The aptly-named Central Province borders eight of Zambia's other nine provinces. It boasts a diverse landscape, including the Blue Lagoon National Park, the Lunsemfwa River Valley, and Lukanga Swamp. The province is home to the heart of Zambia’s oldest and largest National Park, Kafue, and the world’s single largest mammal migration, where every year in October millions of fruit bats migrate to Kasanka National Park in the northeastern part of Central Province.
USAID ACTIVITIES IN CENTRAL PROVINCE
In Central Province, USAID/Zambia implements 22 activities in the Health, Education, Democracy and Governance, and Economic Development (EDEV) development sectors. Through these activities, USAID will directly invest significant amounts into the province. The three largest activities in the province, in terms of annual funding, are Supporting an AIDS Free Era (SAFE), DISCOVER-Health, and USAID Zambia Community HIV Prevention Project (Z-CHPP). With an HIV prevalence rate of 12.4, higher than the national average, USAID invests a significant portion of its overall provincial budget toward HIV prevention, treatment, and support services to ensure Zambia is on track to achieve our 95-95-95 framework. Additional focus is placed on preventing new HIV infections through high-impact, evidence-based programs.
Additional health funding is channeled to gender-based violence prevention, family services, malaria diagnosis and treatment, and TB detection and treatment. Given the wide scope of health programming and the high level of engagement with the Zambian government in the province, USAID operates a Provincial Health Office in Kabwe, the provincial capital of Central Province, to coordinate government-to-government funding and provincial programming.
USAID also supports community-based wildlife fisheries and forest conservation in the Greater Kafue Landscape, which includes Kafue National Park, Zambia’s largest national park. Efforts focus on reducing poaching, deforestation, bush fires, and human encroachment for sustainable livelihoods and economic and human health benefits.
HEALTH
ACHIEVE
The USAID ACHIEVE project strengthens the capacity of the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) and community structures to deliver comprehensive and standardized case management to vulnerable children and adolescents (VCA). The project improves the ability of the Zambian government to serve the needs of VCA. ACHIEVE works with MCDSS at national, province, district, and community levels to strengthen its systems and improve planning and implementation of key activities. ACHIEVE will develop a functional VCA tracking system and strengthen MCDSS systems and capacity to provide real time data to plan, identify gaps and budgeting to meet areas of greatest need. The project will also strengthen MCDSS’s capacity to successfully implement Government-to-Government initiatives to achieve and maintain HIV epidemic control among pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants, children, and youth.
Partners: Pact, Inc.
Duration: Nov. 2020 - Nov. 2025
Community Radio Program (CRP)
The CRP activity aims to improve the health of women and children by addressing family planning, nutrition, gender-based violence, and HIV, through radio programming. Each 156-minute episode is broadcast in a local Zambian language and is carefully designed to integrate cultural relevance and Central Province’s context and characteristics. The goal of CRP is to present relatable storylines that resonate emotionally with a Zambian audience and inspire long-term positive behavior change. The activity works across each of the Province’s districts.
Prime Partner: Population Media Center
Duration: Feb. 2018 – Dec. 2022
District Coverage of Health Services (DISCOVER-Health)
DISCOVER-Health supports HIV prevention and treatment, family planning, and maternal and child health programs. The project scales up Test and Start HIV treatment, facilitates access to, and uptake of, family planning and HIV prevention services, and ensures a strong continuum of care between clinics and communities. DISCOVER-Health is active in Chibombo, Chisamba, Kabwe, Kapiri Mposhi, Luano, Mkushi, and Serenje districts.
Partner: John Snow, Inc.
Duration: Dec. 2015 – Dec. 2023
Electronic Supply Chain Management Information System (eSCMIS)
The Electronic Supply Chain Management Information System (eSCMIS) project works to ensure an uninterrupted supply of health commodities to and within Zambia. Partnering with the Zambian government and the Ministry of Health (MOH), this activity strengthens logistics information systems, bolsters the use of data-driven decision-making, and provides reliable procurement services and technical assistance. The eSCMIS project supports improved accountability, decision-making, fiscal responsibility, and better health outcomes.
Partner: John Snow Health Zambia (JSH-Z) Limited
Duration: Jan. 2020 - Jan. 2024
Empowered Child and Adolescents Program II
The Empowered Children and Adolescents Program (ECAP) works to mitigate the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and improve the health and well-being of highly vulnerable children and adolescents (VCA) and their families. Targeting the communities hardest hit by HIV/AIDS, the program provides wrap-around, needs-based services to support the resilience of families to be healthy, stable, safe, and educated, working in partnership with health facilities, school, and other community structures. By responding to the unique needs of children and adolescents living with or at high risk of HIV, ECAP is contributing to epidemic control in Zambia.
