Development Workshop Zambia
A partner for sustainable urban development
Development Workshop (DW) is an NGO that was founded in 1975. DW’s interventions focus on human settlements and urban development, operating in southern Africa since the early 1980s. DW has been operating in Namibia since 2016 and was registered in Zambia as an NGO in 2022. The aim in Zambia is to support national development goals on housing, urban infrastructure and early childhood development (ECD).
DW Zambia is currently in a consultation process with potential local partners and government institutions to design the interventions. The aim is to build on the successful programmes we have implemented in Namibia.
Our Work
DW Zambia aims to operate through local authorities and relevant government institutions, supporting national development priorities. The housing programme will operate as a social enterprise, and DW is in the process of raising funds for both the housing and ECD interventions.
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Urbanisation in Southern Africa
Across southern Africa, more and more people live in towns compared to rural areas. Most towns struggle to provide housing for rapidly growing populations. As a result, large percentages of urban residents end up in slums with no formal tenure rights, and lack of access to water, sewerage and electricity.
Social enterprise approach
Scale and sustainability are considered fundamentally important indicators of success for our programmes; however achieving both the afore-mentioned with donor funding alone is not possible due to the fluctuating availability and size of donor funds.
Measuring impact
One of the fundamental indicators of success of our programmes is answering the following question: How many people did we reach and how did we change their lives?
Informal Settlement Mapping
As part of project preparations, Development Workshop Zambia is mapping informal settlement expansion in towns across Zambia (based on high resolution satellite imagery). Click here to view maps on Ndola, Choma, Kabwe, Kafue and other towns.
News, Publications & Events
Needs Assessment 2023 | Publications
Supporting Early Childhood Development in Informal Settlements
Early Childhood Development (ECD) is a critical phase in a child’s life that lays the foundation for their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. During these formative years, from conception to school-going age (around 6 year), children undergo rapid brain development and are highly receptive to the environment around them.
February 2023 | Publications
Construction Manual
Guide on sustainable construction techniques for Low-Cost Housing
Here’s how you can help!
You can contribute to any of our programmes in Namibia or Zambia.