KITWE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

STAFF COLLEGE.

STUDENT NAME : JANE MULENGA

COURSE : COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
SUBJECT : NGOs
TASK : WITH EXAMPLES, IDENTITY AND EXPLAIN FIVE TYPES OF
PROJECTS DONE BY NGOs IN ZAMBIA.
The term “Non‐governmental Organisation” was created by the United Nations in 1945 (Willets,
2002). NGOs are organisations that are voluntary, independent of government, non‐profit making, and
service oriented for the benefit of members of society especially those at the grassroots level. The
prominence of NGOs is not by chance; nor is it only a response to local initiative and voluntary action.
Equally important is the fact that NGOs have increasingly gained popularity with official aid agencies in
this era of neo‐liberalism in most parts of the world. Therefore, the prominence of NGOs stems from two
main factors: the retreat of centralised government and the keen interest of donor agencies in the era of
neo‐liberalism. The gradual retreat of the state particularly in the developing world in public service
delivery has left a ‘gap’ that NGOs attempt to fill.
NGOs and donors usually work together in developmental activities including education. NGOs have
gained popularity with International aid agencies and therefore many NGOs in both developed and
developing countries are funded by these aid agencies. This is because NGOs are regarded by many
official agencies as more efficient and cost effective service providers than governments, giving better
value‐for‐money, especially in reaching the poor (Brodhead, 1987; Meyer, 1992; Sollis, 1992; Vivian,
1994).

Establishment and running of community schools

Support management of government‐run schools (for example, Zambia Open Community schools).
Zambia Open Community Schools (ZOCS) is a Non-Governmental and a non-profit making
Organization whose mandate is to supplement the Ministry of General Education (MoGE) in the
provision of quality education to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), especially the girl child and
children with disabilities or Special Education Needs (SEN).
The Organization through Advocacy, Capacity building and Service Delivery supports over 628
Community Schools in 51 selected Districts located in the 10 Provinces of Zambia. In reality, though,
ZOCS’ support for Community Schools has a national reach as evidenced in the enactment of the 2011
Education Act that legalized Community Schools. Founded in 1992 by the Sisters of Charity, the Zambia
Open Community Schools (ZOCS) has championed social justice for orphaned and vulnerable children
(OVC) through delivering education services, building the capacity of thousands of volunteer teachers,
empowering communities to provide education locally and collaborating with the government to
establish policies and legislation that formalise technical, material, human and financial support to
community schools.
Healthcare
Catholic Relief Services runs several health programmes in Zambia to help address the health needs of
the most vulnerable in society. The agency's health programs include a broad spectrum of services, from
community support and care to clinical treatment that meets the diverse needs of clients.
Catholic Relief Services works with more than 30 health facilities, including diocesan and community-
based organisations. CRS is dedicated to strengthening health systems by working on functional
improvements in structures and systems in order to ensure greater access and quality of care for poor and
marginalised people.
Catholic Relief Services runs several health programmes in Zambia to help address the health needs of
the most vulnerable in society. The agency's health programs include a broad spectrum of services, from
community support and care to clinical treatment that meets the diverse needs of clients. Many CRS
programs are focused on HIV and AIDS work in support of both those living with the HIV virus.
AIDS Relief Transition Project
Funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the AIDS Relief-Transition
Project is a CRS-led program that is building the capacity of 19 local treatment facilities that will deliver
lifesaving care and treatment to thousands of Zambians living with HIV/AIDS. Each year the program
provides on-site clinical training to more than 200 medical and clinical officers, while supporting
facilities in their efforts to build strong financial, management, monitoring and evaluation systems. The
ultimate goal is to transition the leadership of this programme to Zambian partners – the Churches Health
Association Zambia (CHAZ) and Chresco Ministries.
Development and Operation of Infrastructure
These are community-based organizations and cooperatives that can acquire, subdivide and develop land,
construct housing, provide infrastructure and operate and maintain infrastructure such as wells or public
toilets and solid waste collection services. They can also develop building material supply centres and
other community-based economic enterprises. In many cases, they will need technical assistance or
advice from governmental agencies or higher-level NGOs.
Supporting Innovation, Demonstration and Pilot Projects
NGO’s have the advantage of selecting particular places for innovative projects and specify in advance
the length of time which they will be supporting the project-overcoming some of the shortcomings that
governments face in this respect. NGO’s can also be pilots for larger government projects by virtue of
their ability to act more quickly than the government bureaucracy.
Facilitating Communication
NGO’s use interpersonal methods of communication, and study the right entry points whereby they gain
the trust of the community they seek to benefit. They would also have a good idea of the feasibility of the
projects they take up. The significance of this role to the government is that NGOs can communicate to
the policy-making levels of government, information about the lives, capabilities, attitudes and cultural
characteristics of people at the local level.
Capacity building
Catholic Relief Services has partnered with more than 40 local organisations in Zambia to implement
quality development programs. CRS believes that capacity strengthening of local partners is fundamental
to achieving sustainability. The aim is to foster strong local ownership by helping to build the capacities
of partners.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) believe that capacity strengthening of local partners is fundamental to
achieving sustainable programs. Healthy local institutions help ensure that positive changes outlast
project funding, project staffing and material and technical support.
CRS works through local partners to deliver quality development programmes, and works to transition
project management to full local ownership. CRS recognises that local people and organisations are best
suited to identify and address their own contextualised development needs. Across the world, CRS works
with more than 3,000 local agencies including religious and secular organisations, community groups and
host governments, to implement high-impact projects in more than 100 countries including Zambia.
“NGO work in Zambia is fragmented because most  NGOs do not share information on their activities. 
As a result, some NGOs are literally doing the same  programmes as other NGOs even when they do not 
have the competency to do them. For example,  some NGOs are involved in psychosocial counselling 
of children even when they are not competent to do  it. There is lack of specialisation among most NGOs 
working in the education sector”
REFERENCES

Yaansah, A. Edward (1995) : An analysis of Domestic Legislation to Regulate the Activities of Local and
Foreign NGOs in Croatia, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Oxford, Refugee Studies Programmes and
Centre for Socio-Legal Studies.

Zambian draft Non-Governmentatal Organisation Bill, 2007

www.afrol News/IRIN, 19 July, 2007.

Lee Habasonda (2007): Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD), a
human rights and good governance watchdog.

W. M. Sinkamba and W. C. Matoka (2005), Draft Bill and Code of Conduct; Zambia Council for Social
Development.