The Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages has been rolled out to all the Provinces of the country, with 500 communities targeted in Zambia.

TopStar has been tasked to implement the distribution of Satellite TV kits in collaboration with the ministries of Information and Broadcasting Services, Education and Health as well as the Office of the Vice President.
In an interview in Lusaka, TopStar Vice President Cliff Sichone has disclosed that in the past four months all 500 targeted villages have now received the Satellite TV equipment.

Mr. Sichone says 10,000 households will also benefit from the project that was launched in Eastern Province by Republican President Edgar Lungu on 25 June 2018.

“The Access to Satellite TV project for 10,000 African villages is a gift from the Government of China to African countries aimed at allowing rural communities access digital TV.

“President Lungu launched this project in June this year at Mbozi Primary School in Vubwi Eastern Province and the Vice President Inonge Wina did the same in Western and Northern provinces, while the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Dora Siliya launched the project in Luapula.

“The Access to Satellite TV project has now been rolled out to all the provinces and is aimed at bringing information to under services and hard to reach communities.

“By partnering with various ministries – each district has been able to access a Satellite TV kit for public viewing as well as at household level where 20 kits per village are distributed.

“Aside from the projector TV kits; 20 community members are also provided with complete digital TV decoders kits at no cost.

“Recipients of the Satellite TV kit also have an option of paying subscription of K54 to aces more channels that include news, educational and science content.”

Mr. Sichone notes that several district commissioners have expressed happiness at the Satellite TV project that is enabling people access information and high quality technology through public viewing areas being set up at schools, health facilities and local authority offices.

He says the community members will have access to Free To Air channels on the TopStar platform but have the option of paying subscription.