Community Rising Luangwa District Directory

Working with the Government of the Republic of Zambia and other partners, the project seeks to improve coordination, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation among organizations providing services to these children. The project also aims to bridge the coordination gap between government, civil society, the private sector, and other critical stakeholders at district and community levels. Baseline assessments conducted for Community Rising with the Department of Social Welfare found that at district and lower levels of program implementation, the various OVC-related service delivery providers did not have ready listings of organizations in the sector at their disposal. This lack of information was identified as one of the reasons for the lack of effective linkage and referral at the local level. To address this issue, Community Rising worked with partners to conduct mapping of OVC services and consolidate them in the form of a directory for each district. The Luangwa District Directory was created through a process of data collection and verification. Information was collected in interviews with contact persons at the offices of the listed organizations, using a questionnaire developed through wide consultations with stakeholders. The data was then entered into a database and further verification was conducted to ensure accuracy of records, remove errors, and correct omissions. The directory includes information on organizations operating in Luangwa District, including their date of registration, geographical operating area, address, contact person, vision, mission, objectives, major thematic areas, types of services provided, and affiliated networks. The directory is expected to facilitate referrals, identify other organizations to collaborate and network with, and close the gap to ensure that OVC receive holistic services without duplication. The goal is to enable effective linkages at district and lower levels and to facilitate referrals. The Community Rising project also decentralizes the initiatives introduced by Zambia Rising and Data Rising at higher levels and will augment and cascade these systems and interventions from the district down to the community level. This work will be guided by a recognition of the importance of strengthening GRZ systems and processes for sustainability, a commitment to building on previous investments to produce results quickly and efficiently, and prioritization of geographic areas based on need and OVC burden data. The directory lists 23 organizations operating in Luangwa District, including government departments, non-governmental organizations, and community-based organizations. These organizations provide a range of services, including education, health, social welfare, and economic empowerment. The directory also includes information on the types of services provided by each organization, their target populations, and their geographical operating areas. The Luangwa District Directory is an important tool for stakeholders working to improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in Luangwa District. It provides a comprehensive list of organizations operating in the district, their services, and their contact information. The directory is expected to facilitate referrals, collaboration, and networking among organizations, ultimately leading to improved services for OVC in the district.