Education « Zambezi Trust

What we do: Education	A current school building In Zambia, all children have their primary school fees paid by the State (up to age 11), but need to provide their own uniforms, books and stationery. From 11 upwards, all children have to fund their own school fees. Many families are unable to fund their children at this age, and often it is the girls who are forced to remain at home to help with the daily chores including collecting water. It is vital that these girls are given the opportunity to continue their studies, so that they do not simply return to their villages without the ability to improve their lives at all. They will often end up having children at a very young age, are highly susceptible to becoming infected with HIV/AIDs, and will probably be unable to earn enough money to support their own children through school, thus not lifting their family out of poverty at all. The school uniforms for our OVCs The Zambezi Trust is funding education for 70 OVCs (orphans and vulnerable children – those who have lost at least one of their parents). These are the children who are at most risk of becoming victims of exploitation, trafficking, discrimination or other abuses – girls are especially at a high risk of sexual abuse – and they are the ones who have the least chance of staying in education. The OVCs we support will be chosen by local community committees and school guidance counsellors, ensuring it is the neediest who are being helped. The only High School in the whole of Chiawa is Chitende High School. It has a severe shortage of classrooms, with around 300 children and only 3 classrooms! This just adds to the logistical nightmare they have of giving their children a good education – the lack of text books, teachers, desks, toilet facilities, dormitories and classroom space! This has meant that many children who pass the entrance exam in Year 9 actually do not get offered a place at the High School at all, and their education ends there. The Chieftainess So, the Zambezi Trust has decided to finance a new 3-Classroom Block that is being built on neighbouring land very kindly given to the school by the Chieftainess of Chiawa. We will be financing 75% of the costs (£30,000), with the community providing the other 25% – by providing the manual labour. This enforces our goal of “sustainability” as it will give the locals a sense of ownership of the school, and also teach many of them new skills.
Update April 2012:	The finished block The finished block The Chieftainess’ speech The school choir The marvellous Opening Ceremony of our 3-classroom block took place at the end of last year – it was an amazing event, with the wife of the Vice President, the Minister of Education, the local MP, hundreds of schoolkids and locals, and of course the Chieftainess in attendance. It was a noisy 3 hours of speeches, dancing, singing, drumming, all captured by ZNBC – with a 2 minute slot on national TV in the evening! Locals enjoying the spectacle! A new classroom being put to use. Studying hard… 196 desks arrived two days before the ceremony – supplied by the Government, and delivered by Zambeef trucks – an indication of how the efforts of the Zambezi Trust have encouraged others to contribute too. Credit to Steve from Hodi for sorting this – what a hero! Now, of course we are continuing to support our OVCs with fees, uniforms, shoes and books – and additionally are trying to put electricity into the new classroom block so the kids can have access to computers and study when it’s dark, and to build much-needed accommodation for teachers to encourage the best to stay at Chitende. Future Chitende pupils….
Update Sept 2011:	The Chieftainess breaks the first ground for the classroom block Classroom foundations The classroom is progressing A nearly-complete classroom block The 3-classroom block is now progressing well after the heavy rains initially caused so much disruption. The roof is now nearly complete, and the scheduled opening date is November 2011. Those all-important desks Desks are currently our major issue, as they need to be good quality and sturdy so they last – and we need 150 of them! Dormitory beds We have funded some beds for the dormitories – termites are crawling all over the mattresses when they are placed directly onto the floor.
Update Feb 2011:	Our 70 OVCs have now completed their first year at school, 4 are awaiting the results of their final Year 12 exams, and 8 out of 9 have passed their High School entrance exams. As they’re all growing kids, they will receive new shoes shortly. Carrying the blocks to the building site The construction of the 3-classroom block at Chitende High School is well under way with the foundations completed and all of the materials on site. The rainy season has slowed progress – the heavy trucks transporting gravel infill from the Zambezi banks have been sinking in the dirt roads! We have fingers crossed for an April/May completion date.
Update July 2010:	Lucky On our recent visit to Chiawa, the school kids put on a show for us with readings, singing and dancing, and afterwards we met one of the kids we support walking back home (13km) to his village – Lucky Munsaka. He told us how very grateful he was that the Zambezi Trust has funded his final year at school, as he’d have had to drop out otherwise. His father and elder brother had died last year of Aids, and now his mother is very sick. His elder sisters are all married, leaving the care of his mother to him and his one younger sister. Lucky found a job washing dishes in a tourist lodge in the school holiday to earn enough to feed his family, but not enough to pay his school fees. So with our help, Lucky is actually working hard to pass his Year 12 exams and give himself the opportunity to support his family in the future. A great success! Library Major challenges the schools face are class sizes, lack of text books and attendance levels. Average class sizes are 70+ per class, with few, if any, text books. The English teacher at the High School told us that he has 5 copies of the book being studied for Year 12 exams (for a class of 70!). Attendance continues to be an issue as some children face more pressing duties, such as tending fields and animals, household chores and looking after sick relatives. Chitende High School Sign The only High School in the area, Chitende High School, has a SEVERE shortage of classrooms, with 280 children and 3 classrooms! This has meant that many children who pass the entrance exam in Year 9, actually do not get offered a place at the High School. So, the Zambezi Trust has decided to commit to financing a new 3-classroom block that will be built hopefully for the start of the new school year in January 2011. We will be financing 75% of the costs (£30,000), with the community providing the other 25% – by providing the manual labour, and burning the 75,000 bricks required for the school. This enforces our goal of “sustainability” as it will give the locals a sense of ownership of the school, and also teach many of them new skills.
Update Feb 2010:	P.E. Class The OVC selection process started in November 2009 with a meeting of 29 school and community representatives who identified relevant criteria – such as any gainful employment existing in the adopting family, and whether the child has 3 meals a day. Each village has now made its selections, and 70 OVCs actually started school this January 2010 (with all books and stationery, and uniforms made by one of the women’s business groups we are supporting – apparently they were working exceptionally long hours to ensure all children could have their uniforms for their first day at school – a great success!). The site for the community hall/classroom has now been cleared by community members. They have organised for 1,000 bricks to be burnt, and sand and other building materials to be brought to the site.