|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FACT SHEET
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-43202002-060
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2002
Budget FY 2001 FY 2002
(est.)FY 2003
(request)Development Assistance & Child Survival $37.1 million $44.7 million $50.3 million (of which HIV/AIDS totals) ($11.2 million) ($18.5 million) ($25.0 million) Economic Support Funds $ .3 million $ .4 million TBD P.L. 480 Title II $ 0 million $ .1 million TBD Total $37.4 million $45.2 million $50.3 million OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) program in Zambia are to help increase incomes for poor rural Zambians, improve the country's education and health systems, and increase citizen participation in the country's democratic processes.
PROGRAM AREAS
Increase Rural Incomes: USAID helps over 200,000 rural residents increase their incomes and improve their food security by learning new production methods and business skills. USAID's leadership was critical in convincing the Zambian government to change policies that were detrimental to poor farm families, such as price controls on crops and distribution monopolies. Farmers now receive higher prices for their crops and also produce more. The need for emergency assistance has declined as farm families succeed in diversifying sources of income and in increasing food production, including the production of new drought-tolerant crop varieties. In USAID-assisted areas, maize production has increased by 95 percent. Through USAID-sponsored training and technical assistance, 54 agribusiness, food processing and tourism enterprises increased their incomes by over 100 percent.
Provide Quality Basic Education: USAID supports efforts to get parents more involved in local schools. USAID is also mobilizing communities to participate in the building and maintaining sanitation systems, building water wells to provide schools with safe water, and identifying truant school children.
Improve Comprehensive Health Services: USAID activities in this area focus on providing quality health care as close to the community as possible. USAID has supported major efforts to increase immunizations for childhood diseases, train health staff, treat malaria more effectively, improve pre-and post-natal and child health care, and ensure that families have correct information and support for reproductive decisions.
With an HIV/AIDS incidence rate of approximately 20 percent, a major thrust of investments is devoted to prevention and mitigation. Education, counseling and testing, condom distribution, and other initiatives are part of a multi-sectoral response to the AIDS threat. USAID assists also AIDS orphans by providing assistance to the families and communities caring for these children.
In other health-related fields, USAID has helped raise the polio immunization coverage in Zambia to 96 percent in 1999. In addition, commercial sugar manufacturers are now fortifying sugar with Vitamin A, which is critical for child development. This program has now reached approximately 80 percent of children nationally.
Increase Citizen Participation in Democracy and Governance: USAID's goal with regard to democracy and governance is to enhance opportunities for effective participation in decision making. Activities include increasing government accountability; assuring that public decisions are accessible and effective, supporting the role of privately owned media, and encouraging free and fair elections. Some examples of successes include cooperation with the city of Lusaka to improve the management of solid waste treatment, introduction of a new civics curriculum in the school system, and initiation of commercial arbitration.
FOIA Requests : Privacy Policy : Email This Page Plug-ins : FAQs : Help Desk : Contact Us : Site Map : En Español
