My name is Charity, and I am fundraising to build a " Nutrition Centre" in Lunga, Zambia. I have a passion for uplifting vulnerable women and children in poor communities. I do this through a registered and local nonprofit called Food and Nutrition Foundation, established in 2008. Over the years, we have helped many people in poor communities in the city. However, we are now focusing on rural areas so that people are not left behind or feel left out, as we believe every individual is entitled to a dignified existence regardless of their social and economic status.

The Center will be in the village in Lunga. Your support will go a long

way in uplifting the community with nutrition, education, and skills. We currently run our programs from a volunteer kitchen, which does not have the basic facilities required to carry out a full-fledged nutrition program.

Therefore your support will help improve the situation tremedously.

If you can help, Every cent counts and goes a long way.

Thank you and God bless.

Below is an overview of the location and our work.

Recently, we started working in Lunga, Luapula Province. Lunga is located/based in Zambia, southeast of Luapula Province. It is nestled in the Bangweulu Wetlands, southeast of Lake Bangweulu. Lunga has a population of 39,383 (2022 Census). We hope to assist the poor and needy with nutrition support, nutrition education, literacy, and ECD activities so that children there can have an opportunity to learn without having to worry about travelling long distances to access educational material and resources. Also, to ensure children can be children and spend time learning and playing.

Therefore, we started with a feeding program for children aged 2 to 12. It is a marvel to work in Lunga due to its unique set of conditions. Its most significant feature is Water Transport. LUNGA is only accessible by boat or by air. There are no buses or cars for travel, and you walk everywhere on foot. Despite the difficult accessibility, the area faces many challenges, including a lack of electricity, infrastructure for water and sanitation, poverty, unemployment, child labour, child marriages, high illiteracy levels, HIV/AIDS, and a lack of facilities.

One of the main challenges is unemployment. Many people, especially the youth, struggle to find jobs. Very few industries or companies are in the area, and most residents rely on small-scale farming, fishing or informal jobs to survive. Due to the lack of job opportunities, many families live in poverty, unable to afford basic needs such as food, clothes, and medical care.

Another issue is the high level of illiteracy. Many children do not complete their education because of poverty or long distances to the nearest schools. Some parents cannot afford school fees or uniforms, while others may not see the value of education due to their lack of schooling. As a result, many people grow up without the ability to read or write, which limits their chances of getting good jobs or improving their lives.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also hit the community hard. Many families have lost loved ones to the disease, and many children have been left as orphans. The high infection rate is partly due to a lack of awareness, poor access to health care, and cultural beliefs that prevent people from getting tested or seeking treatment. Although there are health centres in nearby towns, many people cannot afford transportation or do not have enough information about available services.

Therefore, with your support, we can build a Centre to address many of the above challenges. We have already sourced land to build and conduct our activities.

The construction budget is US$5,000. This includes the cost of labour and hiring boats to transport the materials to the site.

Every contribution counts. #ruraldoesntmeanforgotten #hopedoesntliveinazipcode #onecenter #thousand #chances #nutrition#center