Through a new contract from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), IntraHealth International will implement the Zambia Leading Organizational Capacity and Localization Development (LOCAL) Activity. This project will build on IntraHealth’s 24-year history in Zambia, and our successful local capacity-strengthening work, to enable local implementing partners (LIPs) to independently secure, manage, and monitor USAID programs to carry out the country’s development agenda and deliver results for the Zambian people.

Locally led development is the best path toward sustained improvements in health and development outcomes around the world. In Zambia, USAID has made tremendous progress in establishing direct awards with local organizations to lead HIV programs. Yet gaps in local partners’ organizational capacity must be addressed to strengthen their operations and ensure sustainability.

Since 2019, IntraHealth has worked with 101 local implementing partners in 18 countries.

As implementer of the USAID Accelerating Support to Advanced Local Partners (ASAP) and ASAP II contracts in sub-Saharan Africa, IntraHealth brings extensive expertise in rapidly preparing local organizations and government entities to develop the capabilities and resources to serve as prime partners for USAID programming. Since 2019, IntraHealth has worked with 101 LIPs in 18 countries, including Zambia, with 98% of LIPs documenting capacity improvements.

Through the five-year Zambia LOCAL activity, IntraHealth and partners SustainAbility Solutions and Ku-Atenga Media will provide LIPs the support they need for success in operations, income generation, and advocacy, building on lessons learned from ASAP and other local partner capacity-strengthening initiatives. Specifically the project will:

• increase LIPs’ capacity for risk identification, mitigation, and compliance to financial and operational best practices
• enhance LIPs’ resource mobilization and funding diversification capacity for the purpose of organizational sustainability
• increase networking opportunities; improve communication, monitoring, evaluation, and learning capacities; and enhance understanding of integrated programming.

The activity will initially focus on health-related LIPs that are expected to greatly expand in scope and implement development programs at national and provincial levels. It will also support LIPs that implement non-health-related program activities. 

Zambia LOCAL will incorporate local voices into all aspects of its work—a key for successful localization—and create space for local leadership and for local communities. 

Annie Banda, a Zambian global public health professional, will serve as chief of party. Banda has significant experience assessing and strengthening the capacity of local organizations. She will manage a pool of Zambian experts and technical advisors to provide technical assistance that meets LIPs’ needs.

"I am so grateful and excited for the opportunity that IntraHealth has given me to lead and champion USAID Zambia's agenda of empowering local organizations to sustainably deliver health services to targeted communities," says Banda. 

"IntraHealth is a longstanding partner of USAID in Zambia," says Maqsoda Maqsodi, president and CEO of IntraHealth. "Since 1999, we've partnered with the Zambian government and others. Together we've strengthened the Zambian health workforce and improved health services for Zambian communities. Now we're honored to be helping local organizations prepare to lead USAID programs and drive the country's development agenda."

Also read: Toward Sustainable Locally Led Development, IntraHealth's 2022 annual report

IntraHealth partnered with 6,616 local entities worldwide in 2022, including health facilities, governments, civil society groups, religious leaders, youth advocates, and more.