Sponsor Francine's High School Education in Zambia

Francine has completed her first year at Chaol Trust and begun Grade 9 in January.  Below is some additional information about Francine.

Family: Francine lives with her single mother and three siblings in Chunga. Her parents were never legally married, and her father left for Botswana many years ago, leaving the family to fend for themselves. However, Francine’s uncle is active and supportive in her life, and was present at the home interview. For a while, this uncle allowed Francine to live with his family and took care of her to help support the family. However, when he divorced his wife, he also began to struggle and Francine had to return to her mother. When he can, the uncle still contributes to the family financially, around 300 kwacha ($50)/ month. Francine’s mother sells fritters (small baked goods) on the road, which makes about 450 kwacha ($70)/month.

They own a home with seven rooms, however they divided the house to be able to make rental income. Their tenant pays the family 300 kwacha ($50)/month, which helps pay for electricity and food for the family. Her older brother and sister are both attending secondary school, and her younger sister is in Grade 6 at Diana Kaimba primary school. They don’t have running water but pay their neighbors to be able to use their well.

Education: Francine has managed the transition from primary school to Chalo very well, and her academic performance has been great. In Term I, Francine received 486 points and ended up fourth in her class. She followed up this encouraging start by improving her Term II scores to 499 points and retaining her position as the fourth-best in class, with two fellow KF scholars above her. Her principal wrote, “Francine’s excellent attitude is reflected in the work she does.” Another teacher commented, “Francine is an enthusiastic learner who tackles new challenges eagerly and with a positive attitude.”

Francine also cares deeply about her fellow students. She told us, “I motivate my friends by encouraging them to study extra hard to improve their performance at school. We have taken the initiative to form study groups, which has made us improve tremendously in all the subjects.”

Francine did very well at Chalo Trust in her first year.  Her grades for term 3 are attached.  

KF Involvement: During the term holidays, Francine has volunteered at Breath of Heaven a local orphanage. At the orphanage, Francine has taught math and other subjects to the young kids. She feels that community service is very important because “as an individual you need to have a heart for others and learn to give back to the community.”

Extracurricular Interests: Francine is a very talented athlete and is involved in all the sports activities at Chalo. She has earned a gold medal for her performance in a running competition held in Ndola earlier this year. She also enjoys playing netball and football and serves as a group leader for the school athletics. She says that playing on the school team has taught her to work together with teammates to “create ownership for us to succeed and achieve our goals as a team.” Francine is also a member of Jets, a science and math club at Chalo. In Jets, Francine carries out
different science projects and gets together with club members for additional study outside class.

Francine’s Thoughts: Francine hopes to go to university and study medicine. Her ultimate goal is to become a doctor “because I would like to be always there for others to complement what I have achieved at KF.” Reflecting on the impact of the KF scholarship, Francine wrote to her sponsor, “You have lifted me from grass to grace. The sponsorship has really helped us in such a way that is beyond human words. It has really given my family a sigh of relief. We are now able to have three meals per day a thing, which we never dreamed.” She says that the scholarship motivates her to work extra hard so as not to squander the opportunity she’s been given.

• Francine's Term 3 Grades (PDF)
  

Kucetekela students wrote letters to their sponsors.  Below is a letter from Francine to her sponsors.

Dear Sir or Madam,

Hello! I am delighted to write to you and extend my concern of how you have been getting on. I am very fine and I hope everything is going well with you. I hope and wish you good health with your family. My family is ok despite the loss of my grandfather. I am very grateful to your wonderful support that you have giving me and with a thankful heart I would like to congratulate you for sparing your well-esteemed time for me. This is great not only to me but to the whole family. My family is equally very impressed and happy with what you are doing for me. This has really helped us in such a way that is beyond human words. You coming to my aid has really given us a sigh of relief. We are now able to have three meals per day a thing, which we never dreamed. The scholarship you have funded has really encouraged me to work extra hard. I am always an example to all other children that I play with. It has also changed my mind such that I now think maturely and logically. The same scholarship has also taught me to be there for others and contribute positively to my community. I now teach little children when I am home during the term breaks, which the community appreciates a lot.

At school, the subjects I cherish a lot are math and integrated science. I enjoy integrated science because my teacher there is not just a mere teacher, but a coach that makes it easy for me to understand myself and others. It is really a challenge to me because it makes me discern sense from whatever I do and show maturity in me. In as far as teachers are concerned, I like them all but my favourite is my science teacher. He is always available when I need clarification and proper understanding. He is really an apple of my eye. In my views, I view myself as a beneficiary to my friends. I motivate them by encouraging them to study extra hard to improve their performance at school. We have taken the initiative to form study groups, which has made us improve tremendously in all the subjects.

In school programs, I am a member of the Jets club. Jets is a club where people learn more about sciences. In Jets, we specifically come up with projects. One project that I’m doing is to research biodegradable plastics. I am also actively involved in all athletics. I am a gold medal winner and I am also a group leader in athletics, which means I encourage my fellow friends to use their talent wisely. I make them train and practice regularly. I am a very good runner. In other sporting activities, I am a soccer player as well as netball. This has really built me to be a community-based girl, which is a girl who encourages and teaches people how to live accordingly and helps in solving community issues.  and get along with others very well to create ownership for us to succeed. We always will as a team to achieve our goals. This has really taught me that no man is an island. It has also taught me that divided we fall, united we stand.

As for KF programs, you may see from the paragraph above that I am a very committed community worker. I teach Math and general knowledge to kids at a Breath of Heaven orphanage in Chunga. The thing that I have mostly gained in this experience is to share ideas with the other children. I really like teaching the young kids about leadership, and this really motivates me that they also want to work extra hard in education to achieve their goals. I feel that as an individual, you need to have a heart for others and learn to give back to the community.

I am very interested in studying medicine. I would really like to be a doctor because I would like to be always there for others to complement what I have achieved at KF. On behalf of my family and indeed on my behalf, I would like to thank you for all that you are doing for us. May the good Lord extend his long hand of blessing to you and my KF friends. You have lifted me from grass to grace and as I am writing this letter, I am really humbled.

Yours sincerely,

Francine