Zambia School Upgrade Programme

Meet Joel Muleya

Although primary education was recently made free, many children still do not go to school or drop out at a very early age. Enrolment rates are 80% for boys and girls but attendance drops to less than 60%. In fact literacy rates are dropping in Zambia.

A big part of the problem is access to school for rural children. Many walk miles each day to attend school but this is difficult for the youngest. In response many communities have built their own shelter to hold classes like the one at Namukonda below. Volunteers help to teach to read and write.

Bunga school in Zambia	Bunga school in Zambia
Zambian children hungry to learn in their makeshift classroom	£22,000 is needed to build a decent classroom for these children

Build IT International is launching a programme to upgrade these facilities to provide a decent learning environment. The Ministry of Education will then provide support and possibly a teacher if a suitable house exists.

In the process we will train the community and a local builder in improved construction methods so that they have skills that they can continue to use afterwards.

We aim to build six class-rooms over 2008-2009 mainly in Central Province. But we need to raise the funds now to do this.

UPDATE MARCH 2008

Around 100 people took part in a community planning workshop on 17 March to discuss the new class-room and training programme at Butempa, Zambia.

Children and adults discussed design issues and agreed to contribute their labour by gathering local sand and aggregate. They are also identifying people to be trained as brick and tile makers.

There are 600 children at the school but only two classrooms. An additional two class-room block will be built by November 2008 funded by Build IT International supporters.

Nicolas Mwanshi is the head teacher. He is paid £15 a month by parents to run the school which goes to grade 5.

“It is tough here” he says. “ I have to grow my own food, but this is a good school which will be better with new classroom”

With your support, we aim to complete at least one more school this year.

UPDATE JULY 2008

Since the community planning workshop a lot has happened.

The community has been busy gathering washed sand and gravel to be used on the project.

The architect David Bwalya has produced draft designs as pictured here. These are being costed and discussed by the community to see that the building meets their needs. There are likely to be some adjustments to keep costs under control but the building will definitely use stabilised soil blocks rather than concrete.

A special 'hip' roof tile has been designed by Parry Associates in the UK and new moulds are on their way to Zambia. This will be used on the ridges that connect the six sides of the roof.

Finally, a new builder, Mabvuto Zulu, has been appointed. He holds various trade certificates and comes with excellent references.

We still hope to finish the building by November!

UPDATE OCTOBER 2008

Progress has been rapid at Butempa with the build almost at ring-beam level. The new school building should be ready by November and open for the new school year in February. New facilities include two, unique, hexagonal classrooms and a teacher’s office. At a total cost of £20,000 including all our support costs – fantastic value for the 600 children currently cramped into two dingy classrooms.

At St Agness the local community has spent the past two months collecting materials and work is due to start there later this month. This project will also build two new classrooms to expand the capacity of the school. This project will see Joel Muleya step up to lead builder following his training at Butempa. The project will also train up at least four skilled labourers in tile and brick making.

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