Orphan Education Support - Zambian Villages

As always it was great to be back in Zambia, despite the many challenges we are making a positive change in the Kazugula District through our health and education projects. New schools are being built and more orphans are being supported.

Thirteen years ago I wondered how I would ever raise enough money to build schools and clinics,this year the following projects are currently under:

• Kawewa Junior – 1×2 classroom block and latrines
• Nyawa Secondary School – science lab almost complete
• River View Junior School – 1x 2 classroom block
• Muyunda Community School – 1×2 classroom block, latrines and borehole
• Nakawa Pre-school – new classroom block, borehole and latrines, and
• Bunsanga Junior School - latrines
• Mukuni Chiefdom - nine more community houses have been built for orphans 

It was a pleasure to visit the schools and see so many children receiving an education. Since our involvement at River View School the number of pupils has increased from 800 pupils to 1,500. The school is situated close to the Botswana Border where there is a high level of HIV, truckers can spend up to three days waiting to cross the river- the good news is that a bridge is currently under construction.

We have increased the number of orphans on sponsorship, they are to be mentored by our peer educators, stressing how important it is for them to complete school. It was wonderful to catch up with students attending university and college, and those that have recently completed skilled-based courses. Edwin, Jafter, Dennis and Peter are now qualified builders and have started working on our construction projects.

I drove to the Nyawa Chiefdom, a remote area 160 km from our base to where we have three education projects being developed. Once these constructions have been completed, they will be handed over to the Ministries of Health and Education and communities. The government provides qualified teachers and the local people form a PTA committee at the schools. The privately-owned pre-school at Nakawa is run by volunteer teachers.

Our aim as always is to create as much sustainability as possible.

Links:

• The Butterfly Tree Newsletter