It’s hard to believe that it is already a month since our Annual Supporter Reception at London School of Economics.

It was fantastic to see such a great turnout – thank you to everyone who came to help celebrate another productive year.

We were delighted to welcome Mrs Doreen Nzila, Head Teacher of Linda Community School as our guest speaker. In 2016 we worked with Linda Community School to build a new science block to enable Grade 9 pupils to take their science exams.

Linda Community School has been ranked among the best performing schools in Lusaka province for many years despite being one of the poorest compounds in Lusaka and despite limited facilities.

Doreen explained that sending a child to a community school in Zambia is a difficult decision for parents to make; that there is often no guarantee of the quality of education that a child will receive. However with support from Build It and other partners, Linda has turned out to be a strong model of community schools in Zambia.

The school is now registered as an exam centre with more children passing their Grade 9 exams and continuing onto Grade 10.  People from the local community who are too old for school can now attend evening classes and resit their exams.

Doreen said “It is my desire and hope that good things will come to Linda as we pursue to achieve our vision, of a centre of excellence and an inspiration to all other Community Schools in Zambia”

It was Doreen’s first time in the UK.

“It was such a wonderful and exciting experience,” said Doreen.

“It was lovely to meet all the Build It supporters; to be able to say thank you and to show how their support is making a difference. Everyone was so nice and very welcoming, and I really loved all your historic buildings!”