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Our Mission in Zambia

Program Overview

Since 2005, Daughters of Mary Immaculate and Collaborators (DMI) has been empowering marginalized women, children, and youth in Zambia through holistic development programs. Our mission is to address poverty, illiteracy, child labour, gender-based violence, food insecurity, and unemployment, enabling vulnerable communities to lead dignified lives.

Today, DMI reaches over 9,000 families across 45 rural and semi-urban villages in Lusaka, Central, and Eastern Provinces. Our approach strengthens community structures that actively identify needs, implement programs, and sustain long-term development beyond project lifecycles.

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Country Objectives

  • Empower Women through Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and entrepreneurship programs, enabling sustained income and improved quality of life.
  • Support Smallholder Farmers with climate-smart agriculture to enhance food and nutrition security.
  • Empower Female Sex Workers with entrepreneurship and livestock opportunities for a dignified life.
  • Train Vulnerable Youth in vocational skills, preparing them for dignified employment and sustainable livelihoods.
  • Nurture Leadership Skills among rural children through Child Parliaments while supporting their continued education.
  • Improve Community Health & Well-being through awareness campaigns, counselling, and preventive health initiatives.

Major Programs

DMI organizes women into SHGs and federations, promoting savings, internal lending, and collective businesses. Through skill development, rights awareness, and entrepreneurship training, women initiate micro-businesses and strengthen their socio-economic status.

  • 825+ women entrepreneurs trained in marketing and small-business management.
  • Skills in catering, soap-making, beadwork, energy-saving stoves, and tomato value addition.
  • Access to government grants and group enterprise support.
Livelihood Promotion

DMI believes that to promote livelihoods is the belief in the essential right of all human beings to equal opportunity.

A. Climate-Smart Agriculture

DMI supports smallholder farmers, especially women with sustainable farming methods to move from subsistence to sustainable agriculture.

  • 750 women farmers trained in low-cost drip irrigation, soil & water management.
  • Distribution of seeds, saplings, and tools for backyard cultivation.
  • Nutrition education to promote healthy diets for families.
B. Creating Dignified Lives for Female Sex Workers

DMI recognizes the challenges faced by female sex workers (FSWs) in Chipata and works to restore dignity, economic stability, and better health outcomes. Through a holistic approach combining livelihood promotion, skills training, and health awareness, FSWs are empowered to move towards self-reliance and a dignified life.

Key Interventions
  • Entrepreneurship Training โ€“ equipping FSWs with skills to start and manage small businesses for sustainable income.
  • Agricultural Support โ€“ introducing livestock rearing and climate-smart farming practices as alternative livelihoods.
  • HIV/AIDS Prevention & Health Awareness โ€“ providing education, counselling, and access to preventive health services.
  • Behavioural Change & Confidence Building โ€“ fostering self-esteem, resilience, and leadership to reintegrate into society.
  • Economic Empowerment โ€“ enabling women to become self-reliant, reduce poverty, and support their families with dignity.
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DMI provides short-term vocational training in computer studies, cosmetology, catering, and tailoring for underprivileged youth.

  • Selection of the most vulnerable girls and young women.
  • Hands-on skills training, internships, and job placements.
  • Access to government business grants and post-training follow-up.
  • So far, 356 young women have secured sustainable incomes, supporting themselves and their families.
Key Interventions:
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DMI promotes leadership among children through Childrenโ€™s Parliaments, where they learn about governance by taking roles such as Minister of Education, Health, or Rural Development. This innovative approach sharpens their leadership, builds confidence, and lays the foundation for them to become responsible citizens and future leaders.

  • Opportunities for children to practice leadership through simulated governance.
  • Training in decision-making, teamwork, and responsibility.
  • Building confidence and civic awareness at a young age.
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To break the cycle of poverty, DMI supports children from resource-poor families with the tools they need to stay in school and succeed. This includes school materials, mentoring, and tuition support, ensuring children not only continue their education but also aspire to higher studies.

  • Provision of school supplies and learning materials.
  • Mentoring and academic guidance to improve performance.
  • Tuition support for children at risk of dropping out.
  • Opportunities for motivated students to pursue college education.

DMI improves access to health for rural communities in Lusaka, Central, and Eastern Provincesโ€”especially for elderly people, pregnant women, children, and those with chronic illnesses.

  • Health awareness campaigns on HIV/AIDS, TB, Cancer, Asthma, and COVID-19.
  • Counselling services and health camps.
  • Community sensitization on healthy living and disease prevention.