Kuyanjana is a project under the Governance & Social Accountability whose goal is to contribute to actions that aim at creating a Just Zambia by addressing issues of inequality and injustice through ensuring citizens’ participation in the governance process. FDI has been working with the Norwegian Church AID and Dan Church AID as part of the Joint Country Programme, the main aim of the Kuyanjana project is to create awareness and advocate for inequality in all its different manifestations giving a voice to the much-marginalized citizens’ in a bid to create a “just Zambia” such as combating of Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs), Tax Justice and prudent use of the revenues coming out of the mining sector.
This project is being implemented in partnership with the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) focusing on four provinces namely Eastern, Luapula, North-Western and Southern provinces. The project was firstly implemented in Chipata, Mazabuka and Solwezi in the first year of implementation and has since been scaled up to 3 other districts (Choma, Kalumbila and Katete Districts) after realizing the knowledge gaps of rural communities of participation in governance processes. In those provinces, FDI is working with CCZ to monitor government delivery of public services in the areas of health, education and infrastructure including budget tracking. Community Monitoring Groups have been established that comprise Data Collectors, Traditional and Faith Leaders and other influential gate keepers within the targeted communities to work collectively in the monitoring of government delivery of public services.
Achievements
Since implementation, Kuyanjana project has recorded numerous achievements. The following are some of the achievements recorded:
– Successful formation of the Governance & Social Accountability committees called District Muslim Committee on Social
Economic Justice (DMCSEJ) in all 6 districts, Mobilization and Engagement of 184 members of both the Muslim and interfaith
Communities (154 Muslims, 30 interfaith);
– Increased capacities among community members to engage with duty bearers (Government ministries and relevant
departments, local municipal officials, Offices of the area Members of Parliament);
– Through the District Muslim Committee on Socio-Economic Justice (DMCSEJ), successfully conducted the monitoring of service
delivery monitoring in all the districts where the project is being implemented, action plans were further drawn which are
being monitored by both duty bearers and rights holders.
– Creation of platforms for rural communities and duty bearers to engage on matters of development through radio and
interface meetings.
– Enhanced stakeholder collaboration.
Other than that, in promoting the said project and as part of the advocacy, our organization is running a radio program called “Kuyanjana Radio Program”, broadcasting in four districts (Chipata, Lusaka, Mazabuka Solwezi) on various community radio stations, this is in a bid to use media as a way to advocate for inequality and injustice to create awareness among the community members regarding their participation in governance and democratic processes. The radio programs are flighted as follows; Lusaka District, the radio program is conducted on ZNBC radio 4, In Eastern Province the Kuyanjana radio program is conducted on Radio Maria, In Southern Province, the radio program is on Mazabuka Radio and in North-Western, the program is conducted on Solwezi FCC Radio. The radio programs intend to reach out to anyone affected by the issues we address including those that are not within our catchment areas, especially ZNBC which has a wider coverage area. The radio programs are conducted weekly and cover a wide range of topics on emerging issues in a particular area.