Location	Chainda Compound, Lusaka, Zambia
Project start	May 2010
Project finish	February 2011
Partners	Zambia Open Community Schools (ZOCS)
Trainees	17
Beneficiaries	10,000
Key Details	Three classroom block for urban community school

Full Project details

This community school serves a very poor urban compound on the edge of the capital, Lusaka, and gives priority to orphans and vulnerable children. The school is operated by the local community with support from Zambian Open Community Schools.

The school was built using our unique hexagonal ‘Cool School’ design with a connecting office and storeroom. There is an observation window between the classrooms and the office.

Build IT International completed the new three-classroom block in February 2011, and the school held an opening ceremony involving hundreds of local community members. The new building received a donation of desks from Stanbic Bank. The Ministry of Education has pledged further financial support and food has been donated from the local church for school feeding programme. In 2012 the school is planning extend its work to offer grades eight and nine.

Project Trainees

We started work at Chainda Community School with 17 trainees. Six trainees left the programme early when they were offered work with a local construction company.

The remaining 11 all completed their training and passed their building trades tests. They were rewarded with their own tool kits from the charity Tools for Self Reliance. All have gone on to gain further experience and work in the construction sector.

‘I am now able to handle construction contracts on my own…and can manage construction matters without difficulty’. Luke Lubemba, Chainda trainee.