Miswa Central Primary School, situated 66km north of Zambia’s capital Lusaka, was founded in 2016 through the determination of the local community. 

But the children have been learning in makeshift classrooms, housed in old structures on borrowed land. The owner of this land has not allowed the school to take forward any developments or construction work.

The government has recently helped the school to secure permanent land, and the dream of a real school was finally within reach.

The challenges

Learning at Miswa was a daily struggle. Construction of the school was inadequate, with no proper classrooms and latrines.

The Ministry of Education was ready to send trained teachers to the school, but only when suitable facilities were in place. The pupils – 129 boys and 136 girls – relied on just four volunteer teachers.

An old dilapidated housing structure which was used as a classroom

The latrines were unhygienic and offered no privacy

The second classroom had no roof, making the situation even more dire during the rainy season

“When it starts to rain, the children learning in the unroofed class join their peers in the other room… and because these are different grades, the teachers have to pause lessons. And that takes away a lot of teaching time, and so to try and recover lost time, we resort to extending the time that the pupils knock off from school,” Haward Hamaamba, Teacher in charge.

Some learners had opted to enrol in distant schools, but many dropped out because the journey was too far.

What we did with your support:

• Constructed three new classrooms to improve the learning environment for the pupils. Plus one room to establish a library to help improve literacy, with options for holding ICT lessons later
• Built a staff room, to support lesson planning and marking, and Headteacher’s office, with a secure strong room to store exam papers

As a result of the new facility, the school has welcomed a new Headteacher, Mr. John Nkandu Mumba, who has already brought fresh energy and leadership. He has introduced a new school uniform to help foster identity and belonging among learners. Mr Mumba shared:

“I am happy to be here and to be part of this new journey. The children are excited and committed to taking care of the new school. This is a great beginning for Miswa, and we hope the government will send more teachers to support this growing community.”

• Constructed separate latrines for pupils, and a smaller block for teachers

• Drilled a borehole and installed a submissible pump, water tank and tap to improve access to clean, safe water to be used by the school and local community

• Trained 23 young people from the local area in construction skills, equipping them with opportunities for future employment.

These new facilities are a game changer for the children at Miswa School.

With your support, we’ve built strong, safe classrooms and created a learning environment that inspires hope. Sanitation has been transformed, and access to clean water has improved – creating a healthier place for children to learn and grow.

Young people from the local area have gained valuable skills and new opportunities through their involvement in the project, helping them to find work and provide for their families.

A proper school will bring students back, attract qualified teachers, and help unlock a brighter future for the whole community.

Thank you for helping us #BuildingBrighterFutures for young people in Zambia.