NORTHERN ZONE
The Northern zone recorded a total of 3,853 legal aid seekers while the Southern Zone registered 12,884 cases. In the Northern Zone the most accessed advice centre was Kitwe, which recorded 1198 cases followed by Kasama centre, with 1186. Kabwe advice centre was third with 1008 cases, while the least was Solwezi centre with 461 cases.

The Southern zone recorded the highest turnout. The seven centres spread around the compounds of Lusaka recorded an overwhelming attendance with Kaunda Square centre being the most accessed centre, boasting 1983 clients, surpassing the Chawama centre which has consistently recorded the highest number of legal advice seekers in all the previous years. Chawama advice centre was second with 1793 followed by Livingstone provincial centre with 1700 cases. The rest were Kanyama 1480, Matero 1398, Mtendere 1221, Chaisa 1215, Chilenje 880 and lastly Chipata, which had only existed for six months with 811 cases.

Kabwe Legal Advice Centre
This centre, established in 1999 has had a progressively higher annual clientele since its launch. A total of 1008 clients were attended to in the year under review. Abraham Mwansa, the advocate based at this office appeared in courts representing clients in sessions held in Kabwe and Ndola at Supreme Court sittings. The inadequacy of the regular legal Aid Department of the Government was most poignantly demonstrated during Mwansa's appearance in the High Court at Serenje where sessions could not take off because of the non-availability of legal Aid Counsel. The Foundation's services were then called to aid in the form of providing transport to court officers based at Kabwe to facilitate court sitting. After conferring with and taking instructions from various accused persons, Mwansa managed to secure the acquittal of 8 accused, most of who had been in languishing in detention for years. The centre was extensively involved in conducting outreach programmes around Kabwe and other towns in the Central province.

The lawyer and paralegal staff conducted regular visits to Mukobeko Maximum Prison in Kabwe as well as Mpima Prison in the same town upon receiving numerous requests from inmates or their relatives for LRF to visit them and attend to their complaints.

Kasama Legal Advice Centre
The centre was the first provincial office to be launched during the year 2001. In its first year of operation, Kasama has done relatively well in creating awareness and assisting legal advice seekers. The centre attended to a total of 1,186 clients. The lawyer attended to about a third of these, out of which 3 were successfully concluded in court while 19 are pending. The lawyer based at the centre appeared in court to represent clients in other provincial towns. People coming from as far as Mpulungu, Nakonde, Mpika, Isoka, Chinsali and Mungwi brought some of the complaints attended to. The most prevalent cases recorded at the centre were labour disputes, terminal benefits claims, unlawful arrest, and breach of contract in that order as more particularly shown below.

Within a short period, the Kasama centre has developed a commendable working relationship with United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) at its base in Mporokoso and Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP). The three organisations are engaged in collaborative work in the execution of outreach programmes aimed at empowering refugees and people residing in various provincial rural towns.

The lawyer and paralegal staff at the centre visited prisons in the province, which included Mporokoso Prison, Isoka Prison and Milima Prison. A visit was made to Mwange Refugee Camp were a meeting to discuss the problems of refugees with refugee community leaders was held. The meeting was also attended by UNHCR, Care International and Zambia Red Cross who are administering the camp which has a population of over 25,000 refugees.
One notable case where the Foundation intervened was during the hunger strike by some refugees who were protesting government's decision to separate them from other refugees and keep them in prison at Milima. LRF followed up the matter with Immigration Department and the refugees, 60 in number have since been transferred to a refugee camp in Petauke, Eastern Province. Their transfer was confirmed by the UNHCR.

Kitwe Legal Advice Centre
The centre was established in the year 2000 and in its second year of existence, it has recorded an increase in clientele, totalling 1,198. This centre, like all other provincial centres, serves both as a Legal Advice Clinic and a litigation unit, otherwise known as 'Chambers'. The centre registered and attended to 115 cases came from other towns in and outside the Copperbelt province. Out of 1,198 cases registered 41 were taken to court of which 3 were successfully concluded. The other 38 cases remained pending in court.

The paralegals at the centre during the year embarked on community sensitisation programmes around the towns in the Copperbelt province through drama performances. A total of six towns were covered with target groups being market communities, churches and schools. A generally overwhelming response was received from the audience in the community who expressed their appreciation for the programme. The centre also worked in collaboration with other NGOs such as the YWCA and the CCJP through co-ordinated outreach initiatives.

Two interns under the auspices of the Otto Eissen Young Professionals Training Programme were attached to the Kitwe centre and one paralegal made visits to prisons on the Copperbelt. Among the prisons visited were Kamfinsa State Prison in Kitwe, Ndola Remand and Kansenshi Prisons in Ndola, Mufulira State Prison, Luanshya and Chingola prisons. Most cases identified were those of complaints against delayed judgments, non-appearance in court, delayed trials and in the case of Prohibited Immigrants delayed deportations. A general complaint among juveniles was lack of bail.

Solwezi Legal Advice Centre
The Solwezi centre was established in July of the year under review. During the few months of its operation 461 cases were received. People in the province are gradually appreciating the centre although those residing outside Solwezi have cited transport constraints as restricting the accessibility of the centre. A total of 38 cases were received from outside Solwezi.

The two paralegal staff manning the centre conducted outreach programmes in remote villages to sensitise the people about their rights and to create awareness about the centre and the services it provides. They also participated in a workshop for chiefs, organised by Women for Change (WFC) in which they gave a talk on human rights and the work of the Foundation in the province.

The staff at centre visited the Solwezi Prison on a weekly basis. Most inmates at the prison were Prohibited Immigrants and a few cases that require the lawyer's attention were forwarded for possible legal action.

SOUTHERN ZONE
The southern zone comprises Lusaka, Livingstone and Chipata and below is the statistical breakdown of cases received from these centres in the year 2001.

Chipata Legal Advice Centre
The Chipata legal advice centre was one of the centres established in the year under review, principally to service the people of Eastern province. A total of 811 cases were attended to, out of which 28 cases were passed on to the lawyer for litigation in court. The centre also engaged in outreach programmes in the area and to a large extent utilised Radio Maria - a Catholic owned Radio Station in the province to disseminate information about the centre and generally to discuss the law and human rights issues.

Livingstone Legal Advice Centre
The centre in its second year of being operational recorded an impressive turnout of clients. Although the centre is sited at the provincial headquarters of the Southern province, it is geographically the Southern-most town in the area along the line of rail. As such, clients from other towns in the province such as Mazabuka prefer to take their cases to Lusaka because of its proximity.

The centre during the year received 1706 legal advice seekers. The lawyer at the Livingstone office commenced litigation in 65 cases. The centre was constantly engulfed in conflict with the police who perceived the Foundation as being supportive of criminal elements because of its staff's spirited pursuit of police officers involved in battering and torturing suspects.
The prison tours progressed well with most suspects in petty offences assisted to obtain bail or police bond. Equally, a fair number of cases of suspects incarcerated at police stations for prolonged periods without trial were dealt with.
Further, LRF staff at the centre, in collaboration with other NGOs existing in the area conducted outreach programmes around the communities through the Church and schools.
In out of court settlements the centre managed to secure payments in various cases that the Chambers intervened on behalf of its clients from individuals and companies.