Information and Facts About Zambia — World Vision
| Overview Zambia is a landlocked country in south-central Africa. Its terrain consists of a high plateau with hills and mountains, small trees, grassy plains, and marshland. The climate is tropical, with some areas experiencing a six-month rainy season. Zambia is bordered by Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. Formerly the British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia, Zambia achieved independence in 1964. Remaining a one-party state for almost 30 years, its first multi-party elections were held in 1993. The population consists primarily of people of Bantu origin. English is the official language of the country, but Bemba is most predominately used. More than 70 other languages are spoken, including Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, and Tonga. Zambia is composed of nine provinces, and the majority of the population lives in rural areas. Most people are involved in agriculture to provide family food. Crops include corn, rice, peanuts, vegetables, cotton, sugarcane, and cassava. Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia’s economic growth in 2005-06 remained somewhat below the six to seven percent per year needed to reduce poverty significantly. Currently, 86 percent of people throughout Zambia live below the poverty line and 50 percent are unemployed. A lack of proper health care has taken a severe toll on Zambia’s families as well. Malaria remains the biggest killer of children under age five and poses a major health problem for the rest of the population. |  |
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| In addition, the HIV/AIDS pandemic is widespread, with 920,000 Zambian people living with the disease. According to UNICEF, some 630,000 boys and girls have been orphaned due to this devastating disease. This factor, coupled with economic challenges and food shortages, has left half of Zambian children suffering from malnutrition. Five provinces have experienced very heavy rainfalls in the past few years, resulting in the destruction of entire corn crops. In some areas, schools are half empty–children have not consumed enough food to produce the energy necessary to walk to school or concentrate on their lessons. During the threat of famine in 2002, Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa refused to accept any international donations of food that had been genetically modified, labeling such donations as “poison.” In 2003, impeachment proceedings against the president were rejected by Parliament. The World Bank approved a $3.8 billion debt relief package for Zambia. World Vision’s Work In 1981, World Vision began its work in Zambia by hosting a Christian Council conference in Livingstone. In addition to evangelistic and leadership efforts, sponsorship was initiated to provide assistance for 900 children. During that time, a four-year drought, the influx of Mozambican refugees, and severe economic problems prompted World Vision to establish a presence in Zambia. By the end of 1982, 12 sponsorship community development projects and three additional development projects were meeting the critical needs of Zambian families. By 1983, some 3,237 children were benefiting from sponsorship. It is estimated that 20 percent of the country’s people are benefiting from World Vision’s work. There are seven U.S.-funded area development programs (ADPs), and U.S. donors are making it possible for more than 31,770 girls and boys to enjoy the benefits of child sponsorship. Community development efforts are changing the lives of more than 40,000 children and their families through programs that focus on nutrition, safe water, education, health care, child immunization, training of health workers, agricultural production, and income generation. Zambians sometimes encounter special problems because their country is landlocked and heavily dependent on road and rail transportation. For example, people living in rural communities might wait as long as two months for mail to arrive. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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