Zambia

Zambia is a landlocked country located in central Africa south of DR Congo and Tanzania. Its land area (752,614 km²) is about the same as the state of Texas. Zambia has not experienced the intensity of the tribal conflict that has plagued neighboring countries, but with 73 different indigenous ethnic groups, the possibility is always there. The conflict in nearby countries affects Zambia because it hosts tens of thousands of refugees who have fled Burundi, DR Congo, Rwanda and Angola. The AIDS epidemic has hit Zambia harder than many countries, and therefore the country has many widows and orphans.

Copper is one of Zambia’s most important natural resources, accounting for most of its foreign exchange earnings. However, 85% of the labor force is still involved in agriculture, and most of this is on small subsistence plots. As a result, most of Zambia’s population is in the rural areas, with 20% in the capital of Lusaka and another 20% in the Copperbelt region in the north. Those in the rural areas lack access to services such as education, and the vast majority live below the poverty line. The Church in Zambia also struggles with few trained leaders.

ALARM in Zambia

ALARM’s office is in Ndola, the country’s second largest city in the heart of the Copperbelt region. ALARM’s key focus in Zambia is building up the church through leadership training, since many pastors and other leaders lack the skills and tools they need to grow and develop their churches. Equipping these leaders helps the church play a vital role in transforming the community.

The Women and Children’s Department has an active microfinance program which assists many women affected by AIDS. As with all of ALARM’s microfinance programs, women are given discipleship training and small group accountability along with business training and loans to help them build successful businesses. The Women and Children’ Department also operates the Wisdom Community School, a lower primary school which serves children who are from very poor families including some children who have been left as orphan by AIDS.

The Emerging Leaders Program in Zambia works to identify young people on the outskirts of society who need both vocational skills and a sense of belonging in a Christian community. The program focuses on developing young leaders to impact the churches and the community while providing them with opportunities for employment.

Staff

  • Country Director: Rev. Charles Mwila Mutambala
  • Women & Children Coordinator: Chibwe Mupeta
  • Emerging Leaders Coordinator: Kedrick Sikaona