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Evaluation of a comprehensive school health programme in Zambia
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Compared to children under 5, the needs of aged 5 to 14 years have been historically overlooked. Yet these children also face high levels of health-related challenges, caused or compounded by inadequate access to prevention and treatment, during a period critical for their development. When ill, school-age children are less likely than other age groups to seek treatment, and when they do, less likely to seek care from formal providers. In turn, lack of access of school-aged children to prevention and treatment has detrimental effects on a range of short- to long-term health, education, and economic outcomes. The World Health Organization recommends the implementation of comprehensive school health programmes (SHP), but these recommendations remain hardly implemented in low- and middle-income countries. Since 2015, an NGO called Healthy Learners (HL) has partnered with the government of Zambia to develop such a comprehensive SHP centred on the concept of "School Health Workers": a few teachers in each school trained and equipped to provide health education, coordinate the delivery of preventative services with clinics, and make preliminary diagnoses thanks to a tablet-based clinical decision tool, allowing them to refer severe cases to clinics, where learners receive priority treatment. This project aims to rigorously assess the impact of the SHP on a range of health and education outcomes and better understand the indirect effects of the program on teachers and clinics. We will rely on a cluster-randomised controlled trial, in six districts of the Copperbelt and Luapula provinces. 225 schools will be randomly selected and randomized to receive one of three interventions: (1) a comprehensive SHP (n=90 schools) corresponding to the full model developed by and implemented HL; (2) a limited range of school health activities (n=75) provided and implemented by the government, as per the current situation; (3) an enhanced range of health activities (n=60) where HL will support the government to ensure the reliable and regular provision of planned activities (mainly deworming and vitamin A). The study will draw on a range of methods and data sources. Implementation, uptake and cost of the program will be assessed through administrative data from the program itself, and qualitative interviews with members of the school communities. To assess the causal impact of the program on health and education outcomes, we will select 60 learners in each school, and conduct surveys before and 12 and 24 months after the start of the SHP, with objective health outcomes measured at endline. We will use pictorial health diaries to collect detailed and reliable data on illness spells and health-seeking behaviours. We will explore potential indirect effects on teachers through three school surveys and on clinics capacity, through health facility assessments. Finally, we will test if the program can lead to improved human capital accumulation in the longer-term, through positive changes in educational aspirations, well-being and sexual and reproductive health outcomes. The results of the study will contribute to the limited evidence base on school health programs in LMICs and will inform the scale-up of the SHP in Zambia and similar settings. The impact in Zambia will be facilitated by the strong links between the research team and the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, who have been involved in the planning of the project. Finally, the project will also have a strong capacity-building component, through the participation of several young researchers (most of whom will be from Zambia) supported and mentored by the senior members of the team, and the organisation of training workshops in Zambia aiming to strengthen evaluation skills of members of all partner organisations.
SPITFIRE: Self-Powered Biomass Stove For Remote Communities
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Globally, 3 billion people have no access to clean cooking, relying instead on dirty-burning charcoal as primary cooking and water heating fuel. The release of CO and PM (linked to \>4M deaths/year) led the WHO to declare pollution caused by unclean cooking as "the world's largest single environmental health risk". As its alternative, the use of firewood substantially influences deforestation, due to unregulated foraging for firewood, while negatively impacting wildlife. Quality of life in Sub-Saharan Africa is also severely impacted by lack of (domestic and institutional) access to electricity. According to the WDI, 72% of Zambia's population has no access to electricity. The SPITFIRE-stove will address both the major unmet need for clean cooking solutions and the lack of access to electricity. This will be achieved by developing an affordable, low-emission, biomass-pellet-burning clean-cookstove that generates a no-added-fuel electricity surplus. The institutional SPITFIRE-stove will use temperature-controlled airflow regulation to ensure complete combustion to eliminate \>80% of CO and particulate-matter emissions compared to traditional combustion. Airflow regulation will be via an electric fan, powered by a thermoelectric generator (TEG), which will both power the electric fan and provide an electricity surplus for storage in a low-voltage battery with charge-out ports for charging/powering small electronic devices. Furthermore, cooling of the TEG by an integrated water-cooling system will deliver a free supply of heated water. SPITFIRE will develop: -Novel high-temperature thermoelectric materials and production processes for the TEGs, -15kW burner technology that allows intelligent, temperature-controlled airflow regulation; -Institutional-scale, sustainable biomass-pellet-burning stove. Integration of the scaled-up stove and burner design with the novel high-temperature TEG module via hot- and cold-side heat receptors/exchangers will require close collaboration between the partners and multiple iterations of system level modelling and simulation. The SPITFIRE project ultimately aims to deliver a final stove design, assemble 30 demonstrator products, and validate stove performance in field trials within institutional kitchens in public services and local enterprises such as restaurants, schools, and orphanages, in our primary target market, Zambia. The SPITFIRE-stove will therefore address the clean cooking and energy dilemma by; -Delivering clean, sustainable biomass-burning cooking stoves with low emissions, -Delivering cooking stoves that will utilise reduced-cost biomass pellet fuels that are approximately one-third of the price of LPG and half of the price of charcoal, Ensuring reliability of energy supply for Zambia and beyond by utilising locally-sourced sustainable forestry for the biomass pellets.
The Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes (ISFL) - Bio Carbon Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
A multilateral project administered by the World Bank which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the land use sector through sustainable landscape management, whilst improving the livelihoods of forest communities. The ISFL combines upfront technical assistance with results-based finance which rewards countries which implement landscape-level approaches that reduce emissions from the forest and land-use sector. ISFL works with 5 countries: Colombia, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Mexico and Zambia. Defra is supporting programmes in Indonesia and Zambia with upfront finance and potentially all countries with results based finance.
Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is a widespread and lucrative criminal activity causing major global environmental and social harm. The IWT has been estimated to be worth up to £17 billion a year. Nearly 6,000 different species of fauna and flora are impacted, with almost every country in the world playing a role in the illicit trade. The UK government is committed to tackling illegal trade of wildlife products and is a long-standing leader in efforts to eradicate the IWT. Defra manages the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which is a competitive grants scheme with the objective of tackling IWT and, in doing so, contributing to sustainable development in developing countries. Projects funded under the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund address one, or more, of the following themes: • Developing sustainable livelihoods to benefit people directly affected by IWT, • Strengthening law enforcement, • Ensuring effective legal frameworks, • Reducing demand for IWT products. By 2023 over £51 million has been committed to 157 projects since the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund was established in 2013. This page contains information about Rounds 7 onwards. For information about Rounds 1 to 6, please see the IWTCF website -https://iwt.challengefund.org.uk/
Darwin Initiative
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
The Darwin Initiative is the UK’s flagship international challenge fund for biodiversity conversation and poverty reduction, established at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The Darwin Initiative is a grant scheme working on projects that aim to slow, halt, or reverse the rates of biodiversity loss and degradation, with associated reductions in multidimensional poverty. To date, the Darwin Initiative has awarded more than £195m to over 1,280 projects in 159 countries to enhance the capability and capacity of national and local stakeholders to deliver biodiversity conservation and multidimensional poverty reduction outcomes in low and middle-income countries. More information at https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/the-darwin-initiative. This page contains information about Rounds 27 onwards. For information about Rounds 1 to 26, please see the Darwin Initiative website -https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/
Biodiverse Landscapes Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
The UK’s £100 million Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF) aims to reduce poverty, protect and restore biodiversity and lessen the impact of climate change in six environmentally critical landscapes across the globe. These are: - The Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area, covering areas of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. - Mesoamerica, covering areas of Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. - Western Congo Basin, covering areas of Cameroon, Gabon and Republic of Congo. - Andes Amazon, covering areas of Ecuador and Peru. - Lower Mekong, covering areas of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. - Madagascar. The BLF has 3 core aims: - people: to develop economic opportunities through investment in nature in support of climate adaptation and resilience and poverty reduction. - nature: to slow, halt or reverse biodiversity loss in globally significant regions for biodiversity. - climate: to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and safeguard natural carbon sinks. It will meet these aims by: - reducing poverty and creating sustainable economic development for communities living in, and dependent upon, environmentally precious landscapes. - protecting and restoring ecosystems and biologically diverse landscapes helping to mitigate climate change by preserving carbon sinks and ecosystems. - addressing the causes of environmental degradation. - supporting national and local governments, park authorities and communities to achieve long-term sustainable management and use of natural resources Funding will be distributed across the landscapes according to demands and needs.
Animal Health Systems Strengthening (AHSS) Project
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
Phase 1 (2022-25) - The aim of the project was to work with responsible authorities in Lower-Middle Income Countries to build resilient health systems by strengthening capabilities in animal health systems, to better protect from, and detect and respond to known and emerging diseases (including those of epidemic and pandemic potential) through a One Health, all-hazards, system strengthening approach, improving livelihoods and enhancing global health security. Phase 2 (from April 2025) - The project will focus on increasing the resilience of the animal health sector against climate change induced shocks, strengthening the competent authorities’ ability to reduce the burden of animal disease associated with climate variability - aiming to improve livelihoods through strengthened livestock assets, particularly amongst the rural poor, reducing loss attributed to disease and climate change vulnerability through stronger animal health systems. AHSS will continue to take a One Health and cross HMG approach to enhance global health security, improve resilience to climate change and support poverty reduction, working in partnership with Department of Health and Social Care, UK Health Security Agency and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office at the human-animal-environmental interface to maximize impact.
