On all of our building projects we fully involve the local community through workshops to ensure understanding and agreement for their project. Community consultation continues throughout and is a critical part of the process.

We are always developing our approach and recently brought facilitators from Zambian company AFFIRM on board to help at Chibolya compound, where we are building a pre-school and community school. AFFIRM worked with the community over eight days and helped them to form their own group of facilitators for future meetings.

It is even more important for the community at Chibolya to work together as many of the members have moved from other areas, to work as cane cutters on a nearby sugar estate.

As well as contributing to the design and sustainability of the new school building the community are planning to carry out their own fundraising to run a number of programmes, including a drama group and sports academy. Smaller sub-groups have been formed to address issues such as HIV/AIDS in the compound and to fully engage with the young people by creating a special group where they can have their say.

They concluded that their vision was to have a vibrant, educated, skilled and healthy community. We hope that their new school building will be just the start!