The following collection of human interest stories illustrates the real-world impact of the United Nations’ work in Zambia across its four foundational pillars: People, Prosperity, Planet, and Peace. From empowering local entrepreneurs and equipping farmers against climate change to providing clean drinking water and ensuring access to justice, these narratives showcase how strategic financial investments are directly transforming individual lives and building more resilient communities.
Pillar: People
Story 1: Turning Transfers into Transformation in Hinjali Village
Destiny Hachoobe, a 45-year-old widowed mother of seven from Hinjali village in Zambia’s Southern Province, transformed her Social Cash Transfer (SCT) funds into a powerful engine for long-term resilience and community leadership. Enrolling in the programme in 2014, Destiny strategically treated the regular government transfers as seed capital rather than a mere hand-out. Read the full story here
Pillar: Prosperity
Story 2: Turning Sunlight into Opportunity: Clean Energy Driving Rural Livelihoods
For years, Elizabeth Phiri and other farmers in Eastern Zambia's Chipangali District endured the exhausting, manual labor of carrying water by hand to sustain their crops. This grueling routine changed entirely in June 2025 when the PAZESA Horticultural Community Action Group a cooperative driven largely by women received a USD 25,000 grant through a UNDP Climate Promise initiative. Read the full story here
Pillar: Planet
Story 3: Traditional Leaders Drive Behaviour Change as Climate Impacts Deepen in Rural Zambia
In rural Zambia, worsening climate change is threatening livelihoods, making climate-smart solutions crucial. However, adopting these solutions requires shifting long-held habits and land-use practices. To overcome this barrier, the FACE-NDC initiative funded by IKI-Germany and implemented by a coalition including FAO, UNESCO, and local universities is integrating behavioural science and traditional leadership to drive local climate action. Read the full story here
Pillar: Peace
Story 4: Breaking Barriers: Zambian Women in Uniform on the Frontlines of Peacekeeping
The Women in Peacekeeping Operations Project a USD 932,072 initiative funded by the Elsie Initiative Fund and implemented by UNDP and the Zambia Police Service is successfully breaking institutional and cultural barriers to help female officers deploy to UN peace missions, directly advancing SDG 5 (Gender Equality). Read the full story here