About Us - How we work

What happens both in Coleraine & Zomba

The ZAP charity has a Management Board in Coleraine who work with a complementary Management Board  in Zomba to identify and supervise projects and implement the aims of the charity.

Sustainable projects that contribute most to alleviating disadvantage are funded.
These projects will help address the consequences of the three overlapping crises of :

• Poverty
• HIV/AIDS and
• Hunger

that the people of Zomba face. To see ZAP's full constitution, click here   

All funding for approved projects goes to the ZAP account in Zomba and the Board in Zomba are responsible for monitoring the use of these projects. When possible, self funded visitors from Coleraine will visit projects supported by ZAP.

The Zomba Action Project, through increasing the Coleraine community’s world vision, it is:

• gaining a response from the community following on from a raised awareness. This generousity provides funds and support  for projects for the most disadvantaged in Zomba, Malawi.
• bringing together people from across the Coleraine Borough through activities organised for fundraising.

KEY PRINCIPLES

SUSTAINABILITY - lasting benefits come from people being able to do more for themselves and enhancing the resources at their disposal. This also applies to the commitment by Coleraine and Zomba to continue the relationship.

QUALITY NOT QUANTITY It is real, lasting improvements that count, not simply the number of people we work with.

LEARNING ORGANISATION – partnership work is complex and risky. It requires serious effort to learn from experience and ensure good value for our supporters’ money. In response we aim to improve our monitoring and information systems.

The  groups include:

• Church
• Development
• Education
• Health

which meet regularly to consider projects and plan fundraising activities

The charity is supported by Coleraine Borough Council, with three Councillors on the ZAP Management Board and all party support.  The Borough Council took the initiative in making the link with Zomba Municipality in 2002.

Organisation/ schools/ Department links initiated by ZAP
In parallel to the Council to Council relationship, a number of similar relationships are being established between organisations in Coleraine and Zomba. These include schools, the Coleraine campus of the University of Ulster and the Causeway Hospital and the Fire Brigade. More are planned.

These relationships also provide a focus for the organisations to fundraise for projects in Zomba with the support of their staff through ZAP or to develop programmes beneficial to people in Coleraine and Zomba.  These links have enabled the exchange visits to be facilitated. 
   
In ZOMBA  the Management Committee receive  projects from the Sub groups and access them. Viable projects are then forwarded to the Coleraine equivalent sub groups and Management Committee for their  consideration and funding support.  The sub groups in Zomba gather information about possible projects from their specific areas and  if the projects are funded they are sometimes involved with delivery of the programmes or with monitoring them depending on what is appropriate. Sometimes a proven agency is the delivery agent for the project.  The part time administrator, or a management committee member, may also involved in monitoring and evaluation, if appropriate.

Any visitors to Zomba from Coleraine are welcomed and are given the opportunity to visit projects or schools accompanied by representatives from ZAP in Zomba.  If appropriate the Zomba Municipality  and ZAP cooperate in the organising and hosting of these visits as well as the provision of transport.

The Municipality  also submits projects which will benefit the Zomba Community for consideration to Coleraine.

Both Coleraine and Zomba produce annual accounts and hold Annual General Meetings