Zambia compared to USA* 
‣ Population:
• Zambia: 12 million
• USA: 307 million
‣ Median age:
• Zambia: 17 years
• USA: 36.7 years
‣ Infant mortality:
• Zambia 101.2 deaths per
1000 live births
• USA: 6.3 deaths per 1000
live births
‣ HIV/AIDS prevalence:
• Zambia: 15.2%
• USA: 0.6%
‣ People living with HIV/AIDS:
• Zambia: 1.1 million
• USA: 1.2 million
*Statistics taken from the CIA World Factbook
Blood:Water Mission and SHIP's (Seeds of Hope International Partnerships) current work targets two of Zambia’s nine provinces, the Copperbelt province and Lusaka province (the main cities are Ndola and Lusaka). Within these two regions, the Mapalo communitity (formerly known as Chapulu Kusu) is the focus of Active:Water's fundraising work for 2009 - 2011.
Mapalo is one of roughly 7 peri-urban slums on the edge of Ndola town and makes up a population of nearly 65,000 people. Prevalance of water-borne illnesses coupled with one of Zambia's highest HIV/AIDS population rates (resting at 23%), have given the citizens an average lifespan of 39 years. In the last three years, Mapalo has already received 7 community wells and over 800 biosand filters have been placed in village homes. This particular section of Mapalo has seen fantastic changes in health within this short time frame, especially in rainy season when most outbreaks occur. A huge milestone was passed this last year when a local clinic within the established project zone reported zero cases of cholera for the first time in living memory.
‣ Peri-urban communities are slum communities situated on the outskirts of major urban areas. Locally referred to as compounds, these areas are challenged by high population density, contaminated shallow groundwater, and inadequate sanitation coverage.
The water table averages 10-15 feet allowing easy access through hand-dug wells. However, unsealed latrines have turned the water into a dangerous cocktail of typhoid, cholera, and giardia that kills many people each year, especially children under the age of five. In fact, the death rate is so high that until recently, the Mapalo region was officially named by it's national government as Chapulu Kusu, meaning "Cursed Village" for it's deadly reputation. In 2008 the village formally requested a name change to Mapalo, translated as "Blessed Village", for the faith and hope that they have in their future due to recent water and sanitation projects being implemented in their village.
‣Rural villages comprise the bulk of BWM and SHIP programming and are remote, water scarce, and have poor sanitation coverage.
In the Ndola region, even local crops can contain contaminants that cause sickness to families. Farmers are forced to use shallow groundwater to manage agriculture, and that water can contain waste due to problems with unsealed latrines in the area.
Average daily wage less than $2 a day.
‣Schools are a critical focal point in positively impacting child education where inadequate water and sanitation prohibit attendance, especially for girls. Young girls often spend several hours a day retrieving water from polluted sources miles away from their home. They often have to make multiple trips for their family, as many only can bring back what they can carry in hand.
By having fresh water wells placed at their schools, water is not only more accessible and saves countless hours of hassle, but bringing home safe water from the wells after school actually becomes encouragement for parents to enlist their girls back into school.
*Data and images provided by Pamela Crane, Barak Bruard, and Victor Huckabee of BWM, additional images provided by Tam Faller.
