NewZambian/ Flip Project

21/09/2025

21/09/2025

As Zambia marks the conclusion of the five-year Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA) initiative, NewZambian Innovations emerges as a creative force that has redefined climate advocacy through art. With a one-year €20,000 grant from Hivos, the organization implemented the Kukonza Chilengedwe project from 2024 to 2025, an imaginative effort to build an Artivism Network of multidisciplinary and intergenerational artists committed to climate justice.

The project unfolded as a vibrant tapestry of expression, weaving together visual arts, music, and storytelling to confront the realities of climate change and biodiversity loss. Through Kukonza Chilengedwe, NewZambian Innovations mobilized artists across generations and disciplines to spark dialogue, provoke reflection, and inspire action.

Among its standout achievements were art exhibitions that blended symbolism and lived experience, live music performances that brought climate themes to the stage, and the original song Kowela by Moses Sakala a stirring anthem on biodiversity loss and environmental stewardship. The project also produced a comic book titled Kowela, which tells a compelling story of human greed, ecological imbalance, and the urgent need for sustainability.

NewZambian Innovations’ contribution exemplifies the power of creative media to elevate community voices and drive cultural transformation. By centering local artists and storytellers, Kukonza Chilengedwe fostered a sense of ownership and urgency around climate issues—especially among youth and marginalized groups.

This creative intervention aligns with the broader goals of the VCA initiative, which since 2021 has been anchored by a coalition of global and regional partners including WWF, Hivos, SouthSouthNorth, Akina Mama wa Afrika, and Slum Dwellers International. Together, they have championed locally-led climate solutions across 10 districts in Zambia, emphasizing inclusive, rights-based approaches to environmental justice.

At the recent closing dialogue workshop which took place at Sandys Creations in Chilanga from 16 to 18 September 2025, representatives from diverse Civil Society Organizations gathered to reflect on the achievements and lessons of the VCA project. The event celebrated the resilience, innovation, and leadership of women, youth, and grassroots change makers many of whom have been inspired or mobilized by creative interventions like Kukonza Chilengedwe.

11/06/2025

NewZambian Innovations visits the UNDP Resident Representative in Zambia - presents a Nami.

NewZambian Innovations celebrated a milestone achievement as its team visited Dr. James Wakiaga, the UNDP Zambia United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Resident Representative in Zambia, at the UN House office in Lusaka on 11th June 2025. This visit marked the culmination of a transformative year-long project supported under the GEF Small Grants Programme Global Environment Facility in support of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment - Zambia —a project that blended art, media, and education to inspire action on climate change and biodiversity conservation through artivism.

Dr. Wakiaga commended the project’s remarkable impact and underscored the importance of sustainability, expressing his hope that the initiative would continue expanding its influence. "This project needs to be sustainable and continue to contribute to climate change work," he stated, praising the dedication and creativity of the team, which included artists Ngandwe Mwaba, Alice Mulo Muyambo, Chawe Chisha, and Kiss Abraham.

The artists thanked the UNDP for the support rendered to the project and showcased various paintings to the Resident Representative and his team and presented him with an art-piece by Clement Nami.

Throughout its one-year journey, the project delivered thought-provoking art exhibitions, dynamic media engagements, capacity-building workshops for artists, and the publication of an insightful book on climate change and biodiversity art. Each element of the initiative embodied the mission of NewZambian Innovations—to use art as a powerful tool for awareness and change.

As the project reaches this significant milestone, the team's commitment remains unwavering. The success of this venture is not just measured in past achievements but in the path it paves for future interdisciplinary collaborations, ensuring that art continues to amplify the urgency of climate action.

NewZambian Innovations is now looking ahead, eager to build on this momentum and push the boundaries of creative storytelling for environmental advocacy.

The book: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CpxvOgWmtWwWIac2yTUpmx_bJgKocC5-/view?usp=sharing

Other reports: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/12KSVWDr1jd/?mibextid=wwXIfr

11/06/2025

We are grateful to the UNDP Zambia and the GEF Small Grants Programme for the support on this wonderful and fulfilling journey.

09/06/2025

Chawe Chisha Murals her Desperate Tree

Chawe Chisha painted a mural of her sliding tree painting at Ng'ombe Community School in Lusaka on 17th November 2024.

The school is located in Ng'ombe compound, a densely populated area in the North of Lusaka.

Chawe developed the art piece after being disappointed by the indiscriminate deforestation in Zambezi District. In cartoon satire style, It depicts a tree on the edge of a cliff with a person standing above it with an axe.

What left an impression on her mind in Zambezi was a mass grave of tree stumps darkened with burns to ensure they did not sprout back in order for communities to plant maize over the huge deforested lands. A practice she learnt was common in the area.

The artwork was originally developed under the NewZambian Innovations project to develop art on climate change which is supported by the UNDP Zambia United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Global Environment Facility GEF Small Grants Programme (UNDP-GEF-SGP) in support of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment - Zambia. The project took artists to various parts of the country to expose them to environmental issues.

