I can now boast of a new skill.

I will
surely put my newly acquired knowledge
into practice. Those were the words of
Maureen Chilufya, one of 30 vulnerable
wo me n b e n e f i c i a r i e s o f a n
empowerment programme supported
by the UN Volunteers in partnership with
the Ministry of Community Development,
Mother and Child Health.
The beneficiaries were drawn from a self
-help women organization within the
Mapepe and Chilanga communities in
Lusaka Province.
They were mainly women giving
voluntary care and support to elderly
persons within their vicinities. For three
days the women were immersed in
fi nanci al l i teracy, post -vegetabl e
harvesting and processing training to
improve their socio-economic status






Volume 1, Issue 1 January
March 2014




Inside This Edition:
My Memorable Rice
Field Day
Message from the
UNV Programme
Officer
International
Volunteer Day 2013
- A Pictorial
Photo News: -
Sharing Skills;
Impacting Lives
Volunteer Voices
Straight From The
Heart
The Helping Hands
of Volunteers
A Renewed
Commitment to
Volunteerism
University Students
Debate the
Contributions of
Volunteerism to
National
Development
Engaging With
Youth Volunteers
Childrens Event:
Kuthandizana Day





Empowering Women With Marketable Skills
A quarterly newsletter of the United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV) in Zambia

Bolstering Rural Agro-Enterprise Development
Agriculture is one of the main sources
of income in Zambia with about 70 per-
cent of the countrys population of nearly
14 million people dependent on farming.
Most people in the rural areas own less
than one hectare of land and many
families in these areas are unable to
meet their nutritional needs. Within this
context, agro-enterprise development
emerges as a way forward for rural
people to improve their lives.
Under the aegis of the Asia Youth Ex-
change Programme (AYVEP) and Youth
Environment Management and Educa-
tion Project (YEMEP), UN Volunteers
are making significant progress in in-
creasing agricultural productivity and
promoting sustainable production of
major food crops and livestock for
Both programmes are aimed at tack-
ling food insecurity by targeting small
and medium sized farmers to improve
their organizational capacity,
Francia Villavicencio, an International UN Volunteer
from the Philippines trains farmers in soil testing.
small-scale farmers in Choma, the
provincial capital of the Southern Prov-
ince. UN Volunteers are building the
skills and innovation that smallholder
farmers need to adopt sustainable
farming techniques to broaden their
income opportunities.
AYVEP provides a mechanism for
volunteers from Asia to volunteer in
Africa and transfer skills and
knowledge in the fields of agriculture
and private sector, especially with
small to medium enterprises. The
project is based on the long-standing
commitment and interest of the Japan
Government towards development
assistance to Africa, which started
through the Tokyo International Con-
ference on Africa Development.
Continued on page 3
A group of women learning how to dry vegetables using solar energy thanks to a project
supported by UN Volunteers and the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child
Health (Photo: Micro Bankers Trust)
Continued on page 3
2

Uni t ed Nat i ons Vol unt eer s Pr ogr amme ( UNV) i n Zambi a Vol ume 1, I ssue 1 page 2
My Memorable Rice Field Day
By Rajendra Uprety, IUN Volunteer Irrigation Specialist

It was 9.30 AM when I reached Mr.
Kester Limataas house in Mumzela
village, Kazungula District to attend
the commemoration of the Rice Field
Day with my PACO friends but there
were very few farmers. Participants
arrived slowly and more than 80
farmers attended the memorable
Rice Field Day. When we returned
from Mumzela village it was 5:00 PM
and most of the participants were
happy to attend the Rice Field Day
hopeful and determined to scale-up
rice farming the following season.
Rice Field Day started at about 11AM
with a prayer. At the beginning, par-
ticipants introduced each other and
the District Agriculture Coordinator
(DACO) outlined the objectives of the
program. The Master of Ceremony,
Mr. G.M. Sikute of Zambwe Village
took us through the field day pro-
gram. After a short discussion, partic-
ipants went in the field to observe the
upland rice and sunflower fields.
The upland (Nerica) rice was already
harvested but the sunflower field was
close to maturity. Despite the water
level, the sunflower field was attrac-
tive and 25-30 percent of the plants
had very big flower-heads.
The host farmer, Mrs. Limataa, de-
scribed her sunflower farming experi-
ence to everyone who had turned
out. No sooner had she talked about
her passion for farming than a dis-
cussion ensued on sustainable farm-
ing methods. Mrs. Limataa and the
district agriculture extension officers
were present to address questions
around production, constraints and
market opportunities.
The next crop introduced was cow-
peas, a multipurpose crop, grown for
both humans and livestock. Cowpeas
thrive in sandy soils and tolerate
drought better than most crops. Par-
ticipants got engaged and asked
questions related to the production
and marketing of cowpeas.
The participants then proceeded to
observe a large rice field near the
main road grown on a flooded and
swampy land. Rice is a completely
new crop for most of the farmers in
Southern Province accustomed to
maize production.
Most people were curious about rice
farming method and sought to find
out the opportunities and challenges
associated with its production. How-
ever, all concerns were addressed by
the host farmers. At the end of the
day, majority of the participants were
eager to go home and convert their
flooded swampy land into rice fields
as an additional income generating
activity.
The rice field day was exciting with
plenty of time to socialize. I greatly
enjoyed my experience in the field but
most important was the assurance to
farmers to be supported and trained
in rice cultivation by Mr. B. Miyanze,
Principle Agriculture Officer.
The farmers were very happy and
evaluated rice field day as being
informative and useful. As a partici-
pant and resource person in rice
farming methods, I consider the day
as being memorable for me. I am
happy to have shared my knowledge
and experience with farmers and
agriculture officers.
As a result of sharing information and
expertise, areas that were previously
flooded and thought to be useless are
now used for rice production to sup-
plement the traditional maize staple
crop.

