Educate the Whole Girl & Her Community in Zambia

A rare snowfall purifies the environment in the Willamette Valley as EBZEF survives summer wildfires and faces the continuing coronavirus. On the other side of the world in NW Zambia, Beth’s Girls have all returned to college/vocational school, with everyone making up a lost first semester of 2020 due to Covid-19.

EBZEF currently has 22 scholarship recipients including three new Beth’s Girls for 2021. Ethel is studying Public Administration, Abigail studies Nursing & Clinical Medicine, and Karren is studying Medicine & Surgery. Zambia as a nation is duly diligent with Covid precautions.

The opening of Lumwana West Secondary School was postponed until February 1^st. The Pre-School is now open as well with 35 girls and 28 boys studying in separate sessions to maintain social distance regulations. Teacher housing construction continues, while construction of the three-classroom block for secondary school is just getting underway.

GlobalGiving donations are helping EBZEF to develop our projects in Lumwana West. EBZEF has been accepted into GG’s International Women’s Week Campaign. As a small, all-volunteer organization, we need your help to continue educating the “Whole Girl” in this remote rural community.   Small donations are invited. Your donation will be matched by GG @ 50% up to $50 on these dates. Please send your donation to https://goto.gg/43633 between March 8-12. Thank you for your continuing support!

Links:

• EBZEF Website
• EBZEF Facebook
• EBZEF GuideStar

     EBZEF has fortunately survived the terrible wildfire crisis in Oregon with flames raging close to Salem.  While smoke, ash, and hazardous air quality have plagued us for weeks, the October rains are finally retarding the fires and clearing the air.  Meanwhile, the corona virus has required isolating all over the world.  Beth’s Girls missed Term #1/Semester #1 classes as Zambia responded nationally to the viral threat.

     EBZEF is relieved to report that 19 Beth’s Girls are currently back in school as active students with 5 teachers, 5 nurses, 2 clinical technicians, 1 electrical engineer, 1 welder, 1 midwife, 2 in early childhood education, 1 pharmacist, and 1 physician.  Those scheduled to complete coursework in December 2020 may need to add an additional term/semester in 2021.  

     Thanks to GlobalGiving donors, EBZEF has been able to support community construction of desperately needed teachers’ houses for the secondary school.  A second duplex is almost complete with a third on the horizon.  In addition, Beth’s mother, Linda, has donated funds from her hip replacement recall surgery settlement for the construction of one more 3-classroom block for the secondary school.  Construction should begin in about a month.

     With the support of GlobalGiving campaigns and donors, EBZEF is moving forward with our scholarship and construction programs in Lumwana West, Zambia, in spite of local and global crises.  We are continuing to educate the Whole Girl and her community on the other side of the world.

Links:

• EBZEF Website
• EBZEF Facebook