Please help us get more children through secondary school to open up opportunities for their futures. Students who pass Grade 9 at Pizz School are able to go on to senior secondary up to Grade 12. But, not only do they have to pass their Grade 9 exam, they also have to find money for school fees as well as books and uniform. We do find sponsorship for many children, but not everyone is sponsored. This project will fund 3 more students for 3 years to complete secondary education.
Secondary school is expensive for Zambians and for the children we work with the fees mean that even if they work hard to pass their primary education, they cannot continue their schooling. Therefore many able and enthusiastic children could miss out on opportunities due to financial constraints alone. Secondary education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty and still only 28% of Zambians complete secondary education (UNICEF, 2017).
This microproject, alongside a child sponsorship programme and other fundraising initiatives will enable the 26 students who passed their Grade 9 exams at PIZZ this year to complete their secondary education. Many of the children at PIZZ have suffered the loss of one or both parents and experience extreme poverty and hardship daily. Passing Grade 9 is a remarkable achievement and this project will ensure that these students are not held back due to the cost of school fees and books.
Supporting students through secondary school will reduce poverty in the long-term. UNESCO estimates that each extra year of schooling a person has is associated with increased earnings of up to ten per cent. Success at Grade 12 opens up many possibilities, such as further education or training. With this comes the opportunity for young people to increase their earning potential to support both themselves and their families in the future.