Editors Note: Rajendra Uprety is a former
International UN Volunteer from Nepal
who served as an Irrigation Specialist at
the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in
Choma. He concluded his UNV assign-
ment in Zambia last year. Rajendra now
works as a Senior Agriculture Training
Officer within the Ministry of Agriculture
Development in his home country, Nepal.
Rajendra says he left Zambia, especially
Choma, with fond memories and was
happy to have served here.
(TICAD) in 1993.





Closing dance and celebration.
Rajendra Uprety in the rice field.
Rice field observation and discussion.
3

Bolstering Rural Agro-Enterprise
(continued from page 1)
Uni t ed Nat i ons Vol unt eer s Pr ogr amme ( UNV) i n Zambi a Vol ume 1, I ssue 1 Page 3
Empowering Women
(continued from page 1)
and ably take care of 15 elderly
people. The training also served as
a prelude for further work learning
how to start their own businesses
and run Village Savings and Loan
Associations (VSLA).
The Village Savings and Loan Asso-
ciations provide an opportunity for
the women to participate in a savings
programme, earn interest on their
savings, as well as access credit to
expand their businesses.
The training enabled Maureen to
gain knowledge and hands-on expe-
rience in food handling, hygiene,
basic food values and packaging.
Acquiring numeracy skills was an
immense source of joy for all the
women. Christine Mushanga, a
beneficiary said the training was
useful as she plans to start running
her own chicken rearing project.
The women were trained by the
Sylva Food Sol utions Limi ted
(SFSL), one of Zambias best in the
food chain business. Facilitation
methods used were a combination of
lectures, group discussions and
games. Practical exercises in vege-
table drying and cooking were done
for most of the post-harvest training.
Since starting the financial literacy
and post-harvest vegetable training
Ms. Morgan said UNDP/UNV and,
indeed the United Nations would con-
tinue to support the Government of
Zambia to improve the countrys devel-
opment and the quality of life.
Southern Province Permanent Secre-
tary, Mr. Bert Mushala challenged the
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock to
build capacity in the adaptation of
innovative agricultural practices.
He said there was need for the farming
community in the country to start using
smart methods of agriculture.
Mr. Mushala thanked UNDP and the
UNV Programme for supporting the
Government in improving the lives of
many Zambians.
Most beneficiaries think the projects
have an excellent potential to enhance
the role of agriculture and agro-
enterprises in inclusive growth, youth
employment, and the attenuation of
rural-urban migration.
production and productivity through
crop diversification. Direct beneficiaries
include women and the youth repre-
senting a significant portion of the rural
population, whose capacity in sustaina-
ble methods will be strengthened in
order to reduce poverty at household
level.
"Any development which is not an-
chored on the improvement of peoples
lives is not development at all," UNDP
Country Director, Viola Morgan said
during the official handover of a Toyota
Land Cruiser jeep, five motor bikes and
office equipment to the Ministry of
Agriculture and Livestock on behalf of
the United Nations Volunteers Pro-
gramme (UNV).
The vehicle and motor bikes which
were procured at the cost of more than
US$ 35,000 and US$25,000 respec-
tively were donated to ensure the
smooth implementation of AYVEP and
YEMEP aimed at transferring skills in
the agriculture sector, especially
among small-scale enterprises and
provide an opportunity to develop and
apply integrated environment and
natural resources management practic-
es through youth volunteerism.
A land cruiser jeep and motor cycles procured to facilitate AYVEP and YEMEPs
activities (Photo: Yotam Shawa/UNDP)
Maureen and Christine said they are
now able to dry vegetables using
solar energy and properly do food
handling and processing, something
that they couldnt do before.
A previous economic empowerment
project in Lusaka supported by UN
Volunteers benefited youth and
women groups aimed at poverty
reduction.
By increasing womens access to
financial services, improving their
numeracy and literacy skills, and
enhancing their economic skills in
viable sectors, we are decreasing
womens economic vulnerability and
ensuring that they have the self-
c o n f i d e n c e a n d f i n a n c i a l
independence to take a stand
against violence in their homes and
in their communities, said Flavia
Sembera, UNV Programme Officer.
UN Volunteers will continue working
with the Mapepe womens group to
build their skills in sustainable
livelihood activities, she said.
Since the training several months
ago, 20 of the beneficiaries have
moderately enhanced their status,
cascaded the skills to additional 35
women and are still voluntarily
caring for 15 elderly people.

