Holistic Change that Lasts
At Impact One, we are pursuing holistic change in all we do. We believe holistic change is about restoration—bringing people, systems, and communities back toward God’s original design. From the beginning, God’s vision has been one of wholeness, dignity, and flourishing (Genesis 1:27–28). Holistic change reflects that vision. It reaches beyond programs and outcomes to shape hearts, minds, and leadership so individuals and communities can flourish as they were created to.
Holistic change is not just about what we build—it is about who people become.
Recognizing Holistic Change in Our Schools
This year, we were honored to award seven partner schools with our Holistic Change Award for the first time. These 7 schools represent years of faithful growth, strong leadership, and sustainable progress. Scripture reminds us that we are to look for fruit—not quick results, but lasting evidence of transformation (Matthew 7:16).
The Holistic Change Award was not based on a single success or moment, but was monitored over our entire partnership. Over the past four years, we have tracked each school’s progress across three key indicators:
Reading levels
Student enrollment
School income through fees
Together, these indicators help us see how transformation takes root over time—strengthening both the visible outcomes and the underlying foundations of each school.
How Holistic Change Unfolds in Our Schools
Holistic change begins with strong systems and faithful leadership. As Scripture teaches, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). Through our training, mentoring, and accountability, school directors grow in their ability to lead with wisdom, integrity, and purpose.
Healthy leadership creates healthy systems. And healthy systems create space for effective teaching and learning.
As leadership and systems are strengthened, our partner schools are able to implement strong reading programs. Teachers are supported with training and tools, classrooms become interactive spaces, and students receive effective instruction and access to books. Over time, this leads to improved reading levels, deeper learning, and opportunities for discovery.
From Learning to Community Impact
As learning improves, it spreads beyond the classroom.
Parents begin to see change. Children are learning to read. Confidence grows. Hope takes root. As a result, the school’s reputation in the community begins to grow. Enrollment increases as families choose schools where they see evidence of learning and love.
As parents recognize the value of what the school offers, they begin to invest financially, even in small but meaningful ways. This growing investment reflects wise stewardship—communities choosing to support what is bearing good fruit (Luke 16:10).
In this way, schools move toward sustainability—not through dependence, but through shared ownership and responsibility.
Schools as Catalysts for Change
A sustainable school becomes more than a place of learning—it becomes a lifeline in the community. These schools are able to cast vision, implement plans, and respond to real needs. They become catalysts for change, seeking the peace and prosperity of the community they serve (Jeremiah 29:7).
Through this work, our partner schools are raising up children who are not only learning to read, but learning to lead—children who are equipped to think critically, act responsibly, and serve faithfully.
Christ at the Center
With Christ at the center, holistic change reaches every part of life. It renews minds (Romans 12:2), forms leaders of character, and restores dignity and purpose. It nurtures children intellectually, socially, and spiritually, and it builds pathways toward transformation that lasts.
This is the kind of change we are committed to—change that is owned locally, sustained over time, and rooted in faith. We are grateful to walk this journey with our partner schools and supporters as we witness God restoring our community, one school at a time.
If you would like to continue hearing stories of restoration, leadership growth, and transformed schools, we invite you to sign up for our newsletter. Each month, we share stories from Zambia that show how God is at work through faithful partnership.