Give the Gift of Education: Sponsor a Child Zambia

Dear Sponsor a Child Supporters,

I am thrilled to let you know that Zambian schools have reopened after many months of closure due to COVID-19 restrictions. To ensure social distancing, students are not yet back to their usual schedule, instead, they are on a temporary half-week rotation. To assist the schools with the re-opening regulations set by the government, the African Impact Foundation has been providing hand-washing stations to the schools for each classroom, and ensuring each student and staff member has a mask.

Due to the amount of time that children spent out of school this year, the schools have agreed to rollover this year’s school fees to next year. Despite this, we have decided to proceed as usual with our sponsorship fees and renewal dates. Even though schools have opened, many families have not been able to afford to send their children back to school due to the large amount of lost jobs this year. There has been sponsors that have made the tough decision to step away from the program due to a loss of income, and our regular Sponsor a Child fundraisers that happen on the ground with volunteers in Livingstone have been put on hold due to travel bans and a pause in volunteer activities.

All “extra” funds due to the rollover of school fees will be used to help fill the gaps in funding from all the aforementioned situations. We hope you understand and are in agreeance that we want to make sure as many children in Livingstone get the chance to have an education.

Through a recent study by Save the Children International it is estimated that 9.7 million children across the world may never return to school post-COVID. Because of you and your generous sponsorship, we have the chance to stop this prediction from becoming a reality in Livingstone. We are so grateful for your generous support during this challenging year. Because of you, the community of Livingstone has a brighter and more prosperous future. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to myself or Sharon, our Sponsor a Child Coordinator, at zsac@africanimpactfoundation.org.

Sincerely,

Sarah Nielsen
Impact Manager
sarah@africanimpactfoundation.org

Dear Impact Fam,

Like everywhere, it has been a very challenging time in Southern and Eastern Africa. However, it’s because of the generosity of our donors that we have been able to quickly adjust our plans and continue supporting our communities and teams. Thank you for showing us that it’s possible to make impact from anywhere in the world. We are so for your undying support, whether near or far.

This fight is long from over - daily COVID-19 cases across the continent are still rising, but we hope with you by our side that we will be able to make it through anything that comes our way. To continue helping our communities and teams, please make a donation here. 

In the past 5 months, we have:

• Started the construction of 3 new primary school classrooms in Zambia
• Employed local tailors and our Women’s Group to make 850 masks for students, families, and shop owners in Tanzania and Zambia
• Set up 20 hand-washing stations at schools and in communities in Zambia and Tanzania
• Provided 155 disinfectant packages to community members in South Africa and Tanzania
• Spent three months buying produce from our Farmers of the Future participants and donating it to a local food parcel initiative in South Africa
• Donated books and school supplies to students trying to learn from home in South Africa
• Provided food parcels to 25 members of our partner organizations in South Africa
• Supported the nutrition program at the Langoni Old People’s Home in Tanzania by supplying weekly fruit 
• Held COVID-19 training and awareness workshops to community and family leaders in Tanzania
• Set up a solar hydroponics farming system to prepare for the return of our Farmers of the Future program in South Africa
• Distributed 160 bags of mealie meal (maize) to our Sponsor a Child students and their families
• Supported nursery schools in Tanzania with three months’ worth of porridge for their breakfast program

THANK YOU, a million times over!

Ps – Have you read our 2019 Annual Report yet? The stories in this little book of impact remind us that there is so much to fight for beyond this pandemic. Check it out here!