Zambia’s Drought Has Devastated Crops, Leaving 3 million Children At Risk. Every Child Deserves Enough To Eat.
The crisis is affecting 30% of the population, with less food available prices have rocketed throughout the year.
Many families supplement their meagre income by growing crops in their gardens so this is not just affecting large scale farmers.
Energy is also affected as the country relies on hydropower and with water levels so low there simply isn’t enough power so load-shedding is taking place for days at a time affecting households, schools and businesses.
The water supply is also at risk with boreholes drying up leaving some schools without enough water.
This year’s drought is causing a significant increase in hunger amongst children. Schools that Zambia Orphans Aid partners with are reporting rising food prices due to shortages, with many more children coming to school hungry and unable to focus on their lessons.
Too often vulnerable children we work with have little food at home and rely on schools providing nutritious meals to students. In Zambia 40% of under 5s are stunted because they have not had enough nutritious food to eat.
School meals not only reduce hunger and malnutrition, they also help improve school attendance and performance – as no one can learn if they’re hungry. Hungry children Zambia Orphans Aid feeds are more likely to attend school – as they know they will receive a meal. Due to rising costs schools we work with are having to make children share a plate of food for lunch, when they really need to be eating more.
Just £13 could allow Zambia Orphans Aid to provide a child with a school lunch for one year.
Lukundo, pictured, is a student who has received a solar light from ZOA. She explains how this has helped:
“The solar light really helped with my extra studies and meant I could work hard in the evenings to get good grades.”
A reliable source of light is something many of us take for granted, but it is crucial to people’s lives. Zambia’s energy system is primarily dependent on hydropower, so without enough water, there is not enough power.
The scarcity of water this year has led to a severe energy deficit. Across the country, homes have been experiencing prolonged power outages. The government has enforced load shedding, with power being cut for long periods, often at random times, without warning and lasting several days. As a result, education is suffering.
The lack of power means that schools struggle to operate, computer labs and lighting systems don’t function, and students are unable to complete their homework. A large percentage of disadvantaged Zambians don’t have access to electricity anyway, and this issue has worsened due to the drought. Access to electricity is critical for students’ studies, and without it, their grades and future opportunities are jeopardized.
Fortunately, there are innovative solutions to this problem—solar lamps. Solar lamps offer students reliable light at home, powered by an endless source: the sun.
In October and November the rains return. However, this is not a long-term solution to Zambia’s energy challenges. With extreme weather patterns likely to persist, continued support is essential for the years ahead.
But there is hope. ZOA-UK is launching a new initiative to distribute more solar lamps, focusing on students in Grades 7, 9, and 12—critical stages when their studies have a significant impact on their future prospects. By providing access to light, this initiative will empower young people to achieve their goals and improve their life chances.
The Zambian government is also working to broaden access to solar energy infrastructure across the country and in response ZOA-UK is exploring ways that school partners in impoverished communities can benefit from access to renewable energy
Charity no: 1145721
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