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Mapepe |
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Mapepe is a rural compound on the outskirts of Lusaka, home to around 1500 people who suffer many of the same problems as those in Misisi and the other compounds in the city. When Mapepe was brought to Project Zambia's attention in March 2008, there was no school, no community income generation, no healthcare provision and no hope.
Since then, Project Zambia has been working with the community of Mapepe and four Zambian volunteers to address their problems. As with the other projects on which we work, the local people have the solutions to these problems. Project Zambia provides financial assistance and more importantly, support through solidarity.
Our volunteers have been working on a number of projects with the Mapepe community as can be seen below. |
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Current Projects |
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 * A new three classroom block is being built in Mapepe with the generous support of INTO. Government inspectors have visited the site and it is being built to the Zambian Education Authority standards.
* A feeding programme for Older People who care for Orphans has been established and running since March 2009. Many older people are caring for their orphaned grandchildren, due to HIV/AIDS across sub-Saharan Africa. In Mapepe, weekly food parcels are given out to ensure that these older people can feed those in their care. 65 Grandparent-headed households are benefitting from this project.
* The income generating projects which have been established in Mapepe are now supporting a school feeding programme. All children attending school receive a meal, three days a week. As income generation continues to grow, this will be moved up to every day.
* An agricultural programme to support the children's feeding programme has been put in place beside the new water pump by the school. This is tended by the grandparents in the feeding programme, at their request, not wanting to live purely on handouts.
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Chicken Run |
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 The Chicken Run Project began with the arrival of the April 2009 Project Zambia Group (St. Mary's Group). The proposal as set out in this plan was put to them, and they accepted it. Construction began almost immediately, and was completed three weeks later.
Further materials, such as sawdust for bedding, charcoal and braziers for heat and a solar battery for light were purchased and the chicks went into the run on 27th April 2009. The profits from this project will fund teacher's salaries for the school. |
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Community School |
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 Construction on an office building for a community school began in July 2008. Our first group of volunteers worked alongside local men and women to bring the first building to slab level, while the second group saw the building reach roof level.
This office building is acting as a temporary school until a full one can be built to replace the current makeshift building, made of old pipes.
Building of a house for one of the teachers is now complete. accordance with Zambian guidance on community schools it is intended that all teachers living in Mapepe will have good quality housing near the school.
The completion of the ablution block brings the school one step closer to legal regulation and they are the only flushing toilets in the village
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Piggery |
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 Mapepe has begun a piggery project for income generation. Income generation projects such as this and a planned maize grinding mill and chicken-run, will pay for teachers' salaries in the school.
Our volunteers in July 2008 helped with cleaning the piggery, injecting the pigs against disease and digging a trench to collect manure for composting. |
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Vulnerable People's Housing |
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The St. Mary's group also began the building of
a number of 'vulnerable people's homes', in an
area which has been identified by the Mapepe
Community Committee. These would serve as
temporary homes for people whose houses have
completely fallen, or who have lost their land.
Furthermore, those who are orphaned have been
identified as being particularly vulnerable and
in danger of going to Lusaka 'to the streets'.
The Mapepe Community Committee want to avoid
this at all costs, and have identified this
project as a means of keeping the children in
Mapepe until a new home for them can be created.
In this area, children would be educated in
running 'Child Headed Households' - training
them up in essential skills, and ensuring they
are directed towards education.
This project started with the arrival of the
April 2009 Project Zambia group, as a matter of
some urgency. One particular woman (Mary Phiri)
had been identified by the community as
particularly vulnerable. Her house had entirely
fallen, and she was being threatened with being
removed from her land. Having seen her living
situation, Mark Robinson and Joe McBurney were
particularly touched and decided that this was a
project idea to run with. A plot of land was
identified and purchased and a small house has
been erected on it. It is intended that more
houses will be built on this land, before
extending the project further. |
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