The project has since published a compilation of artworks by various artists including Dorothy Mumbi, Ngandwe Mwaba, Clement Nami, Tamanda Namukoko, Alice Mulo Muyambo and Kelvin Zangata among others.

Chawe is recognised in Zambia for her satirical caricatures of Zambian personalities. Her entry into expressing climate messages has continued under the Kukonza Chilengedwe project also by NewZambian Innovations with support from Hivos under the Voices for Just Climate Action - VCA Zambia programme (VCA). Kukonza Chilengedwe is a chewa and Nyanja phrase translated as fixing creation. The Kukonza Chilengedwe project is intended to build networks of artists for Climate Change and nature conservation activism or artivism. The network has since grown to include sculpture and music and poetry with popular Zambian musician Moses Sakala joining the project and penning a new song titled Kowela.

More about Chawe here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chawe-j-chisha-44563077?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

Download the Book here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CpxvOgWmtWwWIac2yTUpmx_bJgKocC5-/view

09/06/2025

07/06/2025

Around 13 million tonnes of plastic seep into our soil every year.

📈 By 2025, global plastic use will hit 516 million tonnes/year… and 1.2 BILLION tonnes by 2060 if we don’t act.

This , UNDP Zambia is tackling this crisis head-on. Tune in to ZNBC 1 at 19:00 to hear our Resident Representative explain how we’re working to !

07/06/2025

NewZambian Innovations participated in the national commemoration of World Environment Day (WED) on 5th June 2025 at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka under the theme Ending Plastic Pollution.

The event, attended by Minister of Green Economy and Environment Hon. Mike Mposha, scores of people from various sections of the public, government agencies, United Nations Agencies, civil society and activists was broadcast on ZNBC National Television and on various social media platforms.

The main performance at the event was a theatrical and poetic act by Moses Sakala from NewZambian Innovations titled Kowela, a new song about Environmental conservation and climate change.

In addition to this event, NewZambian also participated in various other WED commemoration activities including the Hivos organised Parliamentary Caucus commemoration of World Environment Day with over ten Members of Parliament, civil society and students at the Urban Hotel on 5th June where NewZambian Innovations installed an art exhibition on Climate Change, environmental conservation and Biodiversity.

On the 6th of June 2025 NewZambian held an interactive commemoration event at Fountain of Hope organised and supported by Bata and Chilanga Cement with 120 children participating in creating original art alongside Zambian artists like Moses Sakala, Alice Mulo Muyambo, Ngandwe Mwaba, Dorothy Mumbi, Mwaba Muyambo and Chawe Chisha.

NewZambian Innovations is supported by Hivos under the Voices for Just Climate Action Network to develop Artivism networks on Climate Change. NewZambian Innovations is also a beneficiary of the support of the United Nations Development Programme - UNDP UNDP Zambia GEF Small Grants Programme Global Environment Facility in support of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment - Zambia to enhance awareness on climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.



View the full commemoration livestream here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1HfQx4PbwN/:

07/06/2025

An Exhibition to commemorate World Environment Day 2025

NewZambian Innovations installed an art exhibition on ending plastic pollution, climate change, environmental conservation and launched a book at the Hivos organised Parliamentary Caucus commemoration of World Environment Day 2025 whose theme is Ending Plastic Pollution with over ten Members of Parliament, civil society and students at the Urban Hotel on 5th June 2025.

On the same day NewZambian participated in the national commemoration of World Environment Day at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka. The event was attended by the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment - Zambia Hon. Mike Mposha, United Nations Agencies, government departments and civil society and broadcast on ZNBC National Television and on various social media platforms.

The art exhibition at the Urban featured works by Ngandwe Mwaba, Chawe Chisha, Dorothy Mumbi, Clement Nami, Tamanda Namukoko and Alice Mulo Muyambo among others.

NewZambian also launched a special commemorative book with photographs showing the observations the project participants had been exposed to while developing the artworks for the exhibition.

And in addition to these commemorative events, on the 6th of June 2025 NewZambian held an interactive commemoration event at Fountain of Hope organised and supported by Bata and Lafarge Cement Zambia Chilanga Cement with 120 children participating in creating original art alongside Zambian artists like Moses Sakala, Alice Mulo, Mwaba Ng'andwe, Dorothy Mumbi, Clement Nami and Chawe Chisha.

NewZambian Innovations is supported by Hivos under the Voices for Just Climate Action Network to develop Artivism networks on Climate Change. The supported project is called Kukonza Chilengedwe Artists Network on Climate Change. This project seeks to develop artworks and comic books, sculpture installations and musical, theatricals and poetry on environmental conservation.

NewZambian Innovations has also received support from the United Nations Development Programme - UNDP UNDP Zambia GEF Small Grants Programme Global Environment Facility

Download the Book here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ii2Z8xvIVymqb4tNpIWY426x0y1D1X-/view?usp=drivesdk

The Book was developed from photographs taken with support from various organisations such as WCP Zambia USAID Zambia

View the event in full here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AX1rdeaMa/