Global Programme on Sustainability
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
The programme supports sustainable economic growth that is both long-lasting and resilient to climate-related stressors. It does this through the integration of natural capital into decision making by governments, the private sector and financial institutions. The inability to value natural capital can undermine long-term growth and critically, the livelihoods of the poorest people dependent on ecosystems for their livelihoods. This programme directly addresses this challenge by (i) investing in data and research on natural capital; (ii) assisting countries to integrate this analysis into government policy making; and (iii) integrating this data and analysis into financial sector decision making.
SilverStreet Private Equity Strategies SICAR - Silverlands Fund
British International Investment plc
This is a pan-African agricultural fund focused on primary agriculture and associated processing.
Zambeef Products PLC
British International Investment plc
As Zambia’s largest integrated agribusiness, Zambeef is an iconic company within Zambia and the wider Southern African region. The group is vertically integrated, operating its own arable farms which produce, process, and distribute beef, chicken, pork, milk, dairy products, eggs, stock feed and flour. Zambeef’s chain of 170 plus retail outlets is making affordable and quality animal protein widely available to consumers through a modern retail network; the network operates across the country, including in areas which lack access to other formal retail providers.The company employees over 6,000 people directly, and creates many thousands more jobs throughout its supply chain, making it one of the country’s largest employers.
MedAccess
British International Investment plc
MedAccess is an innovative social finance company committed to expanding and accelerating access to life-saving medicines, vaccines and diagnostics in Africa and South Asia. The company launched in 2017, with a huge amount of support and input from DFID (which had the initial idea to create the company), the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
Ancile Trade Access Program Sub-Fund
British International Investment plc
The Trade Access Program directly funds small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and trade intermediaries, such as agritechs, fintechs and alternative trade financiers. Their technological and digital solutions will help British International Investment reach much smaller borrowers who are active members of local supply chains. This first-of-its-kind programme will help to increase urgently needed liquidity to SMEs and target trade intermediaries in Africa.The fund is a vehicle is managed by INOKS Capital specifically for British International Investment. It was launched in April 2022 with an initial capital of $25 million.
Ancile Trade Access Program Sub-Fund
British International Investment plc
The Trade Access Program directly funds small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and trade intermediaries, such as agritechs, fintechs and alternative trade financiers. Their technological and digital solutions will help British International Investment reach much smaller borrowers who are active members of local supply chains. This first-of-its-kind programme will help to increase urgently needed liquidity to SMEs and target trade intermediaries in Africa.The fund is a vehicle is managed by INOKS Capital specifically for British International Investment. It was launched in April 2022 with an initial capital of $25 million.
Zambia National Commercial Bank Plc
British International Investment plc
Zambia National Commercial Bank, commonly known as Zanaco, founded in 1969 and listed on the Lusaka Securities Exchange, serves retail customers, large corporations, agri-business and public sector clients. Zanaco is a leading indigenous bank in Zambia and one of the largest and oldest banks in the country.
Zambeef Products PLC
British International Investment plc
Investment by CDC in Zambeef Products PLC to help promote agricultural self-sufficiency and improving food security. The investment will support the company?s growth plans and environmental and social improvements. Zambeef is a large local employer providing 6,200 jobs, 98 per cent of which are held by Zambians.
AgDevCo Limited
British International Investment plc
AgDevCo is a UK-Government founded agricultural investment company. It was established in 2008 with a mission to invest in small and medium-sized agribusiness in sub-Saharan Africa.The company particularly focusses on primary agriculture and on businesses which support smallholder farmers as customers or suppliers. It typically invests between $2 million and $10 million, and can invest both debt and equity.
Zambia National Commercial Bank
British International Investment plc
Zambia National Commercial Bank, commonly known as Zanaco, founded in 1969 and listed on the Lusaka Securities Exchange, serves retail customers, large corporations, agri-business and public sector clients. Zanaco is a leading indigenous bank in Zambia and one of the largest and oldest banks in the country.
Private Enterprise Programme Zambia Phase II
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To create investment in Zambia by building the capacity of micro, small and medium sized enterprises. The programme will aim to systematically transform the finance and investment environment for SMSEs in Zambia, by helping companies with potential to grow and become the engine of job creation in the economy. In addition, the programme will also provide independent technical advice and assistance to Zambian government bodies and private sector organisations engaged in projects that harness the potential of Zambia’s infrastructure, cities and towns to act as drivers for economic growth and job creation. Furthermore, the programme will support trade facilitation initiatives that will help reduce time spent at the Nakonde boarder post. The programme will create jobs at scale, including for women, disabled, and rural communities with high levels of poverty. SMSEs supported by the programme will help to improve nutrition outcomes and improve climate resilience of smallholder farmers.
Tackling Maternal and Child Undernutrition Programme- Phase II
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To contribute towards improved health and nutrition status for children under two years measured primarily by a reduction in stunting by 2023.
Zambia Democratic Governance Programme
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To support the deepening and consolidation of democracy in Zambia in order to build resilience and stabiltiy, and enable development and reform