Support Vulnerable Children in Monze, Zambia

I have just received a report from Mrs. Sianga who initiated the project and manages the school on a day to day basis. I will therefore let her tell you about the project in her own words.

Pizz School had the vision of reducing the number of street kids, even if the school had a lot of challenges the idea was to save the children, since its inception the school has made an impact to a number of children in Monze and the impact of the project is now seen. It is just like a light placed on the top of the mountain and the number of children is increasing day in and day out. Currently the total number of children from Grade 1 up to Grade 9 is 380 at Pizz school. 11 pupils are in grade 11 under this project then 5 are in grade 10 (these children are being supported at local secondary schools). We are proud to say the school project aim has started bearing fruits - one of our pupils by the name of Mawini is now at university of Zambia under school of natural science.

ACHIEVEMENTS 

• The project is feeding the 380 children and as a result children's performance has increased.

• The project is paying a number of teachers in order for them to manage teaching the children,

• The project managed to maintain the school,

• The project managed to increase the number of desks,

• The project managed to build a strong room so that the children can write their exams at the same school.

• The project managed to procure the science kit which is important for the children,

• The project managed to procure a photo coping machine which is vital in any school.

• The project managed to support the pupils with school uniforms.

• The project managed to support a number of children with different types of clothes.

• The project managed to pay for pupils in secondary schools.

CHALLENGES

• The number of the children has increased and the challenge is food, because at the time when we were budgeting the number was not like this. Most of the schools in Monze are not offering the services which are offered here, hence the increase of the number. Everyday people are coming to ask for places for the children, but it is only that we don’t have enough classrooms of which we have limited the number of pupils.

• There is a need to increase the number of teachers because they have introduced new subjects in Zambia. These are business studies - under this is: book keeping, accounts (office practice) computer lessons, agric and home economics. There is a need of buying new books for these lessons and we also need computers for the children because those who are in grade 9 this year have to write these subjects in the final exam.

• Most of the children are coming from homes where the is no electricity and studying is a problem. We are requesting you to help us with solar lights. If we can have a number of them I think it can help and increase the number of children passing .

• As the number of children has increased, there is a need to increase the number of desks.

• Some children who passed this year have had no one to help them so far (to enable them to go to secondary school). It is a challenge because some can go back onto the streets.

In July we hope to send a team of volunteers to help with the building of a new classroom block – for which we have obtained separate funding. Please help us to continue to support this wonderful project and enable Mrs.Sianga and her team to bring an ever brighter light to the people of Monze.

The school continues to provide great support for the orphaned and most vulnerable children in Monze. The support goes much further than academic training. The families are supported through care-givers. The container packed with donations from supporters in the UK arrived last month. Clothes for the children and their brothers and sisters were warmly welcomed, as were the bikes which will help the care-givers reach the families more easily.

We are managing to provide funds for feeding the children at school every day – this is making a big difference, children are able to concentrate better and their health and attendance record has improved. There are now a total of 100 boys and 128 girls attending the school. Of 22 children taking their grade 7 examinations, 17 passed – this is an excellent result.

Activities engaged in during the Holiday Club in August encouraged the school to develop programmes such as the Culture Group which uses dance, sketches and poetry to educate and explore the affects of HIV/AIDS and other significant issues impacting on the children's lives; also the gardening project, which is doing very well helping with extra food and income for the school.

Funding has been found for a new classroom block to be built on land opposite the current “new” school. This will allow the younger children to be moved where they will have room to play outside - this isn't possible at the current site. Electricity and water is a priority at the new site, but even more urgent are textbooks of which there are still far too few.

Academic performance at PIZZ School is very good. Last year 19 students from the school were funded through their first year at secondary school. Additional funds are desperately needed if future students are to get the same opportunity.

I have been privileged to see the children at PIZZ School develop over the years becoming confident young people with hope and a chance to escape from the poverty of their childhood. Thank you for your support and please help us to enable even more of these children to reach their potential.

(Sorry for the poor quality of the photos)