Projects

“Belgian Lawyers for Africa – It’s Legal to Care!” lays great emphasis on two essentials of life: food and water.

Statistics show that food security and water availability remain major obstacles in Zambia. While we might take clean water for granted, 6.3 million Zambians do not have access to clean drinking water, corresponding to over one third of the entire Zambian population. A disturbing number of children yearly die because of dirty water, poor hygiene and related diseases. On top, Zambia has been struck this year by extreme drought making the situation worse than ever.

Our work will be conducted in different Chiefdoms of the Kazungula and Livingstone Districts of the Southern Province of Zambia. This region consists of more than 100 remote villages and 12 schools. The Southern Province receives less rainfall than any other Zambian Province, making access to water and food particularly difficult. 

In cooperation with "The Butterfly Tree", we have designed two initiatives to respond to these challenges.

To provide reliable sources of clean water, our association envisages to drill boreholes where the need is greatest. Pipes and casing will be installed more than 50 meters deep to ensure water supplies, irrespective of the weather conditions. The wells will be sealed by a concrete cover to avoid any contamination. To boost the local economy, we will only work with Zambian drilling companies and local workforces.

The newly acquired access to water is the foundation of the road to self-sufficiency. The boreholes will be able to limit the impact of dry spells, and the people surrounding the wells can take charge over their own food production. The boreholes can also be used for drinking water, irrigation and sanitary purposes.

Did you know that a well provides water to an average of 1,000 people and can remain functioning for more than 20 years?

With the newly constructed water wells, the surrounding areas will be able to move away from rain-fed agriculture. We will provide seeds and fertilizers that, in combination with the irrigation of the boreholes, provide sufficient food during the dry season

Via the method of seed saving, the initial harvest will also serve as the basis of the next season. The crops, in turn, deliver reproductive materials that will be sown in the subsequent cycle. The result is a continuous food production. This is particularly relevant for maize and other vegetables that must allow for a balanced diet.

Did you know that for €100 we can grow enough crops to feed a school of 375 children for one dry season?