African Community Project (ACP) educates rural communities across Zambia about the importance of the environment that surrounds them: mainly the forests. Forests play a vital role in our lives, yet we sometimes take them for granted.

Communities are educated through the establishment of tree nurseries at the village schools and teaching the teachers, as well as the students, the need to look after their environment. Skills in growing trees, their uses and the environmental benefits of maintaining a healthy forest take the forefront in these projects. All types of trees are grown, from fast-growing trees like Moringa (health), Leucaena (firewood) and Jatropha (bio fuels) to fruit trees, commercial (pine and eucalyptus) and, most importantly, indigenous trees. Creating sustainable livelihoods from the forest, like charcoal production, beekeeping, basket and mat making, medicine, food (mushrooms and caterpillars), fish farming, and tourism, are also important goals.

Since African Community Project involves the whole community, we address problems concerning clean drinking water and schooling at the same time as we teach environmental education. For example, ACP rebuilds and deepens existing wells and digs new ones, especially at community schools, which also receive blackboards, pencils, chalk, and other school supplies.

ACP volunteer staff who are on the ground in Zambia, visit each community throughout the year supplying seeds, providing additional education, and giving out school supplies. We work very closely with Traditional Leaders and the community at large to help them achieve full participation for the betterment of the environment.

Our goal is to continue expanding this concept across all of Zambia. We know it works: Since 2003 we have planted millions of trees, provided safe clean drinking water to many communities, and provided blackboards and supplies to many community schools.

We are self-funded and rely exclusively on the support of generous donors.