Women and children begin to cut grass for house construction and rehabilitation. Men start gardening for vegetable growing, mold bricks and burn them to build more houses for boys and girls that have reached puberty and for new members that join the families to stay with them permanently, through marriages for example.
Recent accomplishments include:
- Immunizing more than 4,600 children and providing them with vitamin A supplements and deworming medication, improving their health.
- Distributing over 1,100 mosquito nets to households, reducing the risk of malaria.
- Providing more than 1,700 households of chronically ill people with nutritional supplements, improving their health.
- Supporting orphaned and vulnerable children with blankets, clothing, and medical and school support, improving their well-being.
- Distributing improved maize seed to households, increasing food production.
- Drilling and equipping borehole wells, increasing access to safe water.
- Honoring 5,600 children with birthday parties.
Zambia is bordered by Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. The country is named for the Zambezi River, which flows from its source in northern Zambia to the Indian Ocean. Natural resources include cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, gems, precious metals, and hydropower.
The population consists primarily of people of Bantu origin. English is the official language, but Bemba is most predominantly used. Most people are involved in agriculture to provide family food. Crops include corn, rice, peanuts, vegetables, cotton, and coffee.
Rural Zambians usually live with their extended families in houses that are clustered together. A spirit of cooperation prevails as family members share work, assets, and the experiences of daily life. A large family means more hands to help on the farm and assures that parents will be cared for as they age.
In Zambia, cousins are sometimes referred to as “brothers” and “sisters.” For this reason, the number of siblings that your sponsored child writes about might change from letter to letter.
Currently, 86 percent of people throughout Zambia live below the poverty line, and 50 percent are unemployed. Almost half of the population lacks access to safe water, leading to medical problems and a poor quality of life for entire communities. Recurring droughts also threaten the food supply.
Malaria remains the biggest killer of children under age five and poses a major health problem for the rest of the population.
The HIV and AIDS pandemic is widespread with 1.1 million Zambian people living with the disease. According to UNICEF, more than 700,000 children have been orphaned due to this devastating disease. Coupled with economic challenges and food shortages, this has left half of Zambian children suffering from malnutrition.
Through sponsorship, World Vision is partnering with families and communities to help meet immediate needs and promote lasting changes that will strengthen communities and move families toward self-reliance.