Our impact
Zambia
Workaid partners with the Vwila Foundation in Lusaka, Zambia, a local organisation that assesses potential vocational training organisations and monitors and evaluates their impact once the partnership begins. Vwila has the same values and beliefs as Workaid, that young people are the drivers of development in their communities.
They bring training institutions together to share best working and development strategies through regular workshops and information exchange via social media platforms.
Vwila has developed strong relationships with the Zambian government’s Youth Resource Centres and a large network of community-based organisations that provide vocational skills training. More recently, Vwila signed a partnership agreement with the Zambia Ministry of Education in rural Mumbwa district. This involves helping rural secondary schools establish and develop vocational training courses through the provision of tools and equipment. In some cases, we help build or refurbish workshops and classrooms. This programme is a vital part of our work in Zambia.
In 2024 alone, 33 schools were helped
They work in a secure location to allow the safe storage of shipping containers. Future sewing machine maintenance servicing workshops will be held at this location.
Vwila hosts an annual intensive sewing machine maintenance and training programme for tailoring instructors from our supported projects. We believe this is a vital skill that is lacking in all the countries in which we work.

Emmanuel Zulu
The Director of the Vwila Foundation in Lusaka, Zambia and his team are responsible for carrying out appraisals of potential projects and assessing what tools to allocate to their programmes. Vwila translates to ‘Help’ in English.

Maureen Mtika
Co-founder of the Vwila Foundation, in charge of Finance and Administration. Maureen focusses on managing all the administration functions of the organisation and is a vital member of the team.

- Where We Work: Central Zambia
- Population: 21.63 million
- Land Area: 743,390 km2
- Median Age: 17.9 yrs
Putting young people at the heart of the work we support
Stories from Zambia

Roy – Sewing Machine Maintenance Course Instructor
Roy is a Zimbabwean national who operates a small sewing machine repair shop in Lusaka, Zambia with two other technicians.

David – Graduate of Bulungu Secondary School
David, age 20, graduated from Bulungu secondary school in late 2022. The school is one of 35 Workaid has helped in Zambia over the past three years in partnership with the Vwila Foundation.

Bertha and Winnie – Tailoring and Design teachers
Bertha and Winnie are two of the teachers who took part in intensive sewing machine repair and maintenance training funded by Workaid in Kabwe, Zambia in 2024.
Help us to make a difference
get involved
Donate Money
Just £5 per month for a year enables us to send a sewing machine, 2 haberdashery kits and cover the cost of shipping to a vocational training centre in Africa. Make an online donation, or buy a Virtual Gift.
Donate Tools
Change lives by donating unwanted tools, equipment and haberdashery items. Each year 80 tonnes of tools are saved from landfill, refurbished and sent to vocational training projects in East Africa and the UK.
Volunteer
Join our team of volunteers at The Old Boot Factory in Chesham.
Share your skills and make new friendships. All you need is enthusiasm.