Swan Christian College has been partnering with Immanuel Mercy and Reach Out Ministry since 2009, when the Light Up Ahead school was first conceived. The decision was made to construct a school. The school is located in the village of Kantolomba, a region facing severe challenges including high rates of unemployment, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, illiteracy, and domestic abuse.
Swan Christian College and affiliated partners, has raised funds for the school for the past 15 years, ensuring that the students have the opportunity to not only be educated and ultimately escape poverty and give back to their community, but also so that they eat at least once per day. During those 15 years, not only were the lives of the children of Kantolomba changed, but the lives of Swan Christian College students were irrevocably altered.
Swan has sent teams of students and staff to work with the school every couple of years, with the last trip being in 2018. Further trips were not possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lack of internet and electricity has made it difficult to keep abreast of what happening in the school.
At the end of March 2024, I was given the opportunity to visit the school. This was my fourth visit, but this was the first without a team of staff and students from Swan Christian College. This time it was just my husband and myself.
Despite having previously been to the school, I was initially overwhelmed by the response of the students to our presence. The crowd of students was so much bigger this time. When I was there in 2018, there were around 250 students. Now there are 450 students enrolled at the school from Reception (Kindy) to Year 7. This shows what a solid foundation the school was built on, but it is not without its challenges.
Zambia is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts they have had in 60 years. This is having a massive impact on the school. Although the students are still provided with a meal each day, the food available to them is extremely limited. During previous visits, they ate vegetables, maize, and some form of protein (fish chicken or beans). This time, they only had Nshima (Maize) and some soy pieces. The cost of staple items such as Nshima has increased from 70K (Kwatcha) to 300K per bag. (The school would use between 1 and 2 bags of Nshima per meal to feed the students).
I was excited to see some students who graduated from Light Up Ahead School and progressed to high school. I was able to speak to a few of them. Many of them love going to school despite the obstacles faced. They all wear their uniforms with pride. Some of them remembered me from previous visits.
I also spoke to some of the students who are in Year 12. They have goals and dreams of being doctors, physiotherapists and several mentioned that they wanted to join the military. While these students shared their passion for education, many of them might not be able to achieve their goals because they need sponsorship to be able to continue to university.
If you are interested in sponsoring the project you can donate through the Global Development Group website with the code J698N for the Light Up Ahead school.
The Light Up Ahead school will forever hold a special place in our hearts and prayers.
Mrs Rebecca Coleman
Teacher
