THE European Union (EU) has given a
total grant of 7.6 million Euros (KR55 million) to four Government institutions
and eight non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
This is aimed at supporting
implementation of health, education, sustainable livelihood, governance, and
water and sanitation projects in Zambia.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in
Lusaka yesterday, Head of EU delegation in Zambia Gilles Hervio said the projects
would be funded under a thematic programme called 'Non State Actors and Local
Authorities in Development'.
Mr Hervio said the local authorities
selected would use the funds to carry out, among other projects, improved
water, sanitation and waste management and building capacity to implement
preventive health services.
"I am happy with the delivery of
proposals we received and pleased with the quality and the geography and
thematic diversity of the projects which have been selected.
"I can already announce that,
later this year, the EU delegation in Zambia will launch two new calls for
proposals, one for non-state actors and one for local authorities with an
estimated three million Euros and 800,000 Euro respectively," he said.
The recipients of the funds are Mongu
Municipal Council, Petauke District Council, Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company
and Kafue District Health Management Team.
Some of the NGOs include Care
International, Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia (CIRDZ),
DanChurch Aid and Marie Stopes.
Mr Hervio was hopeful that the NGOs
would utilise the funds in sustaining likelihoods of poor people in rural
areas, focusing on development activities, entrepreneurship and skills
development and community-driven agricultural initiatives.
Earlier, Local Government Minister
Emerine Kabanshi said Government had prioritised the provision of clean water
and sanitation services and was grateful to the EU for its continued support.
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