Partner: PCZ
Duration: Sept. 2020 - Sept. 2025
Eradicate Tuberculosis (ETB)
ETB works in partnership with the Zambian government, the National TB Control Program, the private sector, and other partners to strengthen the response in each of the Central’s eleven districts. ETB focuses on finding new TB cases, laboratory strengthening, management of drug-resistant TB, and operational research. The project targets high TB-burden communities.
Prime Partner: Program for Appropriate Technology in Health
Duration: May 2017 – Sept. 2022
Evidence for Health
The Evidence for Health mechanism helps Zambia's Ministry of Health (MOH) improve the use of data for decision-making and expand the information base to strengthen and inform program development and performance improvement. Quality data for decision making is critical for effectiveness and accountability of taxpayer resources. This enables USAID and the MOH to focus on priority development concerns within their manageable interests and scope while contributing to USAID's goals of preventing child and maternal deaths, controlling the HIV epidemic, and combating infectious diseases, including COVID-19.
Partner: Management Systems International
Duration: March 2020 - March 2025
Impact Malaria
Impact Malaria is implemented in each of Central Province’s districts. The project supports the Zambian National Malaria Elimination Centre’s (NMEC) strategic plan to tackle malaria service delivery challenges, focusing on providing effective and efficient diagnosis and treatment to patients at health facilities and in community settings. This program supports outreach training and supportive supervision to strengthen case management and improve the use of data for analysis and decision making at all levels.
Partners: Population Services International and Medical Care Development International
Duration: Sept. 2018 – Jan. 2023
Open Doors
Open Doors aims to expand HIV care, prevention, and treatment services for under-served populations along one of Zambia’s primary transport corridors and in other hotspots. The activity focuses on closing existing gaps in service delivery and increasing access for key populations, including female sex workers (FSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), and transgender individuals. In Central Province, Open Doors is present in Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi.
Partner: FHI 360
Duration: May 2016 – Dec. 2022
STOP GBV
STOP GBV aims to strengthen and expand opportunities for girls, women, boys, and men to live lives free of gender based violence (GBV) and enjoy healthy, gender-equitable relationships. The STOP GBV project builds government and traditional leaders’ capacity and commitment to GBV prevention, response, and law enforcement and works with communities to challenge unhealthy gender norms. Additionally, One-Stop GBV response care centers manage cases and provide the following: victim-support services by the Zambian Police, paralegal services, HIV testing and linkage to treatment, and child-friendly counseling services. STOP GBV is implemented in Kapiri Mposhi District.
Partner: Zambia Center for Communication Programs
Duration: Nov. 2018 – Nov. 2023
Supporting an AIDS Free Era (SAFE)
SAFE provides Zambians with direct HIV service delivery and technical assistance to reduce HIV mortality, morbidity, and transmission while improving nutrition outcomes and family planning integration. SAFE has successfully leveraged private sector resources by partnering with mining companies and the small businesses that serve miners. Finally, SAFE works closely with the Zambian government to strengthen sub-national monitoring and evaluation capacity, public financial management, and human resource management systems for improved program management. Working with 127 facilities, over 107,000 HIV-positive individuals are receiving life-saving treatment across all Central Province districts.
Partner: John Snow, Inc.
Duration: Aug. 2017 – Aug. 2022
Zambia Community HIV Prevention Project (Z-CHPP)
Z-CHPP is implemented in two Central Province districts: Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi. It aims to prevent new HIV infections through community-based behavioral interventions, improved condom accessibility and acceptability, and promotion of high-impact services. In partnership with the Zambian government, Z-CHPP supports the development of community groups that mitigate risky behaviors, increase referrals from community to clinical services, and reduce the vulnerability of adolescent girls and young women.
Partner: Pact, Inc.
Duration: Nov. 2015 – Nov. 2022
Zambia Accessible Markets for Health (ZAM-Health)
USAID ZAM-Health aims to improve health outcomes for Zambians by increasing the use of high-quality health products and services among priority audiences. The project aims to accomplish this through sustainably expanding the availability and accessibility of high-quality health products and services in the private sector, improving health knowledge, and increasing the adoption of healthy and health-seeking behaviors. Within the framework of a total market approach, the program employs private sector approaches and partnerships with commercial and for-profit entities to achieve these outcomes.
Prime Partner: John Snow, Inc.
Duration: June 2021 - June 2026
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Alternatives to Charcoal
The Alternatives to Charcoal (A2C) mechanism addresses national-level threats that drive deforestation, in particular, the over-reliance on charcoal for household energy and the lack of sustainable alternative-energy options. Charcoal production results in forest degradation and deforestation, including key habitat for wildlife and associated ecotourism.
