Family Development Initiatives

07/05/2026

The Children’s Climate Change Summit which was hosted by Care For Nature Zambia, recently brought together children and youths from as young as 5 years at Mkango Golfview Hotel in Lusaka for two impactful days of learning, dialogue, and action on climate change.

The summit created a powerful platform for young people from different organizations to take centre stage in climate discussions, amplify their voices, and contribute to conversations shaping national and international climate action. During this summit new council members for the Children’s climate council were elected.

Graced by state actors, partner organisations, and climate stakeholders, the summit highlighted the importance of including children and youths in decision-making processes on issues affecting their future.

Family Development Initiatives was proud to be part of organizing this inspiring gathering that empowered young people to speak up, share ideas, and lead the conversation on climate action.

06/05/2026

We’ve all seen committees that exist only on paper.

We’re making sure the new Gender Sub-Committee in Isoka isn't one of them.

FDI spent the last two days with the YWCA and Provincial teams, and we got stuck into the "how-to" of gender mainstreaming.

It wasn't just a lecture; the training was about learning how to look at a community project or a local budget and actually see who is being left behind.

We practiced how to collect the right data, how to challenge old ways of doing things, and, most importantly, how to make sure that when big decisions happen in Isoka, women and marginalized voices are leading the conversation, not just mentioned in the footnotes.

06/05/2026

For the first time, Zambia heads into elections with the Cyber Security & Crimes Law and Data Protection Law in place, a clearer digital framework for us all.
But laws alone aren’t enough.

As life moves increasingly online, so must our conversations about rights and responsibilities.

That’s why Family Development Initiatives (FDI), in partnership with Paradigm Initiative, convened a 2-day stakeholder workshop in Lusaka, bringing together state actors, civil society, political parties, media, and religious groups to take action ahead of 2026 elections.
✅ Securing biometric systems & digital results transmission
✅ Fighting misinformation and online gender-based violence
✅ Launching a Digital Rights Monitoring Toolkit to track internet disruptions
✅ Closing the digital divide so no Zambian gets “muted” by technology

As our Team Leader Sheikh Yussuf Ayami put it, “digital rights are human rights”. The integrity of our next election depends on the integrity of our digital spaces.

We’re moving from awareness to action.

24/04/2026

23/04/2026

ISLAMIC POST-IRPA PROGRAM

Title: Understanding Islam: Faith, Practice, and Living Values

A guided interfaith learning experience exploring the core teachings, practices, and values of Islam in a respectful and engaging environment.

Program Details
Host: Family Development Initiatives (FDI)
in collaboration with HWPL
Instructor: Sheikh Yussuf Ayami
Curriculum Sequence
1️. Foundations of Islamic Belief and Purpose
2️. Islamic Practices and Daily Life
3️. Ethical Values, Peace, and Interfaith Coexistence

Schedule
Start Date: 2nd April 2026
End Date: 30th June 2026
Frequency: 25th April; 30th May; and 27th June 2026
Time: 14:00 – 15:30 CAT
Platform: Virtual

Additional Information
• Open to participants of all faiths and backgrounds
• Interactive sessions including discussion and reflection
• A safe space for learning, dialogue, and mutual understanding

🔗 Registration & Access
Application Link: https://forms.gle/Pt44t5CZvWQDyssK8

Virtual Link: To be shared upon registration

“Promoting understanding, respect, and harmony through faith-based dialogue.”

22/04/2026

Child protection starts at the community level. In Chief Maguya area, 80 CWAC members are proving exactly that.

Over two days, FDI, YWCA, the Human Rights Commission, and MCDSS are bringing together 80 CWAC members, including 10 of our CAGs, for a training focused on case management, ECM, and human rights. Real tools. Real challenges. Real communities.

This isn’t just knowledge-sharing. It’s about creating systems that are more responsive, more resilient, and always centered on the children who need them most.
Supported by Unicef Zambia

22/04/2026

Action is the most important part of any dialogue. Following the district and community sessions held under the CLM Malaria Project, we are actively tracking the progress of key issues raised by community members in Rufunsa and Luangwa Districts.

