About Zambia

(from habitat.org)

Zambia is a southeastern African nation with five distinct topographical regions: the central highlands; the western plains, swamps and semi-arid deserts; the Rift Valley of the Zambezi Lowlands; the Muchinga Uplands; and the swamps and lakes of the northeast. The country shares boundaries with eight countries: Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania.The climate of Zambia is characterized as tropical with some variations in the higher altitudes. The rainy season stretches from October to April.Zambia’s population is estimated at 11.5 million (2007). The dominant ethnic group is African (98.7 percent), with 1.1 percent European. English is the official language, with major vernaculars used such as Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga and about 70 other indigenous languages.Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the country’s central plateau. Lusaka is considered one of the fastest-growing (in terms of population) cities in Africa. It is a commercial center as well as the center of government, and includes the four main highways of Zambia.

Habitat for Humanity Zambia opened its doors in 1984, when it started building houses for fishing families on Kabuyu Island. From these small beginnings, HFHZ built more than 1,700 houses and has expanded into six of the country’s nine provinces. HFH Zambia has also as facilitated multiple development initiatives, especially in the Chanyanya community. The newest of the program’s affiliates is in the urban area of Tiyende Pamodzi, Lusaka.HFHZ builds in both rural and urban areas. The average house size is 35 square meters (approximately 300 square feet). To support the use of regionally appropriate materials and technology, most of the program’s rural houses are built using burnt bricks and corrugated iron roofing sheets.The houses are simple but high-quality, with separate sleeping, cooking and living areas. The design is such that homeowners have the option of extending the house in the future.