mobilize and teach the community about sanitation and health. They promote health and hygiene in schools, too. The committee mobilize people to cut grass close to the villages to prevent malaria, and to cover holes with stagnant water to stop mosquitoes from breeding. The project supports and compliments the government's efforts to reduce illiteracy through establishment of preschools. 37 preschools have been established, and the parents participate in the development of these schools. Preschool teachers are trained, not only to teach the education curriculum, but also to give children basic knowledge in health and environment.

Youth participates in programs to combat HIV/AIDS. They are involved in entertainment where they use sport, drama, poetry, sketches and songs to disseminate information about the disease. They also take part in income generating activities. 40 youth clubs are involved in farming activities. The project works with 7.000 orphans and vulnerable children registered from 250 villages. 500 families looking after these children have received loans to start activities that will generate income. The orphans and vulnerable children have been assisted to register and go back to school. In primary and secondary schools, the project trains peer educators to be advocates for minimizing the spread of HIV/AIDS among pupils.

Teachers are trained to be coordinators for activities in school health and nutrition and in school sanitation and hygiene education. Child Aid Chibombo contributes to the development of the district. The project approves funds for construction of bore holes and schools. The project works with the District Development Coordinating Committee and the District HIV/AIDS Task Force Committee to come up with developmental activities to improve the district. Tree nurseries have been established throughout the operation areas of the project. Schools and parents are encouraged to plant more trees to replace those destroyed by tree cutting for charcoal.To promote food security, the project conducts various activities like training farmers in cereal bank management, conservation farming methods, construction of storage bins and food preservation. Small-scale farmers' skills in crop husbandry and farm management are developed to improve their income base.

The project is promoting sport activities within its area of operation. 10 football and 10 net ball teams were created. Sports activities are geared to develop the physical education for the community as well as provide entertainment.

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