Mwinilunga Project, Zambia

See the progress you helped make happen in your sponsored community

When the project started, child malnutrition was common, only 38 percent of children were in school and poor facilities made it hard for them to learn. Malaria was a major illness and two in three households did not have access to clean water.

Thanks to your support, your sponsored child and other children in the Mwinilunga community have improved access clean water, education and healthcare.

Together we've achieved so much

100 girls who had dropped out of school have resumed their education

This followed community awareness campaigns on the importance of educating girls.

  • Four classroom blocks were built and schools received new desks. The project supported 14 school reading clubs, 10 student councils and debating teams to help improve the quality of education.
  • 14 parent-teacher associations were trained and can now engage with the government and campaign for improvements to school facilities.
  • 20 teachers were trained in modern teaching methods and the pass rate for grade seven students reached 100 percent by 2015.

3,000 households gained improved access to clean water

This followed the drilling of 15 boreholes across the project area.

  • Water committees were formed and trained how to maintain and repair borehole hand pumps to ensure a constant supply of clean water. In addition, six toilet blocks were built in schools and health centres.
  • 366 health workers were trained and helped parents learn how to take care of children aged under five. They helped to educate 400 mothers about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.
  • 2,300 people learned about preventing malaria and how to use mosquito nets properly.

20 savings groups have been formed

These enable community members to save money and take out low interest loans to support income generating activities.

  • 132 farmers received fish fingerlings to breed and completed training in aquaculture. They can now provide their families with more protein and earn income from selling fish.
  • Goats and cattle were distributed to provide families with an additional source of food and income. In addition, 320 farmers participated in a livestock vaccination program to protect the health and value of their livestock.
  • 100 farmers began farming pineapple to sell and are now producing two tonnes of pineapples per hectare, providing a new source of income.

"My life and that of my family has really changed because now we have a stable source of income for our daily household needs."

- Farmer and mother, aged 38