People in Need Zambia

05/06/2026

Inspired by nature. For climate. For our future. 🌲✨

This , we look at Zambia’s Western Province. Local communities are taking forest governance into their own hands. As Honorary Forest Officers, they are safeguarding more than 97,000 hectares of land!

By protecting these forests, they aren't just saving trees—they are actively securing their water sources, biodiversity, and climate resilience against the ongoing pressure of deforestation.

Real environmental protection starts from the ground up.

Proud to collaborate with WWF Zambia. Thanks to the generous support of Jersey Overseas Aid and the Česká rozvojová agentura - CzechAid.

03/06/2026

📢 Opportunity for Media Consultants

People in Need Zambia (PIN), in partnership with the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR), is inviting qualified media consultants and firms to apply for a consultancy under the European Union-supported Local Empowerment and Development – Civil Society LEADs Project.

This is an opportunity to document the experiences, achievements, and lessons emerging from the work of civil society organisations across the country, helping bring local voices and community-led change to a wider audience.

Interested consultants are encouraged to review the full Terms of Reference here: 👉🏽https://jctr.org.zm/en/call-for-consultancy-media-campaigns-eu-funded-cso-leads-project/

⏰ Application deadline: Sunday, 7 June 2026 at 7:00 PM CAT

📢 CALL FOR CONSULTANCY

With support from the European Commission, the People in Need Zambia (PIN) in partnership with the JCTR, is inviting qualified media consultants to apply for a consultancy to produce multimedia campaigns under the CSO LEADs Project.

This assignment will document and showcase the impact of civil society organisations in strengthening governance, promoting accountability, and driving sustainable development across Zambia.

Interested consultants and media firms are encouraged to submit their applications by Sunday, 7 June 2026 at 7:00 PM CAT.

📧 Submit applications to: [email protected]
📧 Copy: [email protected]

Read the full Terms of Reference and application requirements here: https://jctr.org.zm/en/call-for-consultancy-media-campaigns-eu-funded-cso-leads-project/

02/06/2026

Listening, Learning, and Capturing Change

Across Zambia, civil society organisations play an important role in connecting communities with decision-makers, promoting inclusion, and supporting local development.

As part of the Midline and Midterm Evaluation of the Local Empowerment and Development – Civil Society LEADs Project, teams from People in Need Zambia and the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) recently engaged partner organisations in Kabwe, Ndola, Mufulira, Kafue, and Choma.

These visits provide an opportunity to hear directly from organisations, their partners, and community members about their experiences, the challenges they navigate, and the role they play in supporting communities. They also help capture lessons, reflections, and emerging changes that can inform future programming and strengthen accountability.

Beyond measuring progress, the evaluation process creates space for learning, helping to better understand what contributes to stronger, more responsive, and sustainable civil society organisations.

Implemented by People in Need Zambia and the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR), with support from the European Union in Zambia, the CSO LEADs Project seeks to strengthen the role of civil society in promoting inclusive development and citizen participation across Zambia.

29/05/2026

For Gideon, everyday communication was often a challenge. Connecting with others did not come easily, and for a long time, he kept to himself.

Today, he is building confidence, interacting more freely, and finding a stronger sense of belonging within his community.

This change has been supported through the work of the Zambia National Association of the Hearing Impaired (ZNAHI), a local organisation helping create more inclusive spaces for people with hearing impairments in Zambia. Through awareness raising, advocacy, and community engagement, ZNAHI is helping ensure that more people are able to participate fully in community life.

Through the European Union-funded Local Empowerment and Development – Civil Society LEADs project, implemented by People in Need Zambia and the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR), local organisations like ZNAHI are strengthening their ability to support communities, advocate for inclusion, and respond to the needs of people often excluded from decision-making and public life.

Support and connect with ZNAHI here 👉: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3852550191467759/

By investing in local leadership and community-based organisations, the project is helping create more inclusive and responsive support systems across Zambia.

22/05/2026

As we look ahead to commemorating Africa Day next week, colleagues across our Lusaka, Mongu, and Choma offices today added a touch of chitenge and African prints to the workday.

A small way of recognizing the occasion and reflecting on the diversity, identity, and shared sense of community that the day represents across the continent.

21/05/2026

When the rains stop, the need for water doesn’t. 💧

Across Southern and Western Provinces, increasing rainfall variability and longer dry seasons are placing growing pressure on water access for schools and health facilities that rely on it every day.

Through the AIM Zambia Project, People in Need (PIN) is constructing and installing rainwater harvesting tanks across four districts to help communities store and access water when it matters most.

Here’s what has been achieved so far:

In Namwala district, two tanks have been constructed in Moobola Ward — one at Moobola Primary School, built entirely from 500ml recycled plastic water bottles collected through community clean-up activities, and another at St. Margarets Primary School.

In Kalomo district, two additional tanks have been installed at Mikata Rural Health Centre and Nakalombwe Rural Health Post, helping strengthen water access in healthcare settings.

In Western Province, construction of four rainwater harvesting tanks is ongoing at schools in Shangombo and Sikongo districts.

These systems are designed to support handwashing, sanitation, school garden irrigation, and improved water access for learners and surrounding communities during the dry season.

