Justice and Solidarity Poverty Reduction Fund (JSPRF)

Background

The Justice and Solidarity Poverty Reduction Fund (JSPRF) is a project under the Catholic Centre for Justice, Development and Peace (CCJDP). The project is a partnership programme between the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) and the Italian Episcopal Conference. The Italian Government, through the efforts of the Italian Bishops Conference and the global campaign for the cancellation of the Third World countries’ debts, was persuaded to consider canceling some of Zambia’s debt to Italy. Funds raised by the Italian Episcopal Conference during the Jubilee year will be channeled through this project. The project will finance rural community projects that are aimed at improving household food security as well as alleviating poverty. 

Criteria for Choosing Target Districts

The criteria for choosing the target districts included the following:

·         Density of poverty

·         Agricultural potential

·         Presence of NGOs

·         Vulnerability to natural disasters

·         Accessibility

Early in 2001, a Task Force drawing members from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the Italian community resident in Zambia, the Italian Embassy, Zambia Episcopal Conference as well as the Civil Society was set up. The overall responsibility of the Task Force was to lay a foundation for the implementation of the project. As one of its initial responsibilities, the Task Force identified four districts where the project would initially operate. These districts are Petauke in Eastern Province, Isoka in Northern Province, Gwembe in Southern Province and Kasempa in North Western Province.

Consequently, a district situational analysis study to all these selected districts was initiated from March to July 2002. The purpose for the study was to verify whether the identified districts met the identified criteria and to define priority areas for intervention as well as identify potential entry points. The findings indicated that all the four districts met the defined criteria in two or more areas.

·         Gwembe: The district meets the defined criteria on the basis of accessibility, vulnerability to natural disasters and high density of poverty.

·         Isoka: The district is characterised by arable land, favorable weather conditions, therefore, providing great agricultural potential. Despite its agriculture potential, most of its population lives below the poverty datum line. On the other hand, the district has a good tarmac road linking Isoka to Lusaka, meaning that the district is easily accessible.

·         Kasempa: The district meets the defined criteria based on its endowment with arable land, fine weather conditions and natural resources, making agriculture potential immense. The district also has high levels of poverty. The district’s accessibility is improving with the rehabilitation exercise on its roads.

·         Petauke: The district has great potential for agriculture and is easily accessible. The district also registers high levels of poverty especially among women-headed households, child-headed households (orphans) and households where there are HIV infected and terminally ill persons. 

Guiding Operation of the Fund

The general framework guiding the operation of the fund is based on the Catholic Social Teaching and is aimed at restoring the conditions of social and economic justice that will empower each individual, family, community, in view of a balanced and integral development of the human person and dignity. 

Duration of the Program

The Justice and Solidarity Poverty Reduction Fund program will run until December 2007.