Vegetables and fruits ready for processing (Photo: Micro Bankers Trust)
GOOD GUYS DONT ABUSE
WOMEN.
STOP SEXUAL VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN AND
CHILDREN!
4

Volunteer Voices
Refugee Children with Special Needs Enjoy Right to Education
By Angela Maswau - National UN Volunteer Community Services Assistant, UNHCR Field Office, Solwezi
With a population of 18, 106 Refugees,
the Meheba Refugee Settlement in
Northwestern Zambia houses refugees
and other persons of concern from the
DRC, Angola, Rwanda, Somalia and
Burundi.
The UNHCR and its partners have
scaled up efforts to offer a favourable
protection environment, ensure fair
protection processes and documenta-
tion, security from violence and exploita-
tion. The response include targeted
programs that provide services for
persons with specific needs.
Access to education, a right to all chil-
dren even in refugee situation, is one of
such targeted programs for people with
special needs.
Three refugee children with multiple
disabilities who needed special educa-
tional services were identified. North-
western Province has inadequate ser-
vices for children with such needs.
As a Community Services Assistant, I
collaborated with colleagues from the
Ministry of Education, Science, Voca-
tional Training and Early Education to
transfer the three children to St Mulumba
Special School in Choma District, South-
ern Province with support from UNHCR.
The school officials, Ministry of Health
and sponsors were engaged for medical
assessment and assistance respectively.
All these actors have contributed in giving
hope and a chance for three refugee
children with multiple disabilities to ac-
cess a specialized school located more
than1000 kilometers away from Meheba
Refugee Settlement.
A lengthy medical assessment procedure
is required for one to access St. Mulumba
Special School. In order to fulfil the re-
quirement, I steered the collaboration with
all stakeholders. At the end, we were all
pleased that the three children had been
given an opportunity to realize their full
potential in life.
Thank God the children are now amongst
the 210 children admitted by the school
to access this specialized school, and
enjoy their right to education.
Indeed, One family torn apart by war is
too many.



First day at school - Two of the boys flanked by their teachers at the St Mulumba Special School
(UNHCR Photo)
Being a UN Volunteer with the
United Nations High Commission-
er for Refugees (UNHCR) is an
opportunity to make other peoples
lives better. One of the most excit-
ing things about my job with the
UNHCR is the possibility to con-
tribute to the huge but rewarding
task of directly assisting those who
have had to flee their home coun-
tries, and who may never be able
to go back and see their friends
and families.
I have been working within the
Protection Unit as a Field Monitor
in the Meheba Refugee settlement
in the Northwestern Province since
2011. My roles have evolved from
assisting refugees with their vol-
untary repatriation back to their
homes to facilitating the holding of
the multifunctional protection panel
to some aspects of child protection
relating to best interests determi-
nation.
Between 2011 and 2013, I have
witnessed UNHCR being engaged
with numerous refugees, mainly
from five countries, namely: Zim-
babwe, Sudan, Rwanda, the Dem-
ocratic Republic of Congo and
Angola. I assisted them to return
home ultimately removing the label
of refugee, as no-one wants to be
a refugee.
My most recent role as of now is
linked to the Protection Panel
which reviews individual protection
needs and spearheaded by the
UNHCR Protection Officer. The
panel is a multifunctional team
comprising UNHCR and Govern-
ment implementing partners and it
is fully functional in the Meheba
Refugee Settlement. The mecha-
nism serves as a protection ap-
proach to enhance counseling and
referrals so that refugees can
access basic services and secure
durable solutions in the form of
repatriation, local integration or
resettlement in accordance with
UNHCRs mandate.
Generally, cases are identified and
assessed by partners and docu-
mented on individual protection
needs identification forms which
are reviewed by UNHCR, a func-
tion I perform in collaboration with
the Protection Officer. Refugee
identified to be at higher risk are
referred to the protection panel for
further assessment and recom-
mendation. The panel sits twice a
month but of late the demand for
their services has become obvious
given the high number of cases
which need intervention by the
panel. Being a part of this Protec-
tion Panel meetings gives me the
opportunity
Continued on page 6
Restoring Hope: Having an Open Ear
By Milumbe Kapopo - National UN Volunteer Field Monitor, UNHCR Field Office, Solwezi
One family
torn apart by
war is too
many.
Angolan refugees at a protection information meeting (UNHCR Photo)

United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV) in Zambia Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 4
5

A large number of children affected by
wars are still being denied their right to
primary education, one of the eight
Millennium Development Goals which
should be achieved by 2015. Increas-
ing the numbers of children who enroll
and continue through their primary
education is key to national develop-
ment.
The United Nations High Commission
for Refugees has taken an extra step
to achieve this goal by ensuring that all
camps and settlements that are occu-
pied by refugees provide quality edu-
cation. The Meheba Refugee settle-
ment in the Northwestern Province is
no exception. The camp covers an
estimated area of 720m with a popula-
tion of more than 18,000 refugees who
also include people of concern.
The settlement has one high school,
five basic schools, nine community
schools and four pre-schools. The
intervention is to ensure that all chil-
dren of school age are able to access
the service. UNHCR works in collabo-
ration with the Ministry of Education
and other line ministries as well as UN
partner agencies in order to provide
this service.
One of my result areas as a National
UN Volunteer attached to UNHCR,
is to monitor the community schools
and ensure that they are providing
quality services. I also have to en-
sure that all community schools have
furniture, teaching aids and most
importantly that teachers are regular
to provide quality education to pu-
pils.
In order to encourage pupils attend
school regularly, UNHCR in collabo-
ration with the Word Food Pro-
gramme (WFP) embarked on a
school feeding program which sup-
plements the school meal with soya
beans and vegetable oil.
The schools were also supported
with cooking utensils. The communi-
ties also contribute by providing
firewood and water to prepare the
meal and soap to wash utensils.
In the latter part of 2012, UNHCR
and WFP were not able to continue
with the school feeding program due
to budget constraints. However, the
two agencies were able to engage
and lobbied the Ministry of Agricul-
ture and Livestock to incorporate the
school feeding program in its plans
and budget.
To date, there is continuity of the
intervention and it is hoped that
Continued on page 6
Volunteer Voices
United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV) in Zambia Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 5
Since the 1960s, the Zambi an
Government has consistently granted
asylum to populations seeking refuge
from Angola, Burundi, the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC),
Rwanda, Sudan, Namibia, Zimbabwe
and Somalia. Zambia is presently host
to 48,000 refugees, of which 11,672
are living in the Mayukwayukwa
settlement in the Western Province.
The needs for refugee population are
always many ranging from a need for
legal and child protection, food and
shelter; health services, among others.
In order to address these needs, many
interventions have been put in place.
One of them is the formation of the
welfare group which supports and
cares for vulnerable people and
children in Mayukwayukwa refugee
settlement. The welfare group consists
of 140 volunteers, mainly refugees who
extend care to those less privileged
than themselves.
Activities conducted by this group
include, washing for the chronically ill,
the elderly and People Living with HIV
and AIDS and undernouri shed
children.
The welfare group meets often to
A Day with the Mayukwayukwa Refugee Settlement Welfare
Group
By Nkole Zulu-Thompson, former National UN Volunteer, UNHCR
discuss how they can serve their
community better.
To improve service delivery, the group
has been supported and trained by the
Ministry of Community Development,
Mother and Child Health and UNHCR.
Some of the support and training
include growing vegetables that are
then distributed to vulnerable people
and children as food supplement.
The spirit of volunteerism exhibited by
this group and the humility to serve
others is commendable and it helps to
remind me of my own pledge of
commitment to the United Nations
Volunteers Programme.
The Mayukwayukwa Ref ugee
Settlement is situated in Kaoma
District in the Western Province and
was established in 1966 to host
Angolan refugees.

