Off The Beaten Track In Africa, Paul Harbard

In July 2025, I travelled on an investor trip to Zambia, organised by The Hunger Project (THP), along with thirteen other people. The core of the trip was focused on visiting remote villages where THP has been working with the local community to bring about positive changes in their lives. Like always, most of the work was with women. Our first day in Zambia was the most physically and mentally draining. After arriving, we drove for three hours from our hotel to reach a remote village. The community had no electricity and had only recently gained access to clean water through a borehole, funded by The Hunger Project.

Given the immense impact of the well on the community, it seemed as if almost the entire village came out to greet us – I have never experienced such a welcome! As part of the festivities, we listened to speeches from village partners, followed by dances from groups of women and men. Afterwards, we spoke with some women from the village. One 45-year-old widow shared her story.  She has five children, and opened up about the loss of one of her children during her long two-hour walk to the nearest maternity clinic. She appeared to be visibly malnourished, and spoke openly about living with hunger,  often eating only two small meals a day, experiencing pain throughout her body and going to bed hungry.

The new well has transformed her daily life. What was once a two-hour walk each way to fetch water has been replaced with easy access to clean, safe water in her own community.

On the second day, we visited another remote village where The Hunger Project has been working for the past three years. In that time, the community has established vegetable gardens, supported mothers in improving their children’s health, and participated in microfinance programs, among other initiatives. As a result, villagers were visibly much healthier and better nourished. The differences between this village and the previous one we visited were striking.

On the third day, we visited a village and a nearby epicentre that has recently become self-sufficient. The epicentre was sponsored by a wealthy Australian woman. The epicentre houses a maternity ward, a sick bay, a bank, a schoolroom, an IT training centre, a Sewing training centre and a large conference room that is often rented out to government departments.

Through the services and programmes provided by The Hunger Project, we met people who were healthy, well-nourished and empowered to. They were able to provide for their own needs and had continuing education on how to remain economically viable.

Witnessing firsthand how The Hunger Project partners with local government and community leaders to transform lives was deeply inspiring.

I left with a profound sense of gratitude, feeling that I had received far more from this experience than I had given.