Headlines .....
We sent £900 after the cream tea fundraiser – Changu has reported…….
‘The loan scheme has really put women on their toes. It has pushed all the members who were inactive to get active again. ….I can proudly say the loan scheme has brought about very good member retention.’
Core activity reforestation - Ready to go whenever the rains come! Approx. 23000 seeds tree saplings planted over the last 6 months
Chibombo People’s Climate Action (CPCA) to spearhead the Lunjofwa forest scheme management group.
We hope that you have all enjoyed the summer despite the awful things that are going on in our precious world.
There is so much going on in CPCA we are just sharing the most exciting for now!
The loan scheme
CPCA identified that members needed a more secure income to enable them to have time to do what is needed in CPCA.
The loan scheme was introduced to provide loans for members to develop businesses’ as a way of supporting the members to this end.
We sent £900 after the cream tea fundraiser in July. CPCA loaned to 10 women working in groups to run 3 business ventures. Despite challenges, the businesses are all doing well.
And the work the members are doing for CPCA is nothing short of incredible!
We can’t thank all our generous supporters enough
Core activity - reforestation
Over that last 6 months CPCA members have collected and germinated approximately 23000 seeds for tree saplings!
One of the many things which impresses me is the learning which is going on in the organization and the lengths that they will go to.
Changu wrote:
Our main focus for August to December, 2022 is nursery growing.
We are working on having many more indigenous saplings as well as citrus. It is more involving this year than it was in the past. We are trying .. to have saplings ready for planting by the onset of the rains. The rainfall pattern for last year was erratic. This is why we would like to be ready by the beginning of the season this year.
For now, what really needs to be quickened up is the planting. .. we don’t have time for delaying anything.
We have been tasked to work on more and more pines and eucalyptus too. These two are a really difficult to find and buy but we are in touch with ZAFFICO in Kalulushi*, Copperbelt where we have been promised to find the best quality of seeds. If all goes as planned, I will just have to travel there so that I can buy the seeds and get some capacity building on how to grow them on a larger scale. We planted a different variety last year, the germination was very poor. This is why we need the other variety from Copperbelt.’
*Kalalushi is about 300 kms away; a 6 hour car ride – and Changu will be doing this by public transport.
The Lunjofwa forest scheme.
We are also very excited about CPCA’s potential role in the Lunjofwa forest scheme. This illustrates the respect that CPCA is commanding and also some of the challenges they are dealing with. Changu writes:
This program has come about because of our core CPCA activity, tree planting….We have been offered as an organization to spearhead a forest management group. We have had several meetings with the provincial and district forestry officers and the local leadership, including our two chiefs that share the same forestry, Chief Liteta and Chief Chitanda. We have formed another committee that includes other members from around the Lunjofwa forestry area. We have formed various user groups such as mushroomers, beekeepers, reforesters and culturists.
The challenge we are currently facing is that local headmen sold out huge chunks of the forestry to people who have turned it into farming blocks…... It is a serious challenge that is likely to only be sorted out by the Minister of green economy and the President. For now, we are putting it on hold until the problem is sorted out.
I feel so grateful to CPCA for giving me such inspiration and hope. If they can do what they are doing despite being in one of the economically poorest places in the world and districts most affected by climate change it shows what is possible…….
UK Friend visiting CPCA
WE are also really excited that one of our Friends, Sara Emanuel will be visiting CPCA in September while on a visit to Zambia. This is the first time that anyone from the UK support group will meet Changu, members and other stakeholders…. Watch this space for a report of the visit.
Winter is Coming - eat well, have fun and support climate action 5 fundraisers are being planned for the Autumn - details available soon!
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