Editors Note: Nkole Zulu-Thompson is a
former UNV Community Services
Assistant with UNHCR in Mongu. She got
a national staff post in November 2013
and is now the UNHCRs Assistant
Community Services Officer in Solwezi.
Congratulations, Nkole!

One of the vegetable gardens set up by the welfare group. Produce from the garden is distrib-
uted to other refugees as food supplement (UNHCR Photo)
Helping Meheba Refugee Children Achieve Quality Primary
Education
By Sarah Mukwemba, National UN Volunteer Programme Field Monitor UNHCR
One of the community schools in Meheba (UNHCR Photo)
6

Message from the UN Volunteer
Programme Officer
Uni t ed Nat i ons Vol unt eer s Pr ogr amme ( UNV) i n Zambi a Vol ume 1 I ssue 1 Page 6
to listen and tell the stories of people
torn apart by war: nursing mothers;
children; pregnant women; men and
the elderly.
The personal stories help us to identify
their challenges and to channel them
to the relevant Governmental partners
to resolve their ordeals.
An example is an elderly couple. The
woman is asthmatic and her husband
has chronic backache who were both
supported to access medication from
the Ministry of Health.
Other cases supported by the Panel
include refugees deserving resettle-
ment and local integration.
The Protection Panel has therefore
served and continues to serve to protect
and restore lost hope






Restoring Hope .
(continued from page 4)
Helping Meheba Refugee Children
(continued from page 5)
it would go a long way to improve
literacy and numeracy skills among
refugee children in Meheba.
According to Zambias 2013 Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) Report, the
country recorded significant progress in
primary school enrolment rates which
increased from 80 percent in 1990 to
93.7 percent in 2010.
These gains are as a result of the
introduction of free primary education,
improvements in primary education
infrastructures and discouragement of
early marriages.
Similarly, progress has been made in
improving primary school completion
rates. The number of pupils reaching
Grade 7 has increased from 64 percent
in 1990 to 90.9 percent in 2010.
However, concerns remain on the
quality of education received, as well as
secondary school enrolment and
Being a UN Vol-
unteer with the
UNHCR has given
me an opportunity
to protect and re-
store lost hope and
make other peo-
ples lives better.
One of my objectives as a
UNV attached to UNHCR is
to monitor the community
schools and ensure that they
are providing quality service.
The UN Volunteers Programme was
launched in Zambia in 1982. Since
then, more and more volunteers
f r om di ver se pr of essi onal
backgrounds have voluntarily given
their time and expertise, often in
support of community development
and the development strides of
Zambia.

UNV Zambia is a story of
teamwork. Our partnership with the Government, UN
agencies, development partners and other Volunteer
Involving Organizations (VIOs) has been incredibly
successful and we have celebrated some great milestones
together, including the annual commemoration of the
International Volunteer Day. We look forward to growing our
partnership through new initiatives to highlight the
importance of investing skills and time to our communities.

Our goal this year is to help strengthen the culture of
volunteering that inspires ordinary Zambians to do
extraordinary things. To help meet this goal, we will continue
to partner with the Ministry of Community Development,
Mother and Child Health (MCDMCH), VIOs and Youth
Volunteer Networks that share the values and passion for
volunteerism as a powerful force for positive change.

I assumed the position of UNV Programme Officer in Zambia
on 10
th
August 2012 with a very warm and encouraging
welcome from UNDP/UNV Country Team. Since then I have
learnt so much; met so many amazing and inspirational
people; but above all become more proud of all the great
things volunteers have done and continue to do in this great
country. I am always inspired and deeply moved to hear
stories of the work being done by volunteers across Zambia
from community service to the Post 2015 Consultations;
environmental sustainability, governance and humanitarian
assistance; improving livelihoods and mitigation of Climate
Change, sustainable agriculture; operational and capacity
building support but only to mention a few.

