IICD supported project: Small Initiative Fund 2 - Zambia

The Small Initiative Fund 2 (SIF 2) was a 2005 follow up to SIF 1. Three small projects are successfully supported. The first project is a business centre in Chipangano Community (in the Central Province). The second project is a financial system and marketing support to Kachabe Enterprise (in Lusaka). The third project is to make a radio recording of stories about women in local language in Eastern Province Women’s Development (EPWDA). The three projects aimed to support 300 people to improve their livelihood through building their capacity in basic ICT skills and providing them with computers, e-mail, internet access and digital photo camera’s.

• Chipangano Community:  established a business centre that provide secretarial and internet services with 2 computers, printer, photocopier, 2 telephones and internet connection
• Kachabe: improved business productivity through the installation of 3 computers, 1 fax, 1 printer, 1 digital camera and internet connection. With a financial system record keeping and book keeping could be improved
• EPWDA: 4 radio programmes recorded with stories on women in local languages and one national radio programme in English to raise national awareness

In Zambia, small ICT initiatives at district level have more impact on the livelihoods of disadvantaged communities than intermediary organisations. The Small Initiative Fund 2 (SIF 2) was a follow-up to SIF 1. SIF 2 aimed to create a critical mass of local, small scale demonstrations of potential uses of ICT. The initiatives would detect organisations to generate local content which is valuable to share with a broader community.

Read more about IICD’s Zambia Country Programme.

• To enhance business or to improve the offered services. In order to maximize their potential development impact for the communities, the respective project partners have expressed a keen interest in learning to use ICT to support and enhance their current activities. For example, email and access to telephone facilities will greatly enhance their ability to maintain and manage contacts with regard to selling goods and crafts created by the members
• To Document the lessons learned in all three projects
• To exchange knowledge and experiences between project partners

The development criteria for participants in SIF 2 were:

• Relevance to the IICD-priorities in Zambia (education, livelihoods)
• Project’s outcomes are tangible and support practical solution(s) for development challenges
• Initiative comes from local actors
• Clear need for project’s outputs for potential beneficiaries
• The project is related to or part of an existing initiative (not necessarily ICT)  

• Lack of mutual understanding and respect can confuse projects and excessive and self – interest can destroy projects
• Chipangano Community:  observed that students hardly ever used the installed computers. The project team decided to verify this finding by visiting other projects. Upon confirming that the findings are true, Chipangano sought measures to avoid similar situations happening in their project.

Three projects were successful:

Chipangano Community: sustainability though the business centre, a hammer mill and farm products.

Eastern province Women’s Development Association (EPWDA): This was a special project, that is completed after the broadcasting of the radio programmes.

Kachabe Enterprises: This is a private company that will sustain the operational cost from the additional revenue due to enhanced productivity.