Zambia: Building Community Resilience through Local Solutions

Project Overview

Zambia is confronting multifaceted challenges across healthcare, economic stability, and environmental sustainability. In informal settlements, inadequate infrastructure and economic volatility exacerbate disparities, amid environmental vulnerabilities. 

The project objectives include strengthening WASH partnerships, fostering resilient livelihoods, promoting community governance participation, and improving water and sanitation management. Through evidence-based advocacy and grassroots engagement, it seeks to mitigate vulnerabilities and disasters, fostering lasting resilience. 

The People’s Process on Housing and Poverty in Zambia (PPHPZ), in collaboration with the Zambia Homeless and Poor People’s Federation, is implementing the project through the co-production of locally shaped adaptive solutions, evidence-based advocacy, and the showcasing of low-cost approaches to enhancing access to WASH services and improving housing. 

This project is part of the Building Resilience in Informal Settlements Programme, a partnership between Cities Alliance and Slum Dwellers International (SDI), funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), to support civil society organisations working in informal settlements.

Project Results: 2022-2024

Engagement meetings have effectively introduced the project in four settlements. Fifteen savings groups have been established, empowering local economies. Additionally, 30 small-scale enterprises received vital training, fostering sustainable livelihoods. The development of collaboration plans and the submission of 20 project proposals to the WDC underscore increased community participation and governance.

Initiatives targeting local needs have yielded tangible outcomes. One hundred households are now connected to sewer systems, enhancing sanitation. Rehabilitation efforts include five water kiosks and a local area plan, addressing infrastructure gaps in vulnerable peri-urban areas. These measures improve access to basic services and infrastructure.

Efforts to fortify institutional capacity are evident. Quarterly project review meetings and a regional gathering in the Copperbelt region have facilitated collaboration and coordination. Furthermore, robust data collection and management systems have been established, enhancing informed decision-making.

Increased Pro-Poor and Citywide Data-Driven Climate-Resilient Development in Zambia  

A community-led Local Area Plan in Zambia is driving transformation by addressing poor infrastructure, inadequate services and unplanned development. The City Council, using detailed enumeration data collected by the federation, developed a plan focused on upgrading roads, improving drainage formalising land tenure and enhancing access to essential services. 

The plan has shifted the perception of informal settlements from neglected areas to integral parts of city planning. By integrating climate-resilient infrastructure and ensuring community participation, the plan fosters sustainable urban growth. The federation's role in data collection, advocacy and community engagement has strengthened residents' voices in decision-making, setting a precedent for inclusive and participatory urban planning. 

Key Achievements: 2022-2024

• 37 savings groups and 335 savers supported
• 52 youth members mobilised and supported
• 89 households with improved water and sanitation 
• 30 households with improved tenure 
• 168 people supported through networking and training to address climate change or to conserve biodiversity 
• 535 people supported to better adapt to the effects of climate change
• 1 city and 3 settlements profiled and 2 settlements enumerated
• 2 city or national level advocacy campaigns conducted
• 18 content creating initiatives involving youth 
• 8 regional or national level federation leadership meetings were held 
• 3 peer-to-peer learning exchanges with 59 individuals