What we do
DW-Zambia focuses on three main programmes:
- Housing: planning and developing low-cost residential land that sold to low-income earners as an alternative to settling in an informal settlement; click here for informal settlement growth mapping of towns in Zambia;
- ECD: support to ECD centres in informal settlements, a teacher training programme, a parental wellbeing programme and the creation of localized teaching and learning materials; click here for ECD centre mapping in informal settlements;
- Urban Infrastructure: plan and implement urban infrastructure projects (electricity, water, sanitation) that specifically benefit the urban poor.
The programmes will build on the successes in Namibia. See below for more information how the programmes work.
We develop and sell residential land to the urban poor to address the housing crisis.
We support ECD centres (Kindergartens), children and parents in informal settlements and slums, with the aim to provide children with quality early childhood education.
We identify, finance and construct critical urban infrastructure needed by the urban poor. Currently implemented in 4 towns.
In Zambia, the DW housing and DW ECD activities are planned to initiate during 2023.
Urban land & housing
AIM
To prevent the growth of informal settlements through a national programme that provides low-cost residential land with title to the urban poor.
KEY INTERVENTION AREAS
- Planning & servicing of residential land: We plan, survey and service low-cost residential land with ownership legally recognised by title deeds. Residential plots sold through this programme cost between NAD 10,000 and NAD 40,000 (approx. EUR 550 to EUR 2,200) and are paid by clients over a period of 12 to 24 months.
- Home loans: We implement a loan scheme in partnership with First National Bank (FNB) for clients who purchase land through our programme. Loans are limited to NAD 50,000 (approx. EUR 2,800) and repayment periods vary between 1 and 5 years.
- Home building support: We provide building plans and implement building workshops for our clients, with the aim to assist them with the construction of their homes. Both plans and workshops help clients to save costs and provide the option to build a house incrementally over time.
COVERAGE
The programme currently has partnership agreements with 15 towns. 24 residential areas are currently under development with almost 6,000 plots.
Early Childhood Development (ECD)
AIM
Supporting ECD centres (kindergartens) and families in southern Africa with an objective to provide the opportunity for children to have the right start in life.
KEY INTERVENTION AREAS
- Teacher training: To improve ECD teaching quality, we implement a 9-Week training course for educarers. The course empowers ECD teachers in the informal settlements to apply child-centred and play-based practices.
- ECD centres support visits: As part of the teachers` training, our team conducts scheduled visits to ECD centres (kindergartens) to provide on the ground support to the teachers.
- Developing and distributing teaching and learning resources: We develop and distribute various teaching and learning materials and resources, including children story books. The materials are distributed to to ECD centres and children in the informal settlements.
- Improved environment – ECD centre physical improvements: We support ECD centres with small grants that allows them to build outdoor play areas, new classrooms, toilets, or other improvements identified by the centre.
- Parent engagement and support: We engage with parents through parents’ workshops, discussing the importance of holistic child development, positive discipline, conscious parenting, responsive and nurturing care.
- Supplementary feeding at ECD centres: Food security is a crisis in Southern Africa which has been exacerbated by climate change, loss of employment through COVID and food cost inflations. We advocate for feeding at ECD centres, to help children from vulnerable families.
COVERAGE
Currently the programme is supporting over 282 ECD centres in 5 regions, benefitting some 10,000 children since inception late 2019.
Urban infrastructure
AIM
To channel more investments into urban infrastructure that directly benefits the disadvantaged urban communities.
KEY INTERVENTION AREAS
- Infrastructure assessments: Infrastructure assessments are done in numerous towns to help identify key needs that will support housing, social and economic needs of urban disadvantaged communities
- Infrastructure financing: With development bank financing (currently from the German Development Bank – KfW) the programme provides grant funding for major infrastructure investments, namely electricity, sewer and water. We are also exploring “blended” financing options, whereby grant funds could be combined with loan funding.
- Infrastructure maintenance: DWN provides guidelines and training to local authorities on how to maintain critical infrastructure components, focusing on sanitation.
COVERAGE
The programme currently supports 4 towns in Namibia.