About SPW - Information about who we are and our unique approach to youth-led development

Population: 11,261,795
Rural population (as % of total population): 63.5
Life expectancy (years): 32.4
Gross national income per capita (Ł): 210
Prevalence of HIV, total (% of population ages 15-49): 16.5
Prevalence of HIV, female (% of population ages 15-49): 56.6
Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births): 102

Statistics from: http://devdata.worldbank.org/data-query/

With a population of just over ten million, Zambia is one of the countries worst hit by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The National AIDS Council estimates 1 in every 5 young people, aged 15 – 25, are infected with HIV. Only about a quarter of the population have sufficient knowledge to protect themselves from HIV infection.

The Response:

SPW Zambia works in full partnership with the Ministry of Education. The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education invited SPW to set up a school-based HIV/AIDS and Life Skills programme in Zambia from January 2004, having recognised the potential of using SPW's youth-led programmes to supplement their existing Health Education and HIV/AIDS Strategy for schools.
SPW Zambia currently operates in many areas in which there are no other established intervention programmes. Our School HIV and AIDS Education Programme (SHEP) gives thousands of young people access to information they would not otherwise have, ensuring that adolescents, at the onset of sexual activity, receive knowledge and life skills that will help them avoid contracting HIV.

Key Achievements:

Through our partnership with the Ministry of Education, SPW Zambia is assisting in the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy in over 100 schools and building the capacity of the Ministry of Education to implement this youth-led model and replicate it across other provinces.
In 2004, SPW's SHEP was implemented in selected rural schools in Central Province, targeting children aged 11 – 18. Forty Peer Educators took part in the programme and successfully delivered Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health lessons daily to over 36,000 rural students.
This year, with continued support from the Ministry of Education, the programme will increased in size to 90 Peer Educators working in 100 schools in Central Province.
By 2006 SPW will have expanded the programme in Central Province to over 120 Peer Educators and started work in an additional Province.

Case Study:

Cases of Sexually transmitted Infections (STI) resulting from child sexual abuse, among school children, have gone unchecked and offenders unpunished because young people feel unable to talk about it. This is no longer the case in SPW placement schools in Zambia. Following a lesson on Child Abuse & human rights, Peer Educators at Mpunde Girls High School were approached by a pupil seeking help because she was sexually abused by her uncle. Because the pupil had an STI, Peer Educators accompanied her to the nearby clinic for treatment and were able to provide emotional support and guidance to the pupil. She is now well and has continued her education.

“I wish to encourage you to continue with the good work you have started. I wish to assure you of my personal support and of course that of the entire Ministry staff. I look forward to more encouraging news on this programme and to the potential role it will play in mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS and related problems".

Barbara Chilangwa, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education Zambia