Blog
Books, Friendships, and Faith
“When I came to the library, I was amazed at the number of books on the shelves and the kids reading on the mats. Outside, children were playing games, and everyone seemed to be having so much fun. I wondered why I hadn't discovered the library sooner. I wanted to be a part of it…”
How Mentorship Transformed a Teacher
Two years ago, our Education Team Leader, Chibwe, started mentoring Kondwani, a teacher from Good Shepherd. The purpose of the mentorship was to equip Kondwani to effectively engage his students in the classroom and gain confidence in the process. Their interactions involved Chibwe observing his lessons and providing constructive feedback. What began as a regular weekly mentoring session evolved into a genuine friendship with mutual respect.
A Journey of Growth and Development
Early this month we brought Chibanja and Chikondano directors together for a training on how to create an effective appeal to angage donors. The directors eagerly embraced the two-day training as well as each other, with each day offering unique insights and opportunities. Chibanja brought a wealth of knowledge from their experiences in the past, and Chikondano brought an eagerness to learn something new.
A Second Chance
When their mother heard about the inspiring reading program at Twin Palm Community School, she saw it as an opportunity for a second chance for her daughters. Since their move, Gracious and Pauline have soared in their reading.
The Turning Point
Learning the skills to read and write is only one part of a school’s mission. At Fountain of Life, Louis was equipped with so much more.
Dedicated and Determined
Owning their own school building has been a dream for as long as we’ve known them, and now it’s finally a reality. Take a look at how Priscilla and Magret’s dedication and determination is making an impact in the community.
Celebrating Progress
Grace said, "It's not just teaching, it's fun. We are involved, and the students are involved."
True Transformation
Through our one-on-one coaching, Alice’s teaching has transformed and the impact is clear in her students’ results. By confidently implementing an effective reading program, she has seen her students’ reading rates soar.
Alice says, “For me, as a teacher, I have been impacted a lot. And that impact I got, I also impacted the kids as well.”
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.
Everything has changed!
One of the biggest hurdles that Ng’ombe Jubilee School faced was the daunting task of managing their finances. Despite its noble mission, the school struggled to keep their records in order. The consequences were dire: teachers were not receiving their salaries on time, making it difficult to retain talent and deliver the best education possible. Moreover, the school couldn't even consider renovating or making necessary improvements.
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 didn't know my child can read!"
Parents are very excited as their kids are now able to read and write. One parent said, “My kid is now always busy reading on the weekend instead of just playing and watching TV. He’s enjoying reading.”
"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.
Through ups and downs
Over the past 10 years, we've walked alongside Fountain of Life School through joys and struggles. Unfortunately, wavering between seasons of growth and attrition is typical in community schools. And the past few years have been discouraging for Priscilla and Magret at Fountain of Life. But... they never gave up hope, they persevered through the challenges, and they implemented best practices along the way.
“I love thrillers!”
“Young man,” he said, “I know a lot of young people in this area but I don’t know you, are you new here?”
Ready for the year ahead
School directors were stunned into silence by the workshop approach. “This is just different, it’s so practical!”
"I want to get educated!"
Meet Hellen a 27-year-old, 7th-grade student at Fountain of Life School. She is married and is a mother to two young children. Originally from a small village where marrying and having children young is the norm, Hellen nevertheless dreamed of getting an education.
“I called all my friends!”
With funds raised from a matching grant, they’ve replaced their bamboo classroom, which had become damaged, and difficult to use for learning during rainy, cold weather, with a brick structure.