Kanyama Free Baptist Community School

Kanyama is a large compound, or township, in the centre of Lusaka, Zambia and is home to the Kanyama Free Baptist Community school which provides  education and food for up to 270 of the local children.

Kanyama is one of the most  impoverished compounds of Zambia.

Life is tough in Kanyama

The compound has a total population of about 370,000 people and is not connected to the sewer system with residents using pit latrines which put them at high risk of contracting Cholera. In addition, scheduled power cuts are common.

The club’s connection with the school began some years ago after a visit by a club member. It has supported many projects at the school, which also shares the premises with the Kanyama Free Baptist Church.

This simple photo- lives changed by fresh water being piped into the school.

The joy of fresh water is plain to see.

 

With the aid of Distric Grant funds- the school toilet block.

Projects include the installation of a mains water supply, the building of an additional  classroom, and a toilet block

Hard at work in the main part of the school- the Church.

. The club have also provided educational equipment (text books,stationery and classroom requisites), and even wellington boots for the teachers to make the journey to the school when the area becomes flooded during the rainy season.

Two years ago, an outbreak of Cholera closed all of the schools in the compound. The Kanyama Free Baptist School remained open because of their connection to the mains services which we had helped provide.

The school provides a meal for all students.

Celebrating the opening of the new classroom.

In addition to the educational programme, the school feels a social responsibility to provide the  children who attend, one meal per day. This could in many cases, be the only real meal that the children would receive. While food, usually in the form of  rice is provided through a World Food Aid programme and the Christian Alliance of Zambia, our club has helped in providing the funds for the means of turning the donated rice into a meal. Charcoal, cooking oil, salt, sugar and drinks etc.

 

The school has four teachers along with the principle, Beston Chilimalema.We are in regular contact with Beston who informs us as to how progress is being made under the most difficult of circumstances.

School Principle Beston Chilemalema, Linda Chimbwali,Patricia Masonga,Sharon Lyato and Eric Munyenyembe