At Family Development Initiatives (FDI), we believe that sustainable development thrives in an environment of good governance, transparency, and active citizen participation. That’s why governance and social accountability form a core pillar of our work — empowering communities to not only access services but to influence how they are delivered and monitored.
Our approach is rooted in the conviction that inclusive governance and responsive institutions are essential for dignity, justice, and equity. We work to bridge the gap between duty bearers and citizens, particularly those who are often excluded — women, youth, faith groups, and rural communities — ensuring they have a voice and agency in decisions that affect their lives.
Our Focus Areas
Faith-Based Advocacy for Justice
Leveraging the moral authority of religious leaders, and working through our District Interfaith Committees on Socio-Economic Justice (DICSEJ) and our partner Fight Inequality Alliance Zambia, we foster faith-driven advocacy around socio-economic justice, anti-corruption, equity in resource distribution, and citizen inclusion in governance processes.
Civic Education and Rights Awareness
We train communities on citizen rights and responsibilities, decentralization, and public service delivery frameworks — enabling people to understand and claim their entitlements in constructive, informed ways.
Social Accountability Tools
FDI promotes the use of community scorecards, public resource tracking, and participatory audits to enhance local service delivery. These tools empower communities to assess performance, identify gaps, and engage local authorities in evidence-based dialogue and action.
Youth Leadership and Engagement
We invest in youth leadership development, training young people as civic actors, community mobilizers, and social auditors who challenge injustice and innovate for change within their communities.
Parliamentary Engagement and Policy Influence
Through initiatives like the KUYANJANA Project, we work with civil society partners to engage Members of Parliament in tracking their own performance, promoting transparency, and strengthening the accountability loop between elected leaders and their constituencies.
Our Approach
- Bottom-Up, Community-Driven
Our interventions are grounded in community realities and perspectives, recognizing that the most effective solutions are co-created with the people most affected. - Faith-Engaged and Values-Based
By mobilizing faith-based networks and interfaith platforms, we inspire advocacy that is principled, inclusive, and rooted in shared moral commitments to justice and fairness. - Partnership-Oriented
We collaborate with a wide range of actors — CSOs, traditional leaders, government institutions, and multilateral partners — to align community voices with institutional reform efforts.
Our Impact
- Supported over 17 CSOs under the Joint Country Programme (Norwegian ChurchAid and Dan ChurchAid) with customized capacity-building in governance, advocacy, and institutional development
- Trained faith leaders and community monitors to hold duty bearers accountable for public service performance
- Influenced policy discussions and resource allocations in sectors such as health, education, and social protection through community-led monitoring and evidence-based advocacy
- Played a key role in regional forums and coalitions promoting social justice and citizen inclusion across Zambia
Our Vision
We envision a Zambia where governance is participatory, leadership is accountable, and communities are empowered to shape their own development. At FDI, governance is not just about institutions — it’s about people, values, and power used for the common good.