Across many communities in Zambia, one phrase has become deeply embedded in everyday conversations whenever a challenge arises: "Boma iyanganepo,” a call for government to intervene. Whether it is the need for a school, a health facility, better roads, employment opportunities or access to basic services, the expectation has often been that development begins and ends with government. While government undoubtedly has a constitutional responsibility to provide public services and create an enabling environment for development, this mindset has, over time, fostered an unintended culture of dependency. It has left many communities believing that meaningful progress can only come when someone from outside arrives with resources, funding or solutions.
This way of thinking is not unique to Zambia. Across many parts of the world, decades of traditional development approaches have reinforced the notion that communities are recipients of development rather than drivers of it. External organisations identify problems, design projects, mobilise resources and implement interventions, while communities often play the role of beneficiaries. Although many of these interventions have improved lives, they have also, in some instances, weakened communities' confidence in their own ability to solve problems collectively. The result is that local assets, indigenous knowledge, community leadership and the willingness of ordinary citizens to contribute towards shared goals often remain underutilised.
However, a powerful transformation is taking place in communities supported by the Zambian Governance Foundation (ZGF). Through the Community Foundations model, people are beginning to challenge the long-held belief that development must always come from outside. Instead, they are embracing a different philosophy that recognises that every community, regardless of its economic circumstances, possesses valuable assets that can be mobilised to improve people's lives. These assets may not always be financial. They include people's skills, land, local businesses, relationships, volunteerism, traditional knowledge, leadership and, perhaps most importantly, a shared commitment to improving the places they call home.
Community Foundations are built on the belief that sustainable development starts with communities themselves. Rather than asking, "Who will solve our problems?" communities begin by asking, "What do we already have, and how can we use it to create the future we want?" This shift in thinking may seem subtle, but it fundamentally changes the way development happens. Communities stop seeing themselves as passive recipients of assistance and begin recognising themselves as capable leaders, investors and decision-makers.
This transformation is becoming increasingly visible across Zambia, where Community Foundations are demonstrating that when local people organise themselves around a common vision, great things become possible.
In Masebela community of Chibombo District, for example, access to education was a challenge that affected generations of children. Many communities facing similar circumstances might have continued waiting for government funding or donor support to construct a school. Instead, the people of Masebela decided that education was too important to postpone. Through their Community Foundation, they mobilised local leadership, brought community members together, contributed labour and rallied available resources towards a common goal. The result was not simply the construction of a school but the creation of a powerful symbol of what communities can achieve when they believe in their own collective ability.
A similar story is unfolding in Luangwa District through the Kaluluzi Community Foundation. Faced with the challenge of limited access to essential commodities such as mealie meal, community members recognised that relying solely on external interventions would not provide a lasting solution. Instead, they established a community grocery store that serves both social and economic purposes. The business provides easier access to essential goods while generating income that can be reinvested into community development initiatives. The Foundation has already used this locally generated income to support vulnerable schoolchildren with uniforms, promote environmental conservation, strengthen village savings groups and create employment opportunities for local young people.
In Chinzete, the Community Foundation has embraced the same philosophy of collective responsibility. Rather than accepting inadequate educational infrastructure as an unavoidable reality, community members came together to construct a school that would serve children for generations to come. Their contribution extended beyond financial resources, with many offering their time, labour, locally available materials and technical skills.
Economic sustainability has also become a defining feature of Community Foundations, and the Nyankanga Community Foundation provides an excellent example of this approach. Recognising that long-term community development requires reliable local resources, the Foundation invested in a poultry enterprise that generates income to support its broader mission.
Nyankanga is also home to one of the most innovative examples of locally led philanthropy in Zambia through the Reverse Call for Proposals (RCfP). Traditionally, development funding follows a familiar pattern in which donors establish priorities, publish calls for proposals and invite organisations to compete for funding. Under the RCfP model, this process is reversed. The Community Foundation identifies its own development priorities, develops the call for proposals, invites organisations to submit applications and ultimately selects the partner that best aligns with the community's vision. This may appear to be a procedural adjustment, but in reality it represents a redistribution of power. Communities move from being beneficiaries of funding decisions to becoming the architects of those decisions. They determine what matters most to them and identify the partners best placed to support their aspirations.
This shift reflects a broader principle that lies at the heart of Community Foundations: those who live with community challenges every day are often best positioned to define the solutions. Local people understand their context, their history, their strengths and their aspirations in ways that external actors, regardless of their expertise, may never fully grasp. By placing communities at the centre of decision-making, development becomes more responsive, more accountable and ultimately more sustainable.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of Community Foundations, however, is not measured by the number of schools constructed, businesses established or grants awarded. Their greatest achievement is changing mindsets. They are helping communities replace a culture of waiting with a culture of action. They are demonstrating that while government remains an indispensable partner in national development, communities themselves also possess the agency to shape their own future. Rather than asking who will come and solve their problems, people are increasingly asking what they can contribute, who they can mobilise and how they can build upon the assets they already possess.
This transformation is particularly significant at a time when the global development landscape is changing. International aid is becoming increasingly constrained, and many countries are experiencing reductions in development assistance. These realities make it even more important for communities to strengthen local systems that can sustain development beyond the lifespan of external funding. Community Foundations offer one such model because they are rooted in local ownership, local leadership and local philanthropy.
The journey away from the "Boma ilanganepo" mentality does not suggest that government no longer has a role to play. On the contrary, government remains an essential partner in creating policies, providing public services and supporting national development. What Community Foundations are demonstrating is that development is most effective when government, civil society, donors, the private sector and communities each play their respective roles. Development should never be something that happens to communities; it should be something that happens with communities and increasingly through communities.
To contribute to this discussion, please feel free to reach out via info@zgf.org.zm
