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Lift Zambia Programme Launched to Transform Communities in Luapula Province

The Lift Zambia programme has officially been launched in Luapula Province, with stakeholders highlighting its potential to transform lives through interventions that tackle poverty, inequality, and the impacts of climate change.

Speaking during the official launch, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)  Country Director Mr. Libinga Musonda speaking on behalf of the consortium of partners said the programme represents the beginning of a new journey for Luapula, one of solidarity, resilience, and transformation.

Mr. Musonda explained that Lift Zambia, Lives Saved, Inequality Addressed, and Fostering Resilience for Transformation in Zambia, is a five-year programme running from 2025 to 2029 and is led by the NCA/DCA Joint Country Programme and implemented by a consortium of partners including SCA, Pellum, CEJ, and ADRA Zambia. He said the partners bring together a wealth of skills and expertise that, when combined, will deliver the change that communities in Luapula deserve.

Mr. Musonda added that the consortium expects to improve livelihoods and food security through sustainable agriculture, strengthen community resilience to droughts and floods, and enhance accountability in the use of development resources. He thanked NCA and DCA for their support, and the Government of the Republic of Zambia for creating an enabling environment for such partnerships to thrive.

“This programme belongs to the people,” Mr. Musonda stressed. “Its success will not be measured by the activities of consortium partners alone, but by the ownership taken by communities, farmers’ associations, traditional leaders, and district councils.”

Echoing these sentiments, Luapula Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Mr. Evans Sikabbuba said climate change is no longer a distant challenge but a daily reality for communities in the province. He pointed to erratic rainfall, droughts, and floods as key threats to food security, while many young people, unable to find alternatives, resort to unsustainable practices such as charcoal production.

“This programme therefore comes at a critical time,” Mr. Sikabbuba said. “It unites government, civil society, and communities to provide both immediate relief and long-term resilience. Its strength lies in partnership, because sustainable development is best achieved when it is community-owned.”

Mr. Sikabbuba noted that the initiative aligns with the government’s 8th National Development Plan and Zambia’s commitments under the Paris Agreement. He added that under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, the government is prioritising inclusive development, climate-smart agriculture, and the empowerment of vulnerable communities.

“The name LIFT is deeply symbolic,” he said. “This programme seeks to lift communities out of poverty, to lift women and youth into dignity and leadership, and to lift our province and our nation toward resilience and transformation.”

Chifunabuli District Commissioner Mr. Stanley Mukosa described the programme as a welcome return by trusted partners who had previously worked in the province through the Natwampane programme.

“Many of us here can attest to the blueprints left behind by the Natwampane initiative,” Mr. Mukosa said. “Today we welcome back our partners with confidence, because they have already demonstrated their ability to deliver tangible results. We are optimistic that Lift Zambia will not only uplift our people economically, but also address social and environmental inequalities that continue to hold our communities back.”

The launch brought together government officials, civil society, traditional leaders, and community representatives, all united by a shared vision to ensure that Lift Zambia delivers meaningful and lasting transformation for Luapula Province.

 

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