Every tank represents more than infrastructure — it is a step toward stronger climate resilience, safer sanitation, and communities better prepared for changing environmental conditions.

This is the AIM Zambia Project in action funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and implemented together with CELIM, ADRA, CBM, L 'Africa Chiama , and KZF.

13/05/2026

Advancing Food Security Through Climate-Smart Agriculture

Meet Lydia Nasitwitwi Muimui, a lead farmer from Malumbwe Community Forest Management Area in Lukulo’s Nalikwanda constituency, Mongu District. Like many farmers in her community, Lydia has had to navigate the uncertainty of changing seasons, limited resources, and declining yields from traditional crops such as maize.

For years, these challenges made it difficult to plan ahead or earn reliable income from farming. Today, through the Enhancing Livelihood Opportunities through Ecosystem Protection (JOA) project, communities are beginning to explore climate-smart agricultural practices and access to drought-resistant crops such as sorghum.

Working alongside the Ministry of Agriculture and Easy General Dealers, farmers have received training in sorghum cultivation, climate adaptation practices, and sustainable farming methods suited to local conditions.

As treasurer for her Forest Management group and a lead farmer supporting 17 members from a larger group of 50 farmers, Lydia plays an important role in sharing knowledge on sorghum cultivation and climate adaptation practices within the community.

Reflecting on the experience, she shared:
“Through the support and training provided by the project, we learned how to grow sorghum. The seed provided is good even with changing seasons, and if I harvest even 8 bags, I will not fail to take my child to school.”

Beyond building resilience to climate variability, sorghum cultivation is creating opportunities for income generation and improved household nutrition. Through collaboration with Easy General Dealers as an off-taker, farmers now have access to a more reliable market for their produce.

Across the community, Interest in sorghum continues to grow, with farmers who did not initially receive seeds now expressing interest after seeing the results from neighbouring fields.

These experiences reflect broader efforts to strengthen community resilience, support sustainable livelihoods, and promote locally driven climate adaptation solutions in Western Zambia.

The Enhancing Livelihood Opportunities through Ecosystem Protection in the Barotse Floodplains project is supported by Jersey Overseas Aid and Česká rozvojová agentura - CzechAid, and implemented by People in Need Zambia and WWF Zambia .

07/05/2026

Strengthening Nutrition and Livelihoods through Partnership and Community Engagement.

Recently, our team at People in Need Zambia (PIN) and Keepers Zambia Foundation (KZF), together with Country Director Davide Raffa and Country Representative Valentina Scenti from CELIM, conducted a joint field engagement visit to Namwala District, Southern Province.

The visit created an opportunity to connect directly with Community‑Based Volunteers (CBVs) and health staff across Chitongo and Moobola health facilities, as well as agriculture input beneficiaries and extension officers from Shiamatambo and Nkomba zones in Moobola Ward.

It also provided space to appreciate progress on the ground under community‑based nutrition and agriculture interventions aimed at improving food security, dietary diversity, and sustainable livelihoods for vulnerable households. Activities such as nutrition‑sensitive agriculture, household food production, and community nutrition education are contributing to improved outcomes, particularly for women and children.

During the engagement, the Director commended implementing partners for their dedication, innovation, and commitment to delivering timely and quality interventions at community level. Their work continues to strengthen community‑based systems, enhance resilience, and improve access to essential nutrition and agriculture services.

The visit further underscored the critical role of local partnerships, bringing together health workers, community leaders, and district authorities to ensure services are accessible, coordinated, and responsive to community needs.

A courtesy meeting at the District Commissioner’s office reaffirmed strong collaboration and appreciation for stakeholders’ continued commitment to improving food security and nutrition.

This engagement forms part of the AIM Zambia – Integrated Action for Mitigating the Effects of Climate Change on the Most Vulnerable Communities in Zambia project, implemented by CELIM and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).

05/05/2026

From Community Members to Frontline Stewards

This week, we marked an important milestone under the Enhancing Livelihood Opportunities through Ecosystem Protection Project with the graduation of 29 Honorary Forest Officers (HFOs) in Mongu. This marks a significant step in strengthening community-led forest governance in the province.

Following an intensive training programme covering key areas including forest and wildlife law, enforcement operations, biodiversity monitoring, and community-based natural resource management, community members from Mbuta, Malumbwe, and Sanongo Community Forest Management Groups in Mongu and Limulunga districts are now formally entrusted with protecting forests and rangelands.

These ecosystems underpin food security, climate resilience, and local livelihoods across the Barotse Floodplain.

Officiating the ceremony, Western Province Permanent Secretary, Mr. Simomo Akapelwa, emphasised the importance of partnership and collective responsibility:

“Resolving these challenges requires collective action from all stakeholders.”

The event brought together senior government officials, the Barotse Royal Establishment, WWF Zambia, and People in Need (PIN), highlighting the importance of collaboration in strengthening forest governance.

PIN’s Head of Systems Marta Kaniewska highlighted the significance of this shift:

“This marks a shift from externally driven conservation to community-owned stewardship.”

This milestone is part of the JOA project, jointly implemented by People in Need (PIN) and WWF Zambia, with support from Jersey Overseas Aid and Česká rozvojová agentura - CzechAid.