Situation

The history of Zambia is similar to the other sub-Saharan countries. Radical political change from the colonialistic period to independance (1964) caused the lack of organisation in the political and economical life (Colonists left and the local people didn’t know how to manage things). 30-year-long period of communism followed – state indebted and big differences between rich and poor people. Changed to capitalism, the privatised companies started to go bankrupt (due to inexperienced management). That caused colaps of Zambian economics and increased the debts of the country. Many people who had lost their jobs had to start to grow their own food for living. They had to do it on farmland which didn’t belong to them. Because of the lack of knowledge about farming the majority of inhabitants became very poor. Another problem is that the most cultivated farm product has been corn. The original seeds resistant to African conditions have disappeared during the period of communism due to using of hybrid seeds. Those are more lucrative but only under the condition of using of right manure. After the change to capitalism, the farmers couldn’t get this kind of manure (before provided for free by the communistic state). That led to lower lucrativity and so-called “food insecurity”. Due to bad farming (lack of experience and information) the fertility of the farmland decreases. Another bad factor is never-ceasing changing of weather – floods one year replaced by dry weather the next one.

Current activities

Lessons (once a week) about effective farming on the farmland or about saving money. The participants are taught to run a bussiness, how to maintain the developement, how to be self-sufficient in feeding own family. Providing certain amount of money for those who need it to be able to start to manage effectively the sources

Success

● Many participants on regular meetings. It is possible to see acquiring of basic skills and self-sufficiency after absolving the program (…….% of participants) ● Construction of grinding room – possibility of grinding for low costs for the people of the area; provides finances to the community