ZAMSIF is a member of a global family of 60 + social funds. The Zambian Social Recovery Project, established in 1991, was the second social fund in the world and the first in Africa. We have learnt many lessons since 1991. These lessons have been reflected in the ZAMSIF programme design.

Social Funds have been defined as quasi financial intermediaries that channel resources according the pre-determined eligibility criteria, to small scale sub projects for poor and vulnerable groups.

ZAMSIF supports government poverty reduction strategy which aims to increase income and living standards for the majority of Zambians who are poor.

ZAMSIF goal is to contribute to the improved, expanded and sustainable use of services provided in a governance system where local governments and communities are mutually accountable.

ZAMSIF development purpose is to empower the poor and vulnerable through participatory partnerships, learning by doing and information sharing.

The programme development objectives are to:

achieve sustainable improved availability and use of quality basic social services by beneficiary communities and specific vulnerable groups;

contribute to the building of capacity for improved local governance; and

strengthen the capacity to provide timely information on poverty and social conditions and facilitate its use in policy making

Community Investment Fund (CIF) will empower local communities through the financing of sub-projects identified, implemented, managed, operated and maintained by the communities. There will be a gradual devolution of project cycle activities to local governments according to the capacity created to support the community based project cycle.

District Investment Fund (DIF) will support the process of strengthening the capacity of local government and administrations and their accountability vis-à-vis local communities. District capital projects, which benefit more than one community and managed by the district council, will also be supported

Poverty Monitoring and Analysis Component (PMA) will provide a framework for poverty monitoring and analysis activities and will enhance the linkages of these activities to policy making

The corner stones of ZAMSIF are:

PARTNERSHIPS

Community members, community organisations, district administrations, local leaders, NGOs, churches, provincial administrations, sector ministries, policy makers, co-operating partners, other social investment funds.

PARTICIPATION

Equal participation in decision making, by improving information to remote communities, increasing capacity to participate, targeting the poor and vulnerable and encouraging community ownership, management and sustainability.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Accountable, transparent, sustainable processes in use by all participating partners.

Empower communities through the financing of sub-projects identified, implemented, managed and maintained by the communities themselves.

Enhance the role of district and sub district as facilitators and encouraging the gradual devolution of project cycle activities to local governments with the final objective of central and local governments replacing the ZAMSIF MU in financing local development.

Enhance the role of district and sub district as facilitators and encouraging the gradual devolution of project cycle activities to local governments with the final objective of central and local governments replacing the ZAMSIF MU in financing local development.

Target vulnerable groups, using inter district Indicative Planning Figure(IPF), intra district using district planning for poverty reduction and basic needs and type of project.

Develop a sustainable information strategy which might be community based and will target remote areas, probably community based radio.

Develop community based strategies to address poor access to services

Put in place permanent mechanisms to monitor the impact of government policies and programs on the poor.

Provide relevant timely inputs to policy-making.

ZAMSIF Management Unit - ZAMSIF will be managed by a semi-autonomous Management Unit (MU) based in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MOFED) reporting to the Permanent Secretary Budget and Economic Affairs. ZAMSIF Management Unit will be led by a Programme Director supported by Financial and Operational Management teams – including technical, field operations, management of information, capacity building and internal audit – as well as Monitoring and Evaluation and Poverty Monitoring and Evaluation teams.

Efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability will be the management goals.

The organisation chart is shown on page 4 below.

Institutional Framework of ZAMSIF - Committees at every level will facilitate decision making for the allocation of resources and ensure information flows between stakeholders. These are shown on p. 5 and will include:

National Level ZAMSIF Steering Committee, which will meet every six months to guide, develop and harmonise the policies of the ZAMSIF and to monitor its performance. The Permanent Secretary for Budget and Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development will be the Chairperson of the ZAMSIF Steering Committee and ZAMSIF MU will be the secretary.

Microprojects Technical Committee which will meet quarterly to monitor ZAMSIF interventions, ensuring sector policy and technical standards are met, monitor district allocations and performance and make recommendations and report to the ZAMSIF Steering Committee on policy development.

Poverty Monitoring and Analysis Steering Committee will meet quarterly and will approve annual plans and budgets of the PMA component, monitor activities, approves survey tools and study and discusses policy implications of survey, research and evaluation results. The PMA Steering Committee will be supported by Technical sub Committees.

Provincial Assessment Committees (PAC) will also be set up in each Province either as a sub committee of the Provincial Development Coordinating Committee (PDCC) or as a separate committee. The PAC will agree the indicative planning figures for districts, approve DIF projects, monitor performance of districts participating in the DIF and either demote or promote districts according to the agreed criteria.

There are several existing committees at district level, which will be critical to ZAMSIF activities. These are:

• District Development Co-ordinating Committee (DDCC)
• District Planning sub Committee (PSC) of the DDCC
• Full Council
• Plans, Works and Development sub Committee of the Council.

The district will co-ordinate ZAMSIF and other development activities through this group of committees. The PSC will appraise projects, provide relevant technical input into the process of budgeting and costing, present recommended project proposals for both the DIF and CIF to the DDCC. The DDCC will in turn present these to the full District Council for approval. The PSC will also present the district poverty reduction plan to the DDCC so that the DDCC are able to present this to the full Council for approval.