Executive Summary
Zambian Governance Foundation (ZGF) is a pioneer in championing community-led development and change processes targeting rural, urban, and peri-urban communities in Zambia. The aim of their approach is to change communities’ perceptions of their supposed lack of capabilities. They do this by taking them through a process of realising, identifying and mobilising existing, but often unrecognized, assets. By doing this, ZGF assists community members to tap into, respond to and create local economic opportunities. The assets orientation approach aims at encouraging communities to invest in their own development, while drawing on their own local, organic leadership structures. Complementary to this, ZGF encourages communities to grow a demand culture to hold both government and business accountable for their delivery and development obligations as per their respective mandates and the constitution of the country.
In 2018, ZGF formally launched its community philanthropy work in Namanongo, a rural community located in Rufunsa District, 108 km east of Zambia’s capital, Lusaka. The community philanthropy work has included:
Support to community financial asset building: This has included the setting up of and support to two savings and lending groups in the community. The groups are currently women dominated, meet monthly and have a six-month cycle for the scheme. The intervention has created an opportunity for women to access the much-needed finances to start or improve their businesses. Women have reported being empowered to make financial decisions at the household level and learning about potential business ideas from peers. In a rural setting with high poverty levels and where formal employment is not an option, this has greatly contributed to the reduction of poverty at household level and therefore contributed to SDG 1 (No poverty) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). Through the savings and lending scheme, the intervention is promoting sustainable livelihoods through micro-financing and enterprises development and has the potential to also reduce incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) at the household level.
Read the full report Here ZGF SDG REPORT FINAL