In Zambia, efforts to improve the lives of women and girls are expanding with the launch of the second phase of the Girls’ Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihoods Project (GEWEL2). This initiative, which began in May 2025 with $157 million in funding, aims to address persistent challenges such as rural poverty, high dropout rates among adolescent girls, limited access to capital for women, and widespread maternal and child undernutrition.
The GEWEL2 project is designed to provide integrated support across four key areas. The first component enhances Zambia’s Social Cash Transfer program by adding nutrition-focused cash top-ups, behavioral training, and nutrition services. This seeks to improve early childhood development and health outcomes for mothers and infants.
The second component focuses on keeping girls in school by offering subsidies and vocational opportunities. The goal is to help adolescent girls acquire skills needed for higher education or employment.
A third area provides women with business training, support for conservation agriculture, seed capital, savings groups, mentorship, and market access. These measures aim to strengthen economic independence and resilience against climate change.
The final component supports institutional strengthening through digital tools and dynamic registries. It also includes grievance mechanisms intended to make social protection systems more adaptive to shocks.
According to the World Bank, “When women and girls are supported with the right tools, they build pathways out of poverty—for themselves and for their families and communities. Yet for too many, those pathways aren’t there yet.”
Personal stories from beneficiaries highlight the impact of these programs. Cathy Gumbo from Chisamba District said that a bursary from GEWEL allowed her to stay in school despite financial hardship. Bertha returned to education after dropping out and is now pursuing a nursing certificate. Doreen Zyambo used training and seed capital received through the project to start her own small business.
As GEWEL2 expands its reach across all 116 districts in Zambia, organizers emphasize maintaining quality, consistency, accountability, and adaptability in service delivery.
“Building the right systems is only part of the equation. Sustaining trust, ensuring that delivery is predictable and fair, adapting to climate and economic shocks... build a future where every girl stays in school, every woman can earn a living, and no household is left behind,” according to statements provided by project leaders.
The World Bank leads this effort alongside partners including the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children, and Adolescents; Germany; Ireland; Sweden; Switzerland; and the United Kingdom.