Partner: Tetra Tech ARD
Duration: Jan. 2021 - Jan. 2026
Emerging Farmers Partnership GDA (EFP)
Zambia has fewer than 1,000 commercial farmers who have access to commercial finance and utilize irrigation and mechanization. Over the past decade, a new class of “emergent” farmers has become established through the commercialization of some smallholder farmers as well as through investments by salaried and business persons. The emergent farmers operate more as businesses and cultivate over 20 hectares. In turn, emerging farmers serve as lead agro-entrepreneurs who can link organized groups of smallholder farmers to input and output markets and promote the adoption of more productive, climate resilient technologies. The ultimate goal is to commercialize 10,000 emerging farmers to increase the scope and trade of high-value products, building a stronger economy. The project is implemented in four Central province districts. These are Chibombo, Kapiri Mposhi, Luano, and Mumbwa
Partner: Global Communities
Duration: Oct. 2020 - Oct. 2023
Eastern Kafue Nature Alliance
The new Eastern Kafue Nature Alliance aims to achieve biodiversity conservation and cross-cutting outcomes in health, water and sanitation, nutrition, and food security in three districts: Mumbwa, Itezhi Tezhi, and Ngabwa. Unsustainable agricultural expansion, poaching, overfishing, deforestation, and habitat degradation are major threats affecting the biodiversity of the Greater Kafue Landscape. The Alliance will harness over $11 million in private investment and strengthen community governance institutions to inform and contribute to strengthening disincentives for illegal behavior, while increasing incentives for proper stewardship and pride in wildlife and tourism, thereby improving and stabilizing long-term economic and livelihood opportunities for rural communities.
Prime Partner: The Nature Conservancy
Duration: Sept. 2021 – Sept. 2026
Enterprise Development and Growth Enhanced (EDGE)
The Enterprise Development and Growth Enhanced (EDGE) project aims to increase profitability for agricultural small-and-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Zambia by supporting their competitiveness and access to finance. EDGE identifies qualifying SMEs to receive targeted assistance to support marketing, management, and build networks. EDGE also targets innovative financial service providers to develop new products, build capacity to increase agricultural lending, and strengthen their understanding of SMEs.
Partner: ACDI/VOCA
Duration: Aug. 2020 - Aug. 2025
Integrated Land and Resource Governance (ILRG) Program
The ILRG program aims to bolster the ability of local organizations and communities, district and national government, and traditional leaders to document land and resource rights, and use this data to inform land-use planning and development decisions. This project aims to improve management of natural resources and ensure adequate tenure rights and economic benefits to communities.
Prime Partner: Tetra Tech ARD
Duration: July 2018 – July 2023
Scaling Up Nutrition Technical Assistance (SUN TA)
SUN TA is an integrated nutrition program. The aim of SUN TA in Central Province is to reduce stunting in four districts: Chibombo, Kabwe, Kapiri Mposhi, and Mumbwa. SUN TA builds strength-based and need-based technical capacity for the National Food and Nutrition Commission and line ministries, primarily at the district level and below. It works hand-in-hand with Zambian government officials on joint work planning, prioritization, budgeting, activity implementation, progress reporting, and monitoring.
Prime Partner: DAI Global
Duration: Feb. 2019 – Feb. 2026
EDUCATION
Transforming Teacher Education
The Transforming Teacher Education activity makes targeted, foundational investments to institutionalize early-grade reading expertise among faculties at the pre-service level, and devise a practical program of study to prepare teachers for teaching reading at the pre-primary and primary school levels.
Partner: Florida State University (FSU)
Duration: Sept. 2020 - Sept. 2025
DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND GOVERNANCE
Local Impact Governance
Local Impact Governance supports Zambia’s Decentralization Implementation Plan in coordination with the Cabinet Office, Decentralization Secretariat, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Local Government Service Commission, and the Ministry of Finance. The program supports Local Authorities to improve the quality and transparency of planning, budgeting, and implementation, to incorporate greater citizen and private sector participation into governance processes, and to improve public financial management and own source revenue mobilization. Local Impact Governance supports 10 Local Authorities in Central Province.
Partner: DAI Global
Duration: Nov. 2020 - Nov. 2025
Open Spaces
Open Spaces aims to strengthen the democratic foundations of freedom of speech and media independence, advocate for an improved legal and policy environment for media, and build the technical and operational capacity of local media houses.
Partners: FHI 360 and Internews
Duration: July 2021 - June 2026