Zambia

Patricia Nkadu, trained as a paralegal advisor, gives legal advice to members of the community in Ndola Diocese [Isabelle Clements]

Declining copper prices and prolonged drought have seriously damaged Zambia's economy, and three-quarters of its people live on less than 60 pence per day

Zambia is a landlocked country with a population of just over ten million people.

On gaining independence from Britain in 1964, Zambia became a one-party state – a situation that lasted for 27 years until President Kenneth Kaunda agreed to multi-party elections.

At independence, Zambia was a major copper producer, but declining copper prices and prolonged drought seriously damaged Zambia's economy during the 1980s and 1990s.

Key challenges:

Food shortages: A combination of factors mean that Zambians are vulnerable to food shortages. These include a lack of agricultural support, training and technical know-how; inadequate market and transport systems to take food to hungry areas; failed rains, disease and pest attacks. HIV and AIDS have also reduced the labour force, resulting in smaller harvests.

HIV and AIDS: The HIV/AIDS epidemic has become a dominant health and development problem in Zambia. The HIV prevalence rate among adults is estimated at 21.5%, though recent figures show an encouraging decline in the prevalence among young adults.

Meanwhile, the burden of caring for the estimated 1.2 million people already living with HIV/AIDS still needs to be met. One of the tragic consequences of the epidemic is the rapid rise in the numbers of orphans. Zambia has over 1.5 million orphans, one of the highest rates in the continent.

Debt: Zambia has been badly affected by debt. It has now received a debt relief deal which has cut its external debt from $7 billion to $500 million.

Poor governance: Corruption by some politicians has frustrated ordinary people. Civil society – a free media, voluntary organisations, pressure groups, trade unions – remains weak.

section highlights

Home-based care

The Ndola Diocese Integrated AIDS Programme provides home-based care to people living with HIV and AIDS and tackles discrimination against people affected by the epidemic..

Protecting Copperbelt communities

The Ndola Diocese Justice and Peace Department protects the rights of poor communities in the Copperbelt, one of the poorest and most densely populated parts of Zambia.

Dealing with food shortages

The Diocese of Monze is helping rural communities to re-establish their livelihoods in the face of food shortages and to improve future food stocks.

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