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Technical Cooperation Project Summary

Project Title

The Best Choice campaign

Region/Country

AFRICA/Zambia

Project Duration

September 1, 2002 – August 27, 2005

Fiscal Year & Funding Level

FY 2001: USD 1,447,000

Problem to be Addressed

At the time of project funding there were severe economic problems confronting Zambia, which were compounded by an inadequate educational system that offered limited learning opportunities. The educational system also lacked trained teachers and sufficient school resources. The HIV/AIDS pandemic had orphaned hundreds of thousands of children. In that context, an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 children were not attending school, and were working or were at risk of working in agriculture, prostitution, street vending, stone crushing, as well as other occupations.

Results

The project reached 15,097 children through awareness raising on the negative consequences of child labor and promoting the benefits of education in 28 school catchment areas of Chipata district in the Eastern Province of Zambia.

Project Objectives

To contribute to the reduction of the worst forms of child labor in Zambia through the following objective:

  • Ensure that working children in target communities enroll and persist in school.

Summary of Activities
  • Conducted zonal briefing meetings and research, and staged awareness-raising performance;
  • Translated existing national education and child labor policies into Chinyanja;
  • Conducted Teacher Pride stage performances;
  • Trained and produced an action plan for regional Ministry of Education offices for 14 zones;
  • Developed a peer teaching network; and
  • Provided locally-relevant vocational skills in target schools.

Grantee

American Institutes for Research (AIR)

Implementing partners

Government agencies at local and state levels; community-based organizations; Jesus Cares Ministries; and other non-governmental organizations.

Contact Information

Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking (OCFT)

(202) 693-4843