Middle School
Worksheets
Mulindwa Experiences the Crisis in Zambia
Picture of a rural school near Livingstone, Zambia, for grades 1-5
Mulindwa lives in Zambia, a country in southern Africa. The capital of Zambia is Lusaka. Zambia borders Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Zambia is slightly larger than the state of Texas. More than 14 million people live there. Zambia only became independent in 1964 after gaining its independence from the UK. It has been basically a peaceful nation with some changes in government.
Growing up, Mulindwa and her family did well for themselves. Zambia had been known for its copper mines. Then the price of copper dropped so much in the 1980s and 1990s that the economy was devastated. The country became poorer and poorer. Over the years, other countries and organizations stepped in to help. With their assistance, the government of Zambia is trying to get out of debt. Mulindwa sees those changes in the government. Its economy has settled. Trade has increased, while inflation has decreased. In the meantime, Zambia is attempting to diversify its economy so it is not solely dependent on copper. These are good things. However, Mulindwa sees incredible challenges for most of the people of Zambia.
