Food Security for Hungry Families in Zambia

The Covid year and a half in Zambia produced fear and economic collapse in Zambia, and as always, the poor suffered the most. Our families, who have children with disabilities, are headed mostly by women and literally could not adequately feed their children. So Sydney Mwamba, the managing director of the AACDP in Livingstone, is designing and executing a three-part project to provide food now and in the future.

Thanks to our successful fundraiser with GlobalGiving, the AACDP has begun step one delivering  monthly boxes of food staples to 40 families to offset the rampant inflationary food prices that followed in the wake of Covid business restrictions.

In phase two, which begins next month, we will offer support in helping families create or improve home gardens where possible.

Phase three is the purchase of 20 acres of farmland in areas where our local people have access to their traditional land at very reasonable prices. The land has been located and a price agreed upon. This will be a long term project requiring preparation of the land and minimal infrastructure: a small traditional building for storage and a caretaker. Most important will be a solar irrigation system when rain is scarce. The local tribal chief from whom we are buying the land has told us that he is very pleased to see the area the whole neighborhood improved.

The farmers are a community of mainly women, and most were born in villages where farming is a way of life. They know how to do this and are very keen to begin.

The benefits will come with time and effort, but eventually these hard working mothers will eat and sell produce from their own fields. 

Links:

• AACDP Website