ZEHEST bridges language gap in CDF awareness

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The Zambian Empowerment Hub for Entrepreneurship and Skills Training (ZEHEST) has embarked on a landmark project to translate Constituency Development Fund (CDF) guidelines into local languages to increase community participation.

ZEHEST Founder and Chief Executive Officer Clarence Muzyamba said many Zambians struggle to access the CDF because the guidelines are written only in English, excluding those with low literacy levels.

“We have noticed a big gap in understanding application procedures for CDF. Once the guidelines are translated, people in rural areas will be able to prepare bankable applications and access the much-needed funds,” Mr. Muzyamba said.

He appealed to government, development partners and the private sector to collaborate with ZEHEST in implementing the project, which he described as “robust but critical.”

Mr. Muzyamba also called for more training in business and financial management to ensure beneficiaries use CDF loans effectively and repay them on time.

“CDF is a game changer, and we thank the government for putting entrepreneurship at the center. But without clear guidelines and proper training, uptake remains low and repayment challenges persist,” he added.

ZEHEST says the translation project will help increase citizen participation in governance and improve absorption rates of CDF funds.

Ends……………………….

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