Blog
Keith Continues to Amaze
Keith’s progress has been exciting to witness. A few years ago, he couldn’t read a single word. Now, at nine years old, he can pick up just about any book and read it with ease. This change has come through the literacy program at Blue Star Community School, where Impact One has been training and mentoring teachers for the past four years. With the right skills, they’re now able to teach reading more effectively, and children like Keith are benefiting from it.
The Story Behind GROW
In Ng'ombe, children as young as 11 face life-altering challenges. When innocence is lost too soon, hope fades. Discover how the GROW Program is restoring hope and helping adolescents become more resilient, responsible, and rooted in truth.
Teacher to Teacher
Imagine being 13 years old and not being able to write your own name. For many of the children who visit our library, this is the norm. They come in curious and eager, yet carry a silent struggle with basic literacy. Find out how we’re working to bridge this gap.
What Makes You Different?
With over 90 community schools packed into Ng’ombe’s tight-knit neighborhoods, each one is fighting to be seen, heard, and supported. So what sets a school apart in a place where everyone is striving to survive?
Discovering Talents on Community Day
Every Wednesday by 7:30 AM, a small crowd of kids gathers outside the library gate, excitement shining in their eyes. Some press their faces between the slats, trying to peek inside, hoping to catch a glimpse of what’s in store. Our themed community days expose the children to interactive lessons ranging from science to technology to music and more. This month, we featured a local artist, Hugh, who used his gifts to help the children discover theirs.
When Passion Meets Mentorship, Change Happens
With nothing but K150 ($28) to his name and no prior experience in teaching or running a school, Nickton refused to stand by and watch as children in his community succumbed to petty crime and early pregnancies due to poverty. He believed education was the key to breaking the cycle, and against all odds, he took a leap of faith.
Starting Strong
“I came here not knowing what to expect and afraid to speak…but I’m leaving with a whole new appreciation for my job. I want all my students to learn to read.”
Bringing Tech to Our Schools
For many of our partner schools, the idea of integrating technology into their operations felt like a distant dream—until now. Grace, one of the school directors, captured the sentiment perfectly when she said with a radiant smile and a tone filled with gratitude, “This is a blessing that has come at the right time. You’ve brought something that was so far out of reach close to us.”
Literacy and Family: Keith’s Story
Keith is a bright, confident child whose future is bright because of the incredible support he receives from his teachers, parents, and Impact One. He started as a shy boy who barely could read letters let alone spell his name. Discover how his love for books has put him at the top of his class.
Celebrating Progress
Grace said, "It's not just teaching, it's fun. We are involved, and the students are involved."
Learning through Collaboration!
The quiz event between Ng’ombe Jubilee and Winning Ways is an example of what can be achieved when schools come together for a common goal. We look forward to seeing more schools embrace the spirit of collaboration and partnership.
A dream pursued
Tryness has been working at Joy Grace School for many years now. She always wanted to be a teacher, but growing up she was labeled a slow learner and was called names which dented her confidence. When her uncle opened a school, she believed it was finally time to pursue her dreams of teaching.
"I give it an A+"
April was a busy time, much of it spent developing content for our Teaching Comprehension training. This took place at the beginning of May, with over 35 teachers in attendance from both our Chibanja and Chikondano school networks. The purpose of the training was to equip teachers with ways they can help their students to comprehend what they are reading.
Hidden Blessings!
Edward was excited to come for his first term visit with his friends and teacher. He participated fully and was very keen to show what he was reading to Tapela, yet he remained isolated.
Follow Up Makes All the Difference
This week, I stood in the back of a 2nd grade classroom and observed the Literacy lesson. Using handmade flashcards, the students reviewed all of the letter sounds they've learned complete with fun actions. Then one by one, the students came up to a handmade letter board and created their own 3 letter words with the sounds. Together, the class sounded out each 3 letter word. Tears filled my eyes as I watched these children reading! Just last year, if I had stood in the back of this same classroom, not a single child would have been able to identify letters or their sounds, much less make any words from them. Our Teacher Training and Mentoring is making an incredible impact in the classrooms.
We Are Ready!
As 2016 comes to an end, there is a sense of excitement within our schools that I've never witnessed before. They are pumped... they are confident... and they are ready for the new year!
At our last management training of the year, our schools gathered together for three intense days of planning. It was the first time our schools have ever put an entire year's plan on paper.
Investing in Leaders
One of our core goals at Impact One is to equip our schools. Through every training, meeting, and school visit, we seek to impart both skills and confidence in to our school leaders and teachers, because we believe they can! We believe they can do so many things, and we want them to believe that too. We also know that empowered teachers will raise up empowered students.
At last week's Network Meeting, I saw the beautiful results of equipping our school leaders with such confidence.
Three Years of Impact
After three years of committed partnerships and custom-designed programs, we are celebrating our 3rd birthday with incredible success. With new skills, new supplies, and new programs, our schools are improving each day! And as they improve, the community is taking notice.