Mwachisompola is a well organised, rural settlement just north of Lusaka. The people from this community are committed to finding a way to ensure their children have an education. The school was set up in 2004 as a community school, and upgraded in 2012 to a Government school. With very little support, but plenty of determination, the community has succeeded to build a three-classroom block and persuade the Ministry of Education to send qualified teachers to the school.
Previously:
There were 490 children registered for Grades 1-7. But many more children were not coming to school because there was not enough teaching space.
Although there were 11 trained teachers, there were only three very basic classrooms. Some classes had to be held in local church buildings, but even then most children received fewer than four hours teaching a day.
There was also a desperate need for more toilets with just two crude, long-drops for the whole school, including the teachers. This was a crisis that needed to be addressed as soon as possible.
“This new classroom block will enable us to take Grade 8 children. At the moment when students graduate from our school, they have to walk 10km to the nearest secondary school. When we get more classrooms they won’t have to do that. Our children are very excited about their new facility; for them, it is a dream.” Mr Kampambe, Headteacher
What we did with your support:
- Construct a four-classroom block. This will help reduce overcrowding, and create a positive learning space for the children at this growing school.
- Built a latrine block for the pupils. The boys’ side features a cubicle and urinals, while the girls’ section includes four cubicles, one equipped with a wash space area. This crucial upgrade will help girls to manage their periods. Many girls miss school or drop out of education completely when they start menstruating, because they lack the proper facilities and products to support them.
- Built a 2-cubicle latrine block exclusively for teachers. The new latrines will help foster a better teaching environment and help attract more teachers to the school.
- Provide additional support after the build, with the provision of new desks, books and learning resources.
- Train 23 local young men and women with new skills in construction. Their new skills open up new opportunities to find work
The new facilities means the school can expand to teach children in Grades 8 and 9. The school hopes to eventually teach up to Grade 12. This will help ensure brighter futures for more children from this growing community.
Thank you for making all this possible.
