What works in Zambia

Zambia has implemented several major development and conservation programmes with quantified reach. The GEWEL programme has supported 139,351 women across 81 districts and 148,616 girls in secondary school across 65 districts by end-2024, while AVE cervical screening achieved 85% sensitivity and 86% specificity in detecting precancerous lesions across 8,204 women in eight public health facilities. Conservation efforts include the Luangwa Community Forests Project, which protects 2.1 million hectares benefiting 230,000 people with approximately 2.79 million tonnes of CO2e avoided annually, and COMACO, which demonstrated significant wildlife recovery through conservation-farming incentives, though income gains proved harder to demonstrate. Additionally, rural ICT hubs have trained over 700 women and girls in digital literacy and online safety since April 2024.