I would like to thank each and every one of you for
generously contributing your time and expertise. I appreciate
the energy, dedication and enthusiasm you bring to
volunteerism. The service you provide really makes a huge
and incredible difference in the lives of people. Lets continue
to maintain a culture of excellence through volunteerism.

I am delighted to report that this maiden edition of the UNV
in Zambia Newsletter is dedicated to you, our volunteers for
making a difference! Our newsletter is a unique way of
sharing and communicating with you contributions from all of
us volunteers.

Of course, we would not have been successful without the
support of the Government and community members who
open their hearts and their homes to volunteers across
Zambia. The support from UNV Headquarters and our mother
Agency UNDP has been very helpful and we are grateful.

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of all UN
Volunteers, to welcome Ms. Janet Rogan, the new UN
Resident Coordinator to Zambia. Already, her leadership and
spirit of volunteerism has reinvigorated us to do more in the
service above self for others!

The more than 70
ethnic groups that
make up the fabric of
the Zambian society
provide a rich tapestry
of traditional music and
dance. The country has
distinct dances and
songs that vary from
one tribe to the other.
CANDID CAMERA
caught up with this
dance group during the
commemoration of the
International Volunteer
Day 2013.
CANDID CAMERA
7



United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV) in Zambia Volume 1 Issue 1 Page 7
International Volunteer Day 2013 - A Pictorial





A group of university students involved in voluntary work.
Thank you so much and please convey our deepest gratitude to your colleagues
Thanks for the support, said Mrs. Rosina Nchoba Kapelikisha, the Child Care

Harriet Nyamasambu, a volunteer from the University of Zambia talks to the
Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) about volunteerism.
The Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Community Development, Mother & Child Health, Dorothy
Kazunga delivers the keynote address as UNDPs Deputy Country Director, Segio Valdini looks on. A group photo with some youth volunteers.
Representatives of Volunteer Involving Organizations in a group photo.
National UN Volunteer
8

Uni t ed Nat i ons Vol unt eer s Pr ogr amme ( UNV) i n Zambi a Vol ume 1 I ssue 1 Page 8
Photo News: - Sharing Skills; Impacting Lives





A Day with the
Mayukwayukwa
Refugee Group
Set t l ement Wel f are
Group



Tiyakumbele charcoal burners in Southern Province demonstrating tree planting
after an awareness raising campaign.
UN staff and the Lusaka City Council cleaning up Kalingalinga, a congested
community in Lusaka.



Farmers in Choma learning soil testing and management techniques. A training session for women in vegetable post- harvesting and processing supported by
UNV Zambia and the MCDMCH.
These charcoal burners got two seedlings each to plant in their homes.
Children at the Chilenje Transient Home happily receive reading materials from volunteers as part the UN Giving
Tuesday.
9

Working as a UN Volunteer has been
a very heart-changing and humbling
experience for me. I have been serv-
ing as a National UN Volunteer Field
Monitor within the Protection Unit at
UNHCR Representative Office in
Lusaka since May 2013.
I am part of a Protection Strategy
project aimed at providing protection
and assistance to refugees living in
urban areas surrounding Lusaka. My
role is to give psychosocial counseling,
facilitate the processing of travel docu-
ments for refugees, facilitate family
reunification, and to sensitize refugees
on UNHCRs facilitation of voluntary
repatriation.
The most interesting part about my job
has been the one-on-one interaction
with refugees through psychosocial
counseling sessions and/or prison
visits. Almost on a daily basis, through
counseling sessions, I hear people
articulate their experiences, more
often than not quite traumatic. Many
have lived as asylum seekers for dec-
ades, some since birth even to second
generation. From time to time, I coun-
sel people within my age bracket and
what hits my mind the hardest is that
the primary difference between me
and them is which side of the table
either one of us sits across. The
thought that I might as well be the
traumatized asylum seeker compels
me to work tirelessly.
The stories inevitably trigger my imagi-
nation and can weigh in on anyones
emotion. Many watched family mem-
bers get killed, even minors, forced to
live in foster homes, or flee and get
intercepted and detained by immigra-
tion in land far from home with no
family after living formerly comfortable
lives. Many are victims of violence and
suffered post-traumatic stress, sexual
exploitation and they faced a wide
spectrum of other challenges. Having
to give comfort, restore composure
and hope to such sensitive cases is a
tremendous responsibility, which can
only be achieved with both empathy
and optimism.
Another responsibility I find fascinating
is to support the Protection Associate
with prison monitoring around the
country. The intervention involves
monitoring the traffic of asylum seek-
ers, old and newly arrived in detention
centers across the country and facili-
tating the release of those who particu-
larly have no criminal cases. We do
this in collaboration with Government
officials, implementing partners and
legal representation from Legal Re-
source Foundation. Prison monitoring
gives asylum seekers an equal chance
to apply for refugee status and en-
Isaac Bowa bids farewell to a Rwandan refugee who had voluntarily decided to return to his
country.
sures their right to free and fair trial,
and helps transparency and consistent
information amongst stakeholders.
During these prison visits, I together
with legal advisors counsel asylum
seekers: educating them about the
laws of the country and basically pro-
vide emotional support and listen to
their testimonies.
My focus in refugee work has been
economic empowerment and alterna-
tives to detention. The office is current-
ly exploring ways of empowering refu-
gees economically through vocational
trainings to try and compliment or
promote self-reliance given the rough
economic conditions.
Only a fraction of asylum seekers in
the country can afford work or invest-
ment permits hence they have very
little economic power over their wellbe-
ing. Asylum seekers all over the world
are by definition displaced but are no
less than ordinary citizens, and can be
an asset to host societies. For in-
stance, Albert Einstein a German
refugee that only learnt how to read at
age 19, made an astounding contribu-
tion to the world of Physics. What has
also been intriguing is to observe and
learn from staff members who have
made asylum seekers the work of their
lives and how they are still driven to
fight for durable solutions for such
people. Its one thing to work to earn a
living but another to work to better the
Strai ght From The Heart
Wi t h I saac Bowa
Uni t ed Nat i ons Vol unt eer s Pr ogr amme ( UNV) i n Zambi a Vol ume 1 I ssue 1 Page 9
living of other people, particularly
vulnerable people.
Volunteering with UNHCR has broad-
ened my empathy for refugees and
people affected by war. I am also very
grateful for the peace my country
continues to enjoy.
Furthermore, I have learnt that volun-
teerism endows a sense of responsi-
bility upon host societies by engaging
them in their own welfare. I have
been lucky enough to work with fellow
volunteers from within the country,
beyond both Zambian and African
borders, and even refugee volunteers
within my host institution. I have also
been privileged to meet volunteers
from other organizations whose pas-
sion continuously challenge me.
Overall, volunteerism has opened my
mind to realize that we are capable of
tremendous influence if we just give
ourselves to it. Volunteering has
further taught me that people dont
have to wait till they are in a formal
position to make a difference; that
positions cannot give people influ-
ence that they dont exercise within
their current social standing.
Isaac Bowa in conversation with Peace Corps Country Director in Zambia, Tom Kennedy(in
the middle) and his colleague during International Volunteer Day in 2013.
The best way to find
yourself is to lose yourself
in the service of others.
- Mahatma Ghandhi
10

