A Story of Change through Partnerships
In a rural area of southern Zambia, life revolved around scarcity. Families woke up early each day to fetch water from distant sources, children often missed school, and preventable illnesses were common due to poor sanitation and lack of healthcare. Then, a partnership began. Instead of imposing outside solutions, we work with the community—listening first. Together we identify the most urgent needs: clean water, basic healthcare, and better access to education.
The beneficiaries are rural families, women and farmers, schoolchildren, and entire village communities. They benefit through improved health and sanitation, access to education, economic empowerment, and increased self-reliance and dignity.
Areas of Our Work
Water & Food Security
Water is a source of necessity in our daily lives. Food production is not possible in the absence of water, nor is good health possible without safe drinking water and steady food production. Lack of water can be attributed as a main cause for a rural development crisis.
Partners In Development has installed many boreholes and water wells throughout southern Zambia to help improve the quality of life of many living in rural communities. The rationale of the well projects is that improved access to clean water will result in better health, agricultural success thus better nutrition and sustainable income-generating initiatives, thus reduction in poverty and productive economic growth for the country. Sustainability implies that economic motivation encourages the farmer to produce on a continuing basis and that his/her work allows for the improvement in his/her standard of living.
Health
Partners In Development addresses health issues through education and training, and by providing medical resources such as medical supplies and support in building facilities. Another aspect of addressing issues of health is through providing healthy water sources.
We also provide resources such as medical supplies and work with communities to build health facilities. Of our past major accomplishments, we built a full maternity clinic and renovated an existing health clinic for an community in southern Zambia. The outcome of this project improved the health and lives of thousands of individuals and families who originally had access to only a small four-room clinic. One leader of that community called it “a dream come true.”
Partners In Development addresses issues related to health through education and training. Past initiatives included an HIV/AIDS retreats, a symposium for health workers, various health-topic workshops and distribution of educational materials.
Education
Partners In Development works in multiple areas of education— First by supporting primary and secondary schools, by covering tuition for students in secondary and higher education, and with adults who need training and skills to support themselves and their families.
Partners In Development supports educational institutions by providing resources for schools such as textbooks and supplies, as well as sports and recreation equipment for extracurricular activities which are vital to a child’s growth and learning. We have also built many water wells for schools. And we have provided professionals to volunteer in schools, primary through professional schools, to bring their expertise to students and educators.
PID is also trying to affect change in the areas of training and income generation by training individuals in the start-up of small businesses and training in the use of agricultural tools and techniques. We have also held HIV/AIDS retreats and educational workshops for people affected by HIV/AIDS and have sponsored a symposium for health workers. We provide books and educational materials for various organizations and institutions.
Where We Work
Most of our work has been concentrated in the southern province of Zambia which includes rural areas surrounding Kazungula and Livingstone. We have also done work in and around Lusaka. Some of the villages we have aided include Katambora, Mwambeshi, and Kafue Flats. We work mostly with schools, women's groups and farmers in these rural locations. Zambia has a democratic system of government and is rich with many varied cultures and languages, though the official language of Zambia is English.
Inspiring Change —
The Impact of Our Work
Learn more about the impact of our work for the over 25 years we have been operating in rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
