The project will provide two years of scholarship support for 40 children (30 girls, 10 boys) from Lusaka to attend secondary school. Scholarships will cover school fees and supplies. Zambia is a country where about half of school-age children are enrolled in school - and rates are even lower in Lusaka where the population lives on less than $2 per day and the identified orphans cannot afford school fees to primary and secondary schools in their community.
The identified children are single and double orphans who cannot afford school fees and scholastic materials, many youth in Zambia are forced to drop out before they enroll and go in the street of Lusaka. This has contributed to early marriages, and bear children at an early age in the street of Lusaka. In addition to that domestic and economic pressures force children to child labor, Worse still traditionally girl child education has not been accorded value and illiteracy levels are very high.
Girl Inspiration Group (GIG) involved local community members in the identification process of these children from four Zones of Lusaka Province. GIG has entered into partnership with 20 government schools to accommodate the OVCs. The schools equip children with essential skills for coping with the challenges of contemporary life. They learn literacy and numeric skills, hygiene, and creative activities. The children are also supported to take part in educational tours every term twice.
Since education is the most powerful tools for reducing poverty and inequality. The identified children have no capacity to afford the needed requirements. Scholarships will assist children pursue their life goals. Girl's involvement will contribute in the reduction of incidences of early marriages. Ultimately an educated mother is more than twice as likely to send her children to school. Furthermore, this project will see children enabling to read and write independently without challenges.
