Lubango: Five villages in the Toco sector, located 35 kilometers from Lubango City in southern Huíla Province, are experiencing significant improvements thanks to the refurbishment efforts by the Ngana Zenza Foundation for Sustainable Community Development (FDC). This initiative is part of the Integrated Program of Community Development, which aims to enhance local governance, strengthen public administration, and empower communities through various developmental projects. According to Angola Press News Agency, the project involves creating village management centers, improving agricultural practices, providing access to drinking water, and constructing schools. These efforts are intended to enhance territorial planning, improve rural roads, and ensure that essential services are more accessible to the local citizens. The First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço, concluded a two-day visit to Huíla, where the Foundation's pilot project has been operational under her guidance for over a year. The village s of Camutcha, Camiombo, Ombala yo Mukua, Toco, and Pongo, all situated in the rural commune of Hoque within the municipality of Lubango, are part of this developmental scheme. During her address to the working group on Tuesday, Ana Dias Lourenço emphasized the importance of the local leadership groups formed by the project. These groups liaise with the FDC and engage directly with the community to facilitate active participation in the planned activities. 'We trained 21 community promoters, who work with the community on a daily basis to implement the project, and support was provided to seven peasant associations,' she stated, underscoring the need for direct community involvement in achieving the project's goals. The Foundation's patron highlighted that the initiative focuses on boosting the local economy and ensuring income for self-sustainability, beginning with agriculture. The program also envisions a future emphasis on small-scale industries, such as block production. Agricultural support included t he distribution of seeds, equipment, threshing machines, and motor cultivators to seven peasant associations, with 14 operators trained to use the machinery. Overall, 3,887 families, comprising 18,282 individuals from the Toco sector, are expected to benefit from ten projects and 27 subprojects by 2025. The Toco sector has already benefited for a year from the Integrated Community Development Project (PDIC), an initiative by the Ngana Zenza Foundation aimed at creating tailored solutions that address the specific needs and challenges of rural and vulnerable groups in society. The Ngana Zenza Foundation was established on February 20, 2020, as a tribute to the First Lady's mother, Ms. Isabel, also known as 'Ngana Zenza.'
