Zambia is a beautiful, peaceful African nation plagued by incessant poverty.
Everyday, its people struggle to overcome hardships and the majority of its youth remain vulnerable.
Child protection issues run rampant as more than half of the country’s population is of school age.
Protecting our world’s children requires us to first understand them.
In Zambia, many are neglected and orphaned as a result of high HIV/AIDS rates.
In an effort to escape child labor and abuse, at times children as young as five run away from their poverty-stricken homes.
Ten-year-olds struggle with substance abuse while adolescents battle social stigmas and intolerance.
Poverty is a cycle near impossible to break, so for many, life in Zambia remains a challenge.
The majority of youth in Zambia do not have access to quality education.
Teachers are often inadequately trained and ill equipped to manage their overcrowded classrooms.
Some students drop out of school as early as Grade 4 because they no longer understand the material and have fallen so behind that they simply give up. Others stop attending class and instead work to help support their families.
Many lack the supplies and the resources needed to continue with their schooling.
No matter the reason, children are too often robbed of their right to an education.
In an effort to escape child labor and abuse, at times children as young as five run away from their poverty-stricken homes.
Ten-year-olds struggle with substance abuse while adolescents battle social stigmas and intolerance.
Poverty is a cycle near impossible to break, so for many, life in Zambia remains a challenge.
The majority of youth in Zambia do not have access to quality education.
Teachers are often inadequately trained and ill equipped to manage their overcrowded classrooms.
Some students drop out of school as early as Grade 4 because they no longer understand the material and have fallen so behind that they simply give up. Others stop attending class and instead work to help support their families.
Many lack the supplies and the resources needed to continue with their schooling.
No matter the reason, children are too often robbed of their right to an education.
Imagine wanting to learn, but lacking an opportunity to do so.
Though advancements in the Zambian education system are being made, the country still experiences low enrollment rates and even lower matriculation rates. Performance-based exams determine whether or not students are accepted into the next level of schooling and acceptance rates decline drastically as students grow older.
Even when children are able to demonstrate their academic qualifications, many lack the financial means necessary to continue with their education. Secondary school in Zambia is neither free nor compulsory, and as a result an estimated 7% of the total population complete Grade 12.
Even when children are able to demonstrate their academic qualifications, many lack the financial means necessary to continue with their education. Secondary school in Zambia is neither free nor compulsory, and as a result an estimated 7% of the total population complete Grade 12.
Despite all of these obstacles, children still want to learn.
Life in Zambia remains a challenge for many, but we see limitless potential.
We observe students struggling in school not for lack of ability, but for lack of opportunity.
We have witnessed the positive effect just one child can have in their community, and know that there is no better way to create lasting change than by educating our youth. We believe that all children deserve the right to a happy and healthy life.
We observe students struggling in school not for lack of ability, but for lack of opportunity.
We have witnessed the positive effect just one child can have in their community, and know that there is no better way to create lasting change than by educating our youth. We believe that all children deserve the right to a happy and healthy life.