Children at the ChilenjeTransient
Home in Lusaka beamed with smiles
on their faces when they received
assorted items presented by the UNV
Field Unit. The items were contributed
by members of the UN family in Zam-
bia and other Volunteer Involving
Organizations.
The items included cleaning deter-
gents and washing powder, scouring
powder bleach, disinfectants, steel
wires, cooking pots, serving plates,
water heater, mortise locks and a flash
door for the bathroom with metal rein-
forcement to stop water sipping
through. The gesture was in response
to a need assessment done at the
Home.
Presenting the items, the UNV Pro-
gramme Officer, Flavia Sembera said
the support was part of outreach activi-
ties marking the celebration of the
International Volunteer Day.
We hope this contribution will bright-
en up the holiday season and create a
sense of hope for the children, Flavia
said.
How amazing! We didn't expect this.
Officer who manages the Chilenje
Transient Home.
The stories of children at the Home
have a fairy tale ending. Mrs.
Kapelikisha said the Home receives an
average of 50 to 60 children per year
mostly dumped, orphaned or mentally
challenged children who have been
abandoned due to their mental status.
The Chilenje Transient Home supports
and cares for more than 20 children in
a small house donated by the Lusaka
City Council in 1979 to flag off the
official opening of the Home under the
Child Care and Adoption Society of
Zambia.
Our vision for the future is to construct
a bigger house and extend care and a
happy future to more underprivileged
children, Mrs. Kapelikisha said.
A team of volunteers helped with
packing the items and spent an hour
playing and interacting with the
children.

According to the countrys recent
MDGs Report, maternal mortality is
still high and only declining at a very
slow rate insufficient to reach the 2015
target of 162 deaths per 100,000 live
births.
Through her service to the Midwives
Association of Zambia (MAZ), Ruth is
deeply involved with the advocacy for
safe motherhood - helping increase
pregnant woman's ability to make
informed choices about their health.
Inspired by the desire to effect positive
change and transform communities,
other national and international UN
Volunteers serving in Zambia re-
echoed similar commitments at the
end of a two-day workshop organized
by the UNV Field Unit last year.
The workshop aimed at building their
capacity to effectively advocate,
i nt egr at e and mobi l i ze f or
volunteerism in Zambia.
The event was attended by all 28 UN
Vol unteers, a record l evel of
participation.
The Helping Hands of Volunteers
Uni t ed Nat i ons Vol unt eer s Pr ogr amme( UNV) i n Zambi a Vol ume 1 I ssue 1 Page 10
Volunteering is an amazing opportuni-
ty for me to use my experience and
expertise in order to reduce the risks
expectant mothers face in Zambia. I
remain committed to playing a vital
role in improving my country's mater-
nal healthcare by coaching community
health workers, midwifery and nursing
students, says Ruth Muzumala, a
retired Zambian midwife currently
volunteering with the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA).
Her career is lengthy and impressive,
but her accomplishments didnt stop
with retirement. Ruth, 61, said the end
of her career actually marked the
beginning of some of her most impres-
sive achievements through volunteer-
ing.
Since retiring from active employment
several years ago, Ruth has found
volunteering as another way to further
fulfill her dream of working with moth-
ers and children.
She is determined to help improve the
health of women in her native Zambia,
where it is estimated that 38 mothers
die each month due to complications
relating to pregnancy and childbirth.
UNV Programme Officer, Flavia Sembera handing over assorted items to the
Chilenje Transient Home on behalf of UN volunteers and volunteer involving
organizations (Photo: Moses Zangar, Jr/UNDP)
Rekindling the spirit of volunteerism (Photo: Moses Zangar, Jr/UNDP)

A Renewed Commitment to Volunteerism
Our vision for the future is to
construct a bigger house and
extend care and a happy future to
more underprivileged children.
Mrs. Rosina Nchoba Kapelikisha
11

