Building Programme (Zambia)

In Zambia, there is a huge need for investment in basic, physical infrastructure; schools, clinics, and affordable houses. The Government has stated a need for 20,000 extra classrooms and 150,000 housing units p.a.

Our response to this need has been to establish a programme of work in Zambia that comprises construction projects, advocacy and builder support.

Completed Projects

From 2006-2008 we completed a new secondary school at Fiwila with three classrooms, a science laboratory, library and teachers house. We have also built a new two classroom new primary school at Butempa and training centre at Shantumbu, Lusaka. Read all about our completed projects and the impact these have had on the local community.

“What started as a big dream, after a long journey has today become a milestone for the community“.

District Education officer on the official opening of the new school.

Current Projects

From 2009 we aim to undertake at least four significant community building projects every year, each one benefiting at least 750 people.

Most projects will expand or build new primary schools. We prefer to work with communities that have taken the initiative to start their own school because there isn’t a Government school nearby. We carefully select such ‘community’ or ‘open’ schools that receive assistance from the Ministry of Education or an NGO especially providing trained teachers and school materials.

We work closely with the school and wider community to decide what they need, design the building and agree who will do what. Typically, the community will contribute sand, gravel, stone and labour.

Work has already started on:

• two new community school classroom blocks – Makangwe and Chianda
• our first health post at Chongwe

Read about all our current projects and each one is progressing.

Each project will benefit at least 250 people directly and 750 from the wider community. That’s in addition to the 10-15 builders we train.

A single classroom typically costs £26,000 and a two-classroom block +office + teachers house £40,000.

Read the latest news on our current building projects and other Build IT International activities