Hut Building in Zambia

Unearth the World (UTW) has partnered with a non-profit organization in Mwandi, a rural Zambian fishing village 2 hours drive from Livingstone. The project is focused on building homes for families affected by AIDS. In general, a large percentage of the middle generation in Mwandi have lost their lives due to the AIDS epidemic, leaving countless orphaned children. The elders in the village have selflessly incorporated these children into their own families. However, these larger families make the current housing difficult or impossible. In addition to being too small, the existing homes have grass roofs making them highly susceptible to fire since cooking is done indoors.

To solve these problems, the village chief called on an American woman (that married a local man) and has lived in Mwandi for many years. She formed a nonprofit that employed local staff and utilized international volunteers to build huts for these at-risk children and elderly. The results have begun to revolutionize the community. The financial donation from the volunteers allows for the purchase of higher quality materials for home building which has led to less fires. And the extra manpower provided by volunteers helps speed up construction and complete more homes. This project focuses on the building of safe, durable huts for the residents of Mwandi. Volunteers are also able to visit and help out at the village school and hospital.