Kasanka Trust
and The Chitambo Education Project

 

 

KASANKA TRUST PROFILE

Kasanka Trust actively seeks support from the local community to secure the long term future of Kasanka National Park. By using education as a basic tool, Kasanka Trust is trying to increase the community’s awareness of conservation and promote economic development. 

 With the support of The Ministry of Education, Kasanka Trust has set up a project to aid education in Kafinda Game Management Area (GMA).
The project is funded by external donations from various trusts and
charities as well as individual sponsors.
 

A YOUNG LEARNER AT MULEMBO PRE-SCHOOL

 EDUCATION IN ZAMBIA

Schools throughout the country fall into two different categories – Government schools and Community schools:

Government Schools fall under the Ministry of Education whilst Community Schools are independent entities started by parents in villages. More and more community schools are being established due to the increase in pupil populations as well as the great distances between government schools.

Government Schools employ trained teachers from teacher training colleges whilst Community Schools recruit untrained teachers who work on a voluntary basis and have no formal training. Trained teachers are paid by the Ministry of Education and earn around K700,000 (US$210) a month . Untrained teachers are meant to receive 1 gallon of groundnuts or mealie meal from each child per month, but they often have shortages.

 

 

 

 CHITAMBO EDUCATION PROJECT PROFILE

The Education Project was started in the year 2000 and over a period of 6 years, the Trust has sponsored 50 pupils (13 girls and 37 boys) through secondary school and 9 untrained teachers (1 female and 8 males) to teach in Community Schools. The Trust has also rehabilitated the classroom blocks and teachers’ houses of 3 local Government Schools.

The Education Project expanded considerably at the beginning of 2006 with an increase in the number of students being sponsored and the introduction of a number of new initiatives. With the number of visitors to the park on the increase, the Project has also gained a lot more exposure and we are hoping to take on even more sponsorships per academic year.

 

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

 

  • We would like to make helping community schools a priority as they are started by local initiative and survive on so little. Assistance from the Trust includes giving advice and support wherever needed, paying untrained teachers’ salaries and sending them on training workshops, as well as donating teaching resources and building materials.

 

  • Due to the expense of secondary school education in the country, the Education Project is committed to sponsoring students from the surrounding area to high school. Children from higher income families are often the only ones who progress on to secondary school with boys usually given preference. We are most interested in helping students who show initiative and who are enthusiastic and determined.

 

Sponsorships of pupils and untrained teachers by individual donors have become increasingly popular due to the project being on a small-scale with low administrative costs. Therefore all monies go directly towards the sponsorships and if desired, sponsors and candidates can make contact.

 

 

 

 

   SPONSORED FEMALE STUDENTS AT FIBWE HIDE

 

 

·         The rehabilitation of school buildings and teachers’ accommodation around Kasanka is also high on our list of priorities. Most school buildings are in a deplorable state with roofs being held down with scraps of wire and children being taught on cold cement floors. Often teachers reside in neighbouring villages and have to walk kilometres to school every day. Having accommodation at schools is extremely beneficial as classes start on time and school possessions are better cared for. Most teachers and parents are very willing to do the building themselves, but they require assistance with building materials.

 

·         Conservation education is seen as vital to the long term future of Kasanka National Park. The Education Project co-ordinates and facilitates school park visits to promote conservation education in the area, and is currently constructing an Interpretation Centre at Kasanka’s new Conservation Centre near the park gate.

 

We are also encouraging more and more schools to sign up for membership with the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Zambia. A key element of the Society’s Environmental Education Programme is the production of environmental education material such as the Chongololo and Chipembele magazines, which are distributed free of charge to community-based Chongololo Conservation clubs throughout the country. Chongololo Club of the Air, a weekly Sunday lunch-time radio programme, is also very much a utilised initiative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSERVATION EDUCATION STUDIES INSIDE THE PARK

 

 

  • Affiliating local schools near Kasanka with schools abroad is one of the newer ventures of 2006. Through ‘Ecokids,’ a school-swapping initiative based in Holland, we connected a Dutch school with a Zambian school over a three month period from September to November. The schools exchanged educational material such as drawings, poetry and essays along a theme of conservation, and it turned out to be a very successful affiliation. The first of its kind in Zambia, and one which we hope to see more of in the future.

     

 

If you have any queries or would like to get involved in the Project in any way, please feel free to contact Leigh Chaloner, Education Co-ordinator, Kasanka National Park

 

Contact us

 

 

TWO KABWE STUDENTS SEEKING SPONSORSHIP FOR 2007

 

 

The following two students are Grade 9 pupils at St Paul’s Secondary School in Kabwe, one of the best boarding schools in the country. Both boys started being sponsored by Kasanka Trust in 2005, and are looking for sponsorship for next year.

 

Frank Chisenga is 16 years old and has 4 sisters and 4 brothers. His top 2 subjects are English and Computers, and he enjoys reading and studying. Frank has visited Kasanka National Park 4 times – twice as a sponsored student and twice as a Chongololo Club member. In the June holidays of this year, he came to work in the garden at Mulaushi Research Centre. He is an enthusiastic, well-mannered young man who shows great initiative for his age.

School results (40% a pass)

Grade 9                                                Term 2

Civics                                                    59% (Credit)

Environmental Science                            61% (Merit)

Religious Education                                 56% (Credit)

History                                                  47% (Pass)

Geography                                             63% (Merit)

Mathematics                                          29% (Fail)

Agriculture                                             60% (Merit)

English                                                  63% (Merit)

Office Practice                                        65% (Merit)

Computers                                             69% (Merit)

After completing his schooling, Frank would like to start a small business to fundraise for his tertiary education, and go on to study law at The University of Zambia (UNZA).

 

 

 

 

Frederick Museka is 15 years old and is one of 6 children. He enjoys reading and studying, and likes visiting interesting places such as Kasanka National Park. Frederick has visited the park 5 times – twice as a sponsored student, twice as a Chongololo Club member, and once on a Darwin Initiative tour.

School results

Grade 9                                    Term 2

Civics                                        58% (Credit)

Environmental Science                65% (Merit)

Religious Education                     64% (Merit)

History                                      53% (Credit)

Geography                                 63% (Merit)

Mathematics                              31% (Fail)

Agriculture                                 72% (Honours)

English                                      63% (Merit)

Office Practice                            60% (Merit)

Computers                                 68% (Merit)

Overall result – 437/600

Frederick has a keen interest in conservation and the environment, and he is one of a few students who have shown extraordinary interest in the park.  After completing his Grade 12, Frederick plans to study nature conservation at The University of Zambia (UNZA) and hopes to work in Kasanka National Park one day.        

                                            

 

 

The amount needed to sponsor these boys for the year is £350 each. This amount will cover boarding school fees, transport, tuition fees, examination fees, a uniform, and school requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

AN UNTRAINED TEACHER SEEKING SPONSORSHIP

Wesley Luchele has been working as an untrained teacher at Chititima Community School and is now in his third year of service. He was the only teacher at the school for two years, teaching and co-ordinating five grades until March this year when we placed another teacher at the school to help him. We would really like to be able to pay Wesley a salary and send him for teacher training as he has shown such determination and dedication.

The amount needed to sponsor Wesley for the year is US$1200. This money will go towards paying him a monthly contribution and sending him on teacher training workshops.

 

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  Contact us

Click here for information on the Kapepa Community Centre