ILO Country Office for Zambia and Malawi

29/09/2026

📢 NEW STORY LIVE 🇿🇲

💻 What if health insurance services were faster, smarter, and easier to access?

National Health Insurance Management Authority, with support from the ILO and European Union in Zambia, is developing a new digital system to simplify enrolment, speed up claims processing, and strengthen social protection in Zambia.

🚀 A major step towards better services and Universal Health Coverage for all.

📖 Read more: 🔗 https://www.social-protection.org/gimi/ShowNews.action?id=26430

🇿🇲

25/09/2026

Launch of Central Province E-waste Collection Drive and Handover of Tools of Trade

Today, the Provincial E-Waste Awareness and Collection Drive was launched in Central Province, alongside the handover of tools of trade to young people trained in e-waste management at Kabwe Institute of Technology.

Representing the Central Province Permanent Secretary, Kabwe District Commissioner Mr Lennox Shimwambwa said the growing use of electronic equipment is increasing e-waste, while poor disposal can threaten public health and the environment. He noted that Government sees e-waste management as an opportunity to advance skills development, entrepreneurship and youth employment.

For ILO Country Director for Zambia and Malawi, Mr Wellington Chibebe, the opportunity is clear: environmental sustainability and decent work can advance together. With the right skills, tools, markets and partnerships, e-waste can become a source of enterprise and sustainable livelihoods.

ZCTU Secretary-General Mr Joy Beene stressed that the transition to a green economy must create safe, productive and dignified work, while the Zambia Federation of Employers highlighted the role of businesses in creating markets, partnerships and opportunities across the e-waste value chain.

For the beneficiaries, the training is already opening new possibilities. Speaking on their behalf, Ms Precious Nachalwe and Chikondi Phiri thanked the Government of Japan, the ILO and Kabwe Institute of Technology for the opportunity to gain technical and business skills, learn about e-waste and develop their capacity as entrepreneurs.

The handover of tools marks the next step: turning skills into enterprises, enterprises into jobs, and e-waste into opportunity.

The project is implemented by the ILO with financial support from the Government of Japan, working with Government, social partners, training institutions, private-sector partners and communities to promote sustainable e-waste management and decent green jobs.

22/09/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐚 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞?

For 100 young people taking part in the ILO’s Sustainable E-Waste Management for Youth Employment project, the journey starts with building the right business skills.

The beneficiaries are currently undergoing training under the Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) programme, gaining practical skills to develop business ideas, plan their enterprises and strengthen their chances of building sustainable livelihoods in the e-waste sector.

The training follows a cascade approach. First, a SIYB Master Trainer trained a group of trainers, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to deliver the programme. These trainers are now taking the learning forward, training the project’s beneficiaries.

The training forms part of efforts to equip young people, including women and persons with disabilities, with the technical and entrepreneurial skills needed to participate in Zambia’s growing circular economy.

From learning about e-waste to learning how to build a business around it, the beneficiaries are gaining tools to turn knowledge into opportunity.

17/09/2026

Young people from the Central Province of Zambia who are participating in the Japanese funded Sustainable E-Waste Management for Youth Employment project which is being implemented by ILO are putting their classroom knowledge into practice through technical trainings.

After beginning with the theory component last week, the beneficiaries are now gaining hands-on experience in understanding electronic equipment by learning to identify components found in computers and motherboards, understanding how they fit together, and practise dismantling and assembling the equipment.

For many of the young people, the training is changing the way they see e-waste. What may once have been viewed simply as discarded electronics is becoming a source of knowledge, practical skills and potential opportunity.

The beneficiaries have shared how much they are learning and their excitement about what these skills could mean for their futures, including opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and decent green jobs within the circular economy.

The technical training is part of the ILO’s efforts to equip young women and men with practical skills that can contribute to sustainable livelihoods, decent jobs and more responsible e-waste management in Zambia.

From learning about e-waste to discovering the opportunities within it, the journey is underway.

Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Zambia -在ザンビア日本国大使館 Kabwe Institute of Technology

16/09/2026

🏥✨Imagine a health insurance service that is faster, easier to access, and works better for you

That is the goal of a new initiative launched by the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) with technical support from the ILO and financial support from the European Union in Zambia

This week in Kafue, stakeholders from NHIMA, the Ministry of Health, and the SMART Zambia - e-Government Division are working together to strengthen the way health insurance services are delivered in Zambia.

The initiative will help modernize NHIMA's systems, making it easier for members and healthcare providers to access information, verify coverage, submit and process claims, and manage enrolment more efficiently.

