Food Security at Kabweza, Kafue District, Central Province of Zambia

By Thomas Simubali

(Director For the Centre For African Missions)

Mapepe Bible College (MBC) with its partners Healing Hands International (HHI) and the Zambia Project (ZP), conducted a food security workshop, level one called “Survival Garden” in Kabweza, in Kafue District of central Zambia. The purpose of this workshop was to teach good soil and water management for sustainable food production, teach people in improved skills of quality vegetable growing for better nutrition and to teach vulnerable but viable villagers in market gardening as a viable enterprise for income generation.

The total number of people who were trained was 31, 8 men and 23 women. There is a deliberate policy to target women as they are more affected by poverty and the burden of HIV/AIDS and they easily respond to new intervention methods to try to improve their livelihoods. These participants were carefully selected by the local community development officer, Mr. Simululwe at the Kafue District office from eight different women’s club and cooperatives.

Kafue District is near the huge Vegetable Markets of the greater city of Lusaka (the country’s capital of about 2 million people) and as such market gardening enterprises can be sustainable. Apart from crop husbandly, the people were introduced to the simple but effective technology of Bucket drip irrigation, which conserves water and cuts down on the time spent working in the garden.

MBC’s short term strategic plan is to train in the Kafue catchment area, within five years train and work closely with 25 women’s clubs and cooperatives. Each of these women’s clubs has a minimum of 30 people, thereby targeting about a total of 750 women, and if each trained person is coming from an average of six people in a household, a total of 4500 people will directly benefit not counting those who will learn from their neighbours. From this analysis it is clear that these simple but effective interventions have far reaching good in improving not only the nutrition and healthy of people but also provide decent incomes.

Our Partners Healing Hands International and Zambia project are in the process of sending to us a shallow well driller for boreholes. This will no doubt greatly increase the ability of the benefiting communities in expanding their micro and small scale agro enterprises.

MBC has already trained more than 200 people in Kafue District and beyond. MBC has not only trained communities in improved production methods, but has helped the formation of the CHIKAMATU marketing association, a group of four cooperative societies who have joined forces in creating and sustaining markets for their members. MBC has also partnered with

Twin Fountain Farm institute in collaboration in improved community training, with ASSAPP in the growing, processing and marketing of the African Bird’s eye Chili, with FRESHPKT in the growing and marketing of the Cherry Pepper and navy beans and with MATEP in seed multiplication and market development for the navy beans.

MBC has worked with local government counselors in trying to improve the lives of the rural and urban agro producers. MBC has worked hand in hand with the ministry of community Development office in Kafue in assisting government to bring about sustainable interventions that can improve the healthy and incomes of our people. MBC has worked tirelessly with Church leaders through the republic of Zambia in making the church respond to the needs of the people.

MBC, situated in Chilanga, just outside Lusaka and its partners are dedicated in serving and improving the welfare of their fellow man.

Serenje Camp Meeting (July 6, 2009)

Thomas Simubali (Director of Missions) just returned from attending the Serenje Area Camp Meeting (July 3-6). Zambians celebrate a four-day, weekend holiday the first weekend of July each year and, during this holiday weekend, many churches and organizations in Zambia use this as a time to assemble. Many of our churches use this time to gather for a "Camp Meeting" (a time to worship and hear Bible lessons from visiting preachers). Thomas was invited as the key speaker for the camp meeting in the Serenje area.

The Serenje region is the area in which we have conducted our past three Medical Missions. It is any area where there are very few churches and few medical clinics. Thus, not only have our Medical Missions helped people in some very remote areas without medical care, but it has also been an effective way to introduce ourselves to the people of this regioin. At first the people of this area were afraid of us as they had never heard of the Church of Christ nor Mapepe Bible College. Some called us "Satanists" (i.e., people who do evil). One village even burned down the chief's house because he agreed to allow us to come to his village. But, of course, it didn't take long before the people realized that we were there to do them good in the name of Jesus rather than do them evil. Doors were opened and churches have been planted. Several students have also come to attend Mapepe Bible College who were converts of these church-plantings.

The good news that Thomas brought back was the news that these new churches plantings are continuing to do well and are growing stronger and larger. There are now six new churches in just one area of the Serenje region and there were more than 300 people who came from these churches to attend this four-day Camp Meeting! Thomas reports that the weekend went VERY well and that these churches are now starting to develop leaders. Thomas also reports that several of our former students (graduates) from this area have now planted new churches further out. One student (Humphrey) has now planted 7 churches, two of which are just across the Congo border! Another student (Melvin) who was a convert from our Prison Ministry has now planted 2-3 new churches! Thomas returned very excited about the weekend! Please keep these new churches and our students in your prayers as they struggle to survive (both physically and spiritually) in a very remote area of Zambia. -- David