One hundred and ten computers began their journey to Zambia on 30th August 2006. Our technician will be travelling to Zambia in October to help set up these computers and to provide some training to local people.


Luapula province is one of the poorest provinces in Zambia with a population of about 800,000 people. Mansa district is the administrative capital of the Luapula province. With the advent of HIV, there has been an increase in the number of women left to care for orphans and a number of children have lost both parents and are looking after themselves. It is estimated that there are 1.1 million orphans in Zambia, of whom 630,000 have been orphaned as a result of the HIV and AIDS pandemic (UNICEF 2005). The project's mission aims to empower orphans and widows, who are the most vulnerable in society, with life saving skills.

The general objective of the project is to empower orphans and widows to sustain themselves through skills training for rural communities. The specific objectives of the project are the following:

• ­ To train up to sixty orphans and widows in knitting and other essential skills annually;
• ­ To assist the trainees in accessing loans to set up their businesses securing gainful employment after graduation;
• ­ To provide income-generating opportunities to needy women and youths in rural communities; and
• ­ To contribute to the productive re-integration and resettlement of the trainees into their respective communities

The objectives of the project will contribute to poverty reduction among some of the most vulnerable members of rural communities. The project is committed to empower poor people with skills to produce their way out of poverty while contributing to national wealth. Empowerment of the poor, especially women, is a viable instrument to reduce poverty, improve their self-esteem and enhance their decision-making roles. Enterprise development training is also an essential and potent instrument to combat poverty in Zambia. Skills training would enable the trainees to access income-generating opportunities, including setting up small businesses when supported by loans, thereby enabling them to sustain themselves, their families, and participating productively in their communities and national economy.

The training that is and will be offered is in skills selected through a needs based approach. They are skills in small enterprises which are appropriate to and viable in the district and province. The include : knitting; sewing; chicken-rearing; vegetable growing; beekeeping (honey making); fish farming; baking; catering; nutrition; computer literacy; and environmental protection, including tree nurseries.