Where Lemon Tree Supports

We operate from a small town, called Nampundwe, which is situated 56 kilometres west of the country's capital Lusaka. We cover in excess of 36 villages with an estimated population of about 15,000 people that speak three main languages: Nyanja, Tonga and Bemba.

Overview: Zambia is a landlocked country that occupies an elevated plateau, flanked in the south by the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls forming a natural boundary with Zimbabwe. It has a tropical climate which is modified by altitude with the rain season lasting from October to April.

Economy and industry: More than 70 percent of Zambians live in poverty, and unemployment is a serious problem. Zambia depends on copper for most of its foreign earnings so the economy suffers when copper prices decline. Like most other countries it has minor industries such as construction, foodstuffs & beverages, farming of maize, sorghum, rice and peanuts. It is also a minor exporter of cobalt, electricity, tobacco and flowers.

Zambia's economic growth: remains somewhat below the 6% to 7% needed to reduce poverty. The economy has been in decline ever since the mid-1970s, and copper, vital to Zambia's economy, suffers from declining prices. Zambia still has a serious problem with high public debt. The national currency is the Zambian kwacha and the country has a GNI per capita of US $490 (World Bank, 2006) .

Where we are

People of Zambia Zambia has a population of 11,668,000 and just 1,394,000 in the county's capital of Lusaka (UN, 2005). It has an area of 752,614 square kilometers (290,586 square miles) and shares it's boundaries with: Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Life expectancy of 38 years (men) and 37 years (women) (UN) is considered low when compared to the European averages, whereas the average birth rate of 5.47% is considered high. Unfortunately 16.5% of the population is believed to have HIV/AIDS which we hope to reduce with our health education policy. 

Although English is the 'official' language of the country, major tribal dialects include: Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja Tonga and about another 70 other indigenous languages. Most people (over 98%) are of African descent and have recognised religious beliefs, such as: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%. with the national literacy average of 81%, communication is good.

Brief Political History The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule. President Levi Mwanamasa ruled the country democratically from 2002-2008 until he died. He has been succeeded by President Rupiah Banda.