Volunteerism Contributes to the
Development of Nations was the
central theme of the student debates
organized by the UN Volunteer
Progamme in Zambia in partnership
with the Ministry of Community Devel-
opment, Mother and Child Health. The
lively and cross-examination-style
debates brought together about 100
representatives from the United Na-
tions and Volunteer Involving Organi-
zations with participants drawn from
universities and other tertiary institu-
tions in the Lusaka area.
The debates which were held at the
Radisson Blu Hotel featured the best
minds from each participating institu-
tion. Each team was comprised of four
or five members. The event employed
the British Parliamentary style of de-
bate while five institutions of higher
learning battled against each other on
different motions.
The initiative was part of an advocacy
campaign in the lead up to last years
International Volunteer Day celebrated
in Zambia under the theme Youth
Volunteering for a Better Zambia.
The debates were meant to bring
together university and college stu-
dents into a dynamic discussion forum
through which new ideas and strate-
gies can be mapped out in redefining
the spirit of volunteerism among the
youth in achieving national develop-
ment.
Speakers from various institutions
debated four motions: Volunteerism
perpetuates social inequalities; Gainful
parti ci pati on over vol unteeri sm;
Recognition of ones patriotism is
based on volunteerism and Renewed
commitment of youth volunteers is
necessary for national development.
The concept of volunteerism was
argued in various forms, but most
importantly, the speakers unanimously
emphasized the need to renew com-
mitment to offering young people
volunteer opportunities to become
active agents of change in their com-
munities. To do this effectively, they
think young people should be placed
at the front of designing and delivering
volunteering programs. Inspiring them
to participate might mean creating
more space for less mature ap-
proaches to volunteering and develop-
ment, a speaker argued.
For instance, the debaters argued that
for youth volunteering in Zambia to be
relevant, it is essential to position
programs to contribute to wider devel-
opment goals beyond personal devel-
opment so that volunteering is seen
to be not just as an investment in an
individual but an investment in the
nation and on the continent.
One major message resonated
throughout the debate - the drive to
use volunteerism as a medium to
attain development should continue,
using various channels such as radio,
social media platforms, drama, en-
compassing everyone - young and
old, men and women, rich and poor,
those who are more vulnerable and
those who are decision makers.
This is how transformation of the
world using volunteerism as a vehicle
University Students Debate the Contributions of Volunteerism to National Development
Uni t ed Nat i ons Vol unt eer s Pr ogr amme ( UNV) i n Zambi a Vol ume 1 I ssue 1 Page 11
would be possible and the future that
we all want will become a reality,
another speaker said.
There were no special winners as
such. All participating teams were
considered winners but the University
of Zambia received an accolade for
producing the best debate team.
Edward Musosa from the University of
Zambia and David Mfungo of the
Lusaka Apex Medical University were
awarded certificates as the best
debate speakers.
University students arguing out the motion: Volunteerism Perpetuates
Social Inequalities. Photo: Moses Zangar, Jr/UNDP
Edward Musosa and Namoonga Hazeze of the University of Zambia display their certificate
as the best debate team (Photo: Moses Zangar, Jr/UNDP)
A group photo of members of the participating teams and UN Volunteers
at the event (Photo: Moses Zangar, Jr/UNDP)
12

Ms. Janet Rogan is the new UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Rep-
resentative in Zambia. She replaces Ms. Kanni Wignaraja. Before her appoint-
ment, Janet served in Her Majestys Diplomatic Service for over 20 years. In her
previous assignment, she was Senior
Strategy Adviser to the Director for
Defence and International Security at
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(FCO), UK. She also served FCOs
Deputy Director for Finance. Janet
was Consul General and Deputy Head
of Mission at the British Embassy in
Tel Aviv, Israel (2005-2008) prior to
which she undertook language training
in Hebrew. From 2003-2004 she was
seconded to the Coalition Provisional
Authority in Basra, Iraq (then Bagh-
dad). She was the UKs Political Ad-
viser to the NATO Supreme Allied
Commander for Europe from 2001-
2003 and from 1998-2001.
Janet began her career in 1986 with
FCO in the UK as Desk Officer for
Zambia and Malawi.
Mwaiseni ku Zambia
Welcome to Zambia
life makes a diference. With a spirit
of volunteerism, all persons young
and old from all walks of life can
come together and make a tremen-
dous contributon to development
that may seem minimal at the start
but the ripple efect can transform
the pace of development.



Kayimbo Katengo, Head, Zam-
bian Universities & Colleges
Model United Nations: Volun-
teerism helps in the building of
strong and cohesive communites.
Volunteerism fosters trust between
citzens and helps develop norms of
solidarity and reciprocity which are
essental to stable communites.
Overall, volunteerism delivers im-
pressive social benefts. Through
voluntary acton young create
groupings that can cement civic
responsibility and belonging.









Tom Kennedy, Country Director, US
Peace Corps Volunteers, Zambia: As
a young man, I myself served as a
Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon.
My Peace Corps experiences trans-
formed my life as - Ive seen that
volunteerism has transformed so
many others. Whether someone
chooses to volunteer to serve others
for two years, as Peace Corps Volun-
teers typically do, or even for two
hours as many can and do in their
communites it makes a diference
in people's lives and strengthens our
communites.
If a volunteer no mater what
country he or she comes from
works on improving the knowledge
and skills of those with whom they
work, they plant a seed that will
grow and fourish long afer their
departure.







