Fighting Hunger and HIV in Zambia

Gorta together with its local parnter CODEP are making a real difference in the lives of rural communities in Zambia. Members of a local community group describe the changes in their lives

Gorta has worked in partnership with CODEP (Community Oriented Development Programme) in the Eastern Province of Zambia for many years. The area faces many problems. The growth rate of food production is lagging behind that of food demand. Bad weather, declining soil fertility, poor management practices and hunger are the main causes. Families have no seeds to plant as they eat each and every grain lying round during persistent hunger periods. HIV/AIDS is also widespread and in a vicious circle hunger can lead to greater exposure to the virus when the desperate engage in prostitution in order to survive – and in turn the virus deprives people of the energy they need to work to feed themselves and their families. However CODEP are confident that they can help to bring about a positive and sustainable change for the people they work with. By assisting families through the creation of awareness on the dangers of AIDS and the provision of appropriate seed packages and training CODEP hopes that food production will increase allowing for the sale of surplus to meet requirements such as health needs for the family and education for the children. In this way CODEP aims to improve general well-being of the family in a way that can be sustained within the community. Gorta shares the concern of CODEP and is working in partnership with them to improve the long-term food security of 8,500 vulnerable households through increased food production and a focus on the reduction of new HIV infections. Below is a letter from community members in Chiparamba describing how the work of the Gorta-CODEP partnership has impacted on their lives.

Chiparamba Farming Community
C/O Codep
P.O. Box
Chipata

Dear Gorta,

We in Chiparamba Farming Community, Chipata, Zambia are benefiting from farm inputs that you are funding through CODEP, a local NGO. We would like to convey our gratitude for your commitment.

For the first time in more than ten years, families that benefited from the programme will have enough food for a period of about 7 months unlike the past when food used to last for less than 3 months. This will increase food intake, improve nutrition, school attendance and household cash. The money we were using to buy food for 12 months will be used for other household necessities.

We are grateful for your support which is creating hope for the area's development. We have hope that you continue with your valuable support. We also want to take this opportunity to make an appeal to you to continue support to the areas we talked about last year such as good water supply, Mtaya bridge, rehabilitation on youth craft centre, hammer mills and oil expeller to support our widows, orphans and old aged, Mtaya Health Dispensary, livestock and draft-power support, aforestation and gardening (vegetable/winter maize gardening).

We also hope the support will be extended to other villages.

Yours faithfully,

People of Chiparamba Area

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Grant Requested:

€355,011

Last Update: 2007/08/29