For NHIMA members, this means fewer delays, improved service delivery, and a health insurance system that is more responsive to their needs. For healthcare providers, it means smoother processes and quicker access to important information.

💙 Together, we are laying the foundation for a stronger, more connected health insurance system that better serves citizens, healthcare providers, and the wider health sector.
✅ Faster claims processing
✅ Quicker verification of member coverage
✅ Simpler enrolment and registration processes
✅ Better access to information and services
✅ Improved coordination across health systems
✅ A stronger foundation for future digital health services
🇿🇲 Building a smarter, more efficient health insurance system for all Zambians.

16/09/2026

Building partnerships for safer and more inclusive workplaces across Africa

Ahead of the African Women in Environmental Health & Safety Conference and Awards in Lusaka, Zambia, Society of Women in Safety, Health and Environment – Africa (SOWSHE-A) President Ms Funmi Adegbola paid a courtesy call on International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office Director for Zambia and Malawi, Mr Wellington Chibebe, who is among the distinguished speakers at the conference.

The meeting explored opportunities for collaboration in advancing gender inclusion in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) and strengthening women's leadership in creating safer, healthier, and more productive workplaces across Africa.

Discussions underscored the importance of strategic partnerships in driving the African Union Agenda and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Ms Adegbola said: "Creating safer and healthier workplaces requires inclusive leadership and collective action. Women must be at the centre of shaping occupational safety, health, and environmental policies that affect their lives and livelihoods. We are encouraged by the ILO's commitment to this agenda and look forward to working together to drive meaningful change."

Mr Chibebe expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative and reaffirmed the ILO's commitment to promoting inclusive workplaces where everyone can work in safety, dignity, and equality.

Together, we can accelerate progress towards safer workplaces, empowered women, and a more sustainable future for Africa.

Ministry of Labour and Social Security ZambiaMinistry of Green Economy and Environment - ZambiaMinistry of Labour, Skills and Innovation MalawiZambia Congress Of Trade Unions - ZCTUTeveta ZambiaUnited Nations in ZambiaOccupational Safety and Health Authority - OSHA@followers

12/08/2026

🎓 Recognizing Skills, Transforming Lives!

Malawi has celebrated a major milestone in skills development with the graduation of its first cohort of artisans certified through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) system.

The programme recognizes skills gained through work experience and informal learning, creating new pathways to employment, career growth, business development and social protection.

At the inaugural graduation ceremony held in Lilongwe, 100 artisans received certificates recognizing their competencies, forming part of more than 500 workers already assessed and certified through the programme.

Mr. George Masinga, representing the Minister of Labour, Skills and Innovation, highlighted the importance of the initiative, stating: “Recognition of Prior Learning is a strategic intervention that contributes to the realization of Malawi 2063 by recognizing, validating and developing the skills of our workforce.”

For graduates like Owen M'bona, a refrigeration and air-conditioning technician who learned his trade through practical experience, the certification marks a life-changing achievement: “Before this achievement, many doubted my abilities because I had no formal qualification. I now have confidence because people will trust my work.”

Encouraging the graduates to lead by example, Mr. Wellington Chibebe, ILO Country Director for Malawi and Zambia, said: “Your certificates are not only a recognition of the skills you have acquired; they are also an opportunity to demonstrate what you can do. We encourage you to become ambassadors of RPL, to demonstrate excellence in your work and to inspire other skilled workers to have their competencies recognized.”

As Malawi advances its Malawi 2063 vision, the RPL programme is helping build a labour market where skills are valued, experience is recognized, and no worker is left behind.

🇲🇼
of Labour, Skills and Innovation MalawiUnited Nations MalawiTeveta Zambia

06/08/2026

04/08/2026

🇲🇼 Strengthening the ILO-Malawi Partnership for Decent Work

ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo concluded a productive visit to Malawi, reaffirming the ILO’s commitment to supporting the country’s efforts to advance decent work, social protection, skills development and job creation.

During the visit, the Director-General met with Government, workers’ and employers’ representatives to discuss key priorities, including youth employment, social protection, skills development, child labour elimination, and support for Malawians returning from South Africa.

Mr. Houngbo commended Malawi’s active role in the ILO Governing Body and described the country as a strategic partner in advancing the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions and the broader Decent Work Agenda.

The visit also highlighted the strength of Malawi’s tripartite dialogue, with Government, the Malawi Congress of Trade Unions (MCTU), and the Employers’ Consultative Association of Malawi (ECAM) reaffirming their commitment to working together to promote social justice, productive employment and inclusive growth.

🎥 Watch the Director-General’s message and learn more about the shared commitment to creating a better future of work for all in Malawi.

31/07/2026