Taonga M'shanga, UNV Natonal
Coordinator (Post 2015 Consulta-
tons): The frst tme I ever volun-
teered was at a local orphanage. I
served as a librarian and helped the
young school children to learn to
read. Volunteering and seeing my
eforts, skills and experience make
someones life beter than they
were before (even in the smallest
way) is the most fulflling experi-
ence.
In a nutshell, volunteering is more
than self-gain, its beyond self-
development but about making
someones life beter. I think every-
one should volunteer to make the
world a beter place because at the
end of the day we are all citzens of
the global village. Therefore, if we
want the village to develop, we all
need to make sure no one has been
lef behind- women, men, children,
young and old we all need to devel-
op each other. Just changing one
Have Your Say
What Does Volunteering Mean To You?
Uni t ed Nat i ons Vol unt eer s Pr ogr amme ( UNV) i n Zambi a Vol ume 1 I ssue 1 Page 12




Ole R. Justesen is UNV Programme
Officer and part of the Governance
Team at UNDP. His areas of exper-
tise in the development field include
governance reforms, decentralisa-
tion, elections and political economy
analysis. Before joining UNDP Zam-
bia, Ole worked for Global Citizen, a
member organisation of the United
Nations Sustainable Development
Solutions Network, mobilizing aca-
demia, civil society and the private
sector in support of sustainable
development. Ole holds a master
degree in Political Science.
Janet beams with a smile during a welcome ceremony at UNDP in Lusaka.
Velice Shizia Nangavo, Programme
Ofcer, UNREDD: Volunteerism is
the act of helping and supportng
others. Volunteerism comes from
within and it does not require mot-
vaton. Volunteers have a way of
bringing their own unique motva-
tons to their work. People volunteer
for various reasons either because
you want to support your friends;
you want to bring change or are
passionate about it. I volunteer
because Im passionate about delop-
ing people and systems.





Moses M. Zangar, Jr., Communi-
catons Ofcer, UNDP: In my view,
volunteering means using your
tme and talents to help others
and make a diference in peoples
lives without expectng to be paid.
13










UNV Programme Field Unit
UN House
Ground Floor
Alick Nkhata Road
P.O. Box 31966
10101 Lusaka, Zambia



For more information, contact:

Moses M. Zangar, Jr.
Communications Officer
Mobile:(+260)967 605 747
E-mail: moses.zangar@undp.org


Flavia Sembera
UNV Programme Officer
Mobile:(+260) 977 770 609


Email: flavia.sembera@undp.org

Visit our website @:
www.unvolunteers.org
Uni t ed Nat i ons Vol unt eer s Pr ogr amme ( UNV) i n Zambi a Vol ume 1 I ssue 1 Page 13
The UNV Field Unit in Zambia has
scaled up its engagement with Volun-
teer Involving Organizations (VIOs)
and other volunteer networks aimed
at promoting a culture of youth volun-
teerism. The move is to enable young
people play positive roles in finding
solutions to some of the development
challenges affecting communities.
UN Volunteers is supporting the
training and mentoring of organiza-
tions and youth groups involved in
volunteer programs. Young people
are increasingly involved in programs
that address the needs and empower
communities with the hope that they
can become lifelong participants and
take on a sense of ownership in
development efforts.
As part of the UNV Youth Volunteer
Strategy which aims at helping young
people address their needs, the
Zambia Field Unit facilitated 21
students from the University of
Zambia to fulfil their field work
program with other VIOs.
The students gained field experience
in rural communities and had the
opportunity to interact and share with
other young people how youth
volunteerism serves as a tool for
positive development.
The advocacy campaign has also
included a phone-in program on
Yatsani Radio where a group of
university students discussed the
importance and contributions of
volunteerism.
The current focus is on strengthening
the youth volunteer network in
collaboration with the National Youth
Development Council and other UN
partner agencies.
Engaging With Youth Volunteers

It was an exciting day full of educational
and entertaining activities! Dozens of
school children converged and had
plenty of opportunity for hands-on
participation in a childrens event
dubbed kuthandi zana, meani ng
helping each other which was orga-
nized by their school with support from
the UNV Field Unit in Lusaka.
The event at Kizito Community School
was meant to promote the spirit of
volunteerism among children.
Skits were performed by the school
children making it easier for the others
to understand and relate to the mes-
saging.
The one hour program was enough to
capture the audiences interest and
show how exciting children can be in
terms of helping each other. They had
their audience laughing and applauding
their poems and traditional dances.
Majority of the pupils are orphaned or
vulnerable, hence, the need to ensure
that volunteerism at a young age is
promoted; keeping in mind that
volunteer activities can reward young
children with new skills and perspective

as they develop into responsible
citizenry.
The occasion engaged the young
children by using various forms of
communication such as story telling,
poetry and drama depicting the
importance of volunteering and helping
each other.
Volunteering is the perfect way for
children to be welcomed as productive
and active members of a community.
Through volunteering, children can
become valuable contributors to their
constantly changing society, said
Taonga M'shanga, a national UN
Volunteer who coordinated the event.
Most of the pupils said the knowledge
exchanged will encourage them to be
responsible and have a sense of
ownership at their school, in their
communities and homes by taking
volunteer actions such as cleanups,
knowledge sharing and many more.
Childrens Event: Kuthandizana Day
A young girl sharing a story of how she
helps clean her school to keep it clean.
A Kizito pupil reciting poem on the
importance of helping each other
Radio discussion at Yatsani Radio
Station
Youth Volunteers listening to a
presentation on volunteerism.
There is incredible value in
being of service to others.
Elizabeth Berg - Author
14

15