The Zambian Ministry of Education’s 2002 “Education for All” policy provided access to education for thousands of children, many coming from lower socioeconomic levels. The inclusive, equitable policy greatly benefited vulnerable children, especially girls, but it also challenged the education sector by flooding schools with more pupils than the system could handle. To fight the huge inequities in Zambia’s education system, the Strengthening Educational Performance Up Program aims to help the Ministry of Education undertake management reforms to improve learner performance.

With a high rate of poverty, poor technical infrastructure, and difficulty providing service to and accessing information from remote and disadvantaged areas, Zambia has not enjoyed the benefits of a quality education system. In 2003, the government sought to achieve increased and equitable access to quality education at all levels through a variety of policy decisions, initiatives, and programs. In response to this demand, the Zambia EQUIP 2 Project began in March 2004 and grew out of a previous project with the Ministry of Education.

Aid agencies spend over $800 million a year on education programs increasing the demands for condoms for the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections by promoting and teaching their proper use. Yet condom use is very low in many parts of the developing world, especially in rural areas. AIR participated in a study related to the role of price and access in affecting the demand for condoms in Zambia.

Large numbers of Zambian children suffer from nutrition-related disorders such as low birth weight, wasting, being underweight, chronic malnutrition, and various nutrient deficiencies. AIR and its partners are evaluating the First 1000 Most Critical Days Program, which addresses these issues by targeting households with pregnant women or children under two for maternal and child nutrition and health services.