Against the Odds

A Community Project in Kalomo/Zambia: Bakhita Women

This is a presentation given by Prema Antony, International Presentation Association, at a side event of the Commission on Sustainable Development on 5 May 2008.

Click here to open the PowerPoint Show that accompanied Prema's presentation. (Note: When the dialogue box opens, choose Save, then select where to save it to, and when the download is complete, select Open.)

“As a result of the demographic pressures and economic difficulties, sub-Saharan Africa is not on track to achieve the Millennium Development goals related to poverty and hunger.

It is the only region of the world where life expectancy has fallen recent decades, reaching below levels 40 years in Botswana, Lesotho, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Africa is endowed with abundant water resources which account for about 10% of global fresh water endowments. Yet, water scarcity affects African people in their daily existence, having tremendous consequences in terms of health and a significant economic impact, especially on agricultural productivity.

Owing to the limited number of dams and deep wells, the capacity of local populations to collect and store water is restricted.”

- Excerpts from the Report of the Secretary General on AFRICA

Zambia is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is Co-home to one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls.  Zambia has over 11 million people. In spite of having many natural resources, much of Zambia remains desperately poor. Majority of Zambian population live on subsistence agriculture.

Kalomo is a small town in the Southern part of Zambia where Presentation Sisters have a mission.

Nano Nagle, the Lady of the Lantern, Foundress of the Presentation Sisters, continue to inspire and challenge us as we minister with and for the poor, in the villages of Kalomo.

Based on the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals, Presentation Sisters in Zambia formed a group of women called Bakhita Women, named after an African saint who believed in her dreams even against all odds and worked on the Goal: Eradicate Extreme Poverty. These women realized that unless they make the MDGs come true it will just remain on paper and they will continue to carry the burden of poverty, illiteracy, and orphans.

So they came together to support each other as they met in a simple exercise of knitting. They sold the knitted articles and the profit became the rolling fund to buy more wool. As they did the knitting, they also listened to each other’s pains of bereavements and experienced some healing.

They planted maize in 4 hectares of leased land. The good harvest of the first year encouraged other women to join the group. Slowly 33 households met their basic needs to sustain and survive.
When it became difficult to get the land on lease they looked for funds and along with their savings bought a plot of 20 hectors of land and decided to put a bore-well and plant vegetables and maize.

But they were advised by the agricultural officer not to put a bore well in that area as it would not have water in the dry months when they most needed it.

They were delighted when they learned that it is possible to make a weir dam to harness rain water using the soil from the anthills that were plentiful on the land and the boundary of their land had a dry riverbed.

While waiting for the dam to become a reality, they cleared the land and planted maize and got a good harvest.

A dam was designed and they began digging the core trench. Emptied the river bed and collected the sand which was later used to make bricks.

Anthills were broken down and used to make bricks to build the farm house. The trees which were cut down as the land was cleared were used for baking bricks. Most of the manual work was done by the women!

Hiring the machinery for building the dam wall required more money and even though the application was approved, money was not released. So all the effort put into the digging of the trench went in vain.

The rains came in torrents and washed away the core trench. But they did not give up hope. The following year they received the needed money and were able to complete the dam wall, built with anthill soil only.

What is innovative about this project?

• This project is initiated and owned by women and the value of co-operation and sharing is the core to their success.
• It is self sustainable
• No destruction of the environment
• Water that is harnessed is being used for various other interrelated projects
• Not a bag of cement was used to build the wall of the dam
• Skillful use of nature’s building material, women’s resourcefulness, persistence; determination and work ethic are truly commendable.

Evidence of results and impact:

• The harnessed water from the 200 meters wide dam is used by the families of the group members and the neighboring villages (who at present have to walk approximately 5 km to get water) for drinking purposes, for their orchards, vegetable gardens, maize plants, livestock and fish farming.
• The group owns 5 milching animals and 2 for ploughing. They have initiated a piggery and fish farming. Women are trained in rearing pig and fish.
• The group has become self reliant and gained dignity as they take pride and ownership of their project, the work of their hands.
• Fruit trees like mangoes, pawpaw, citrus, avocado, custard apples, guavas are planted in the orchard and some are already bearing fruit.
• Two houses for the women to stay are being built
• The women can plan for the future as they do not have to totally depend on the rain. The dam water with suitable irrigation scheme will allow production throughout the year.
• Their future plans include getting a treadle pump for irrigation, a tractor and a harrow to plough the land and plant special trees for compost.
• A number of MDGs are being achieved through this initiative and mainly women and orphans benefit from it.

The Victoria Falls! The local people call it “Musio Tunio” meaning, “The smoke that thunders”. So are the Bakhita Women, rising against the odds, a thundering hope for Zambian women!

Thanks to Lynette and Numba for walking with the Bakhita Women to make their dream come true.

Prema Antony PBVM
May 2008

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