Three Congresswomen from the United States visited the WWF Partners for Wetlands, Mwanachingwala Conservation Area project in Mazabuka in August 2003. The Congresswomen - Barbara Lee (California), Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas) and Delegate Donna M. Christian-Christensen (U.S. Virgin Islands) were accompanied by U.S. Deputy Ambassador to Zambia, Dan Mozena and other US government officials.

The U.S. delegation, which arrived in the early afternoon, was welcomed at the MCA by Chief Mwanachingwala, who is also the MCA board chairman, MCA board members, WWF staff and representatives of the Mwanachingwala community. After an official welcome, the delegation was treated to a tour of key areas in the MCA and was fortunate enough to view some of the zebra recently reintroduced into the MCA.

The Mwanachingwala Conservation Area project's vision is to demonstrate how local communities and the private sector can benefit from nature conservation and the sustainable utilisation of wetland resources in the Kafue Flats. It is an initiative that is still at its formative stages and will continue to require substantial support. However, impressive strides have been made since the MCA's inception in 2001 and this is certainly due to the commitment and support of its partners, which include the region’s agricultural sector.

The visiting US delegation was particularly impressed by Zambia Sugar's effluent recycling system. This process has helped cut costs by minimising the application of fertilisers and the need to pump water from the river. This has helped protect the water quality of the Kafue River. Delegation leader Barbara Lee observed that recycling discharge water was an innovation that other countries could emulate.

In May, the German Ambassador Dr. Erich Kristof visited the MCA in a field trip facilitated by GTZ. He was accompanied by Hon Chulufya Kazenene, the Southern Province Deputy Minister and Mr Oliver Mulomba, the District Administrator. Chief Mwanachingwala hosted the delegation at his residence where he expressed gratitude to the German government for its assistance through GTZ in developing a project document exploring the potential for the local community to diversify sources of income and raise revenue for socio-economic development. The ambassador was clearly impressed with the conservancy and the strong working partnership of the community with the private sector and WWF Partners for Wetlands and expressed his hope that the document’s recommendations would be implemented.