Projects latest update May 2009:

WOMEN’S GROUPS

give a JUMPSTART has provided start-up funding for 26 women’s income-generating projects to date. Here are some examples:

Ladies’ Kashikishi Churros Association is a women’s business cooperative that demonstrates enterprise at its best. In 2007, give a JUMPSTART gave the Churros Association a grant of $144 to buy materials to start a school lunch fritter business. The purpose of this grant, as is the case in all of JUMPSTART’s grants, was to give start-up money to women, empowering them to start a business of their choosing. In turn, this grant should enable women to generate income to help support the orphans in their care.

Although the fritter business was profitable, the Churros Association was forced to close down their fritter making due to a cholera epidemic. Being resourceful, the women switched to selling coal. As the profit margin of the coal business was too meager, they then chose to buy and sell fish. The fish business proved to be a most successful enterprise. This example shows how far a small amount of money can go, especially among the destitute. Furthermore, when given a chance, women can improve their own circumstances as well as contribute to the community.

The St. Peter’s Sewing Cooperative, a group of nine women who wanted to help the orphans in their community, was formed in 2005 with a grant from JUMPSTART. These women chose to form a cooperative in which they would meet weekly to sew uniforms for the orphans in their village. The Cooperative has become a vital part of this rural community in Zambia.

Seeing the success of the Cooperative, JUMPSTART gave the women another grant, this time to pursue other small business endeavors in addition to sewing. The Cooperative has grown to over 30 women, and now has projects in farming, fishing, baking, and running a school canteen.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

give a JUMPSTART provided start-up money for a carpentry and tailoring workshop in a primary school for one thousand orphans and vulnerable children, the Ray of Joy Community School. Sixty children are instructed per week. These workshops are intended to generate income for the school, which receives only minimal governmental support, as well as to teach children skills that are in demand in the community.

YOUTH CENTRE

give a JUMPSTART has entered into a cooperative partnership with Bumi Bwesu Youth Centre. Bumi Bwesu, which translates into "our health,” is a youth centre whose goal is to improve the sexual and reproductive health of young people, with a focus on reducing the incidence of unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV infection in adolescents.

In addition to being the only centre focusing on the reproductive health of youth in the community, Bumi Bwesu also teaches business training classes for women involved in Jumpstart activities. They have agreed to act as JUMPSTART’s eyes and ears on the ground in Zambia, and are participating in project development, as well as monitoring ongoing projects.

OTHER PROJECTS

Kawama Basic School and its surrounding community are the most destitute in the area. give a JUMPSTART originally gave Kawama a grant to build a roof above the schoolchildren’s heads. JUMPSTART then gave the school start-up money to plant soybeans as well as to begin a goat enterprise, in order to provide income for the school. With the help of give a JUMPSTART, Bumi Bwesu now offers business classes to the teachers at Kawama, helping them better run the school’s soybean and goat businesses. give a JUMPSTART is planning its next strategic move to help Kawama grow and succeed in its community.

The Social Artistry Human Capacities Workshop is made possible by the Jean Houston Foundation. Every year, over thirty Zambian men and women take part in a Human Capacities course offered by give a JUMPSTART. The course develops imagination, self-esteem, health-awareness, and self-perception, empowering members of the community to seek personal and social change.  

A group of women from the first Human Capacities course have not only formed their own women’s association, but have also asked for advanced training in Human Capacities so that they may share the program with non-English speaking women living further from the village.