Our current follow-ups are focused on three critical gaps identified last year:

Commodity Availability: Addressing the shortage of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) and essential malaria drugs in local health facilities.

Transport Logistics: Finding solutions to the transport challenges that hinder service delivery and limit patient access to care.

Community Awareness: Securing Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to strengthen grassroots engagement and malaria prevention.

Following up on these action points ensures that the feedback provided by communities results in real improvements. By addressing these gaps in supplies, transport, and information, we move closer to ensuring every individual has access to quality malaria testing and treatment.

Continued collaboration with our partners and stakeholders remains the priority as we work to strengthen these health systems.

22/04/2026

Over the next two days in Lusaka, The National Child Rights forum members, duty bearers and children have come together for a capacity-building workshop on Safeguarding and Child-Centered Social Accountability (CCSA).

This session will create a shared platform to strengthen ethical engagement, promote transparency, and ensure that children’s voices are meaningfully included in decision-making processes.

From collaborative discussions to developing practical action plans, participants will work toward a common goal: embedding safeguarding and accountability into everyday service delivery.

22/04/2026

We are proud to see our work at Family Development Initiatives (FDI) featured in the press! 📰

Our team is currently on the ground in 33 districts across 6 provinces, ensuring that pregnancy or early marriage doesn't mean the end of a girl's education.

Through the government's school re-entry policy, we aren't just raising awareness, we are providing the actual school requirements to help these young women return to the classroom.

As our team leader Yusuf Ayami says: "Embrace education. It might not give you instant benefits, but in the future, it will give you benefits you will never forget."

21/04/2026

"Is shouting at a child the best way to teach them discipline, or are we actually damaging their future?"

This question sparked a massive debate during our recent workshop focused on creating a Safeguarding Toolkit for Child-Focused CSOs and Child-Led Initiatives.

As the National Child Rights Forum Secretariat, we sat down with all forum members to build a "Safety Promise" that actually works for our local context.

The room was split. Many felt that a "loud voice" is just part of our culture and how children learn. But as we went through the Child Safeguarding Policy, we looked at the long-term cost: constant shouting can be a form of emotional abuse that leads to low self-esteem and deep anxiety. We discussed how children raised in fear often grow up into adults who are afraid to speak up or stand up for themselves.

To help make sense of this, we used our “Safety Traffic Light" system. We learned that if an action makes a child feel worthless or withdrawn, that is a "Red Light" that needs to stop immediately. Real safeguarding isn't just about big rules; it's about creating a **"Circle of Trust"** where children feel brave enough to learn from their mistakes without being torn down.

We spent the day reviewing actual policies and real-life examples to ensure that our CSOs aren't just "safe" on paper, but are true safe havens in practice. We left the session challenged to be mentors who build children up rather than authority figures who rule through fear.
How can we balance our traditions with the need to protect a child's emotional well-being?

20/04/2026

Last week, Family Development Initiatives (FDI), acting as the National Child Rights Forum NCRF Secretariat, hosted an exciting 3 day training to help children understand the national budget.

We were joined by our partners from the Child Budgeting Committee, Civil Society for Poverty Reduction-CSPR, Caritas Zambia, Zambia Civic Education Association, and Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, to show that budget documents don't have to be a "black box" of confusing numbers.

Together, we worked with bright young advocates to break down complex financial information into simple, child-friendly language. These children didn't just sit and listen; they rolled up their sleeves to analyze the budget and draft their own formal recommendations for the Ministry of Finance.

This ensures that when the government makes promises about child rights, the money is actually there to back them up.

By teaching children how to track the budget, we are giving them the tools to speak up for better services in their own communities across Zambia. We believe that when children have the facts, they can lead the way in making sure no one is left behind.

What do you think is the most important thing our government should prioritize for children in this year's budget?