Challenges start early for children in Zambia. Drinking the water may give you cholera and other diseases. Hanging out on the streets leads to trouble and abuse. Education can be a way out but the government schools are overcrowded and the private ones are beyond what they can ever afford.
Read MoreWe thank our Lord who has been so faithful in the work of community schools. The government of Zambia has a policy of free education that presents challenges for the running of community schools. We are grateful for the support that we receive from our Outreach partners.
As reported in our April update, the COVID-19 pandemic did affect CCAP Community Schools. We followed government-required measures
Read MoreThe CCAP Community Schools Program in Zambia exists to help vulnerable and orphaned children receive an education. The daycare and nutrition centers, which began in 2001, have evolved into early learning centers for thousands of children who would not be able to attend schools otherwise. Demand for education is high as 52% of Zambia’s population are under the age of 18.
Like so many programs, the Community Schools Program has suffered under the restrictions of the government’s efforts to control the spread of COVID-19. There are 30 still-functioning schools in three provinces (Lusaka, Copperbelt, and Eastern) that are operating on a reduced schedule. Some schools have temporarily closed as parents and guardians have withdrawn their children to work, and there are no funds to pay the teachers’ allowances. Teacher training workshops have been suspended, and home life has also been challenging.
Read MoreThere are 40 community schools for orphaned and vulnerable children managed by the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Synod of Zambia. More than 6,000 children are supervised by over 120 volunteer teachers. Many classes use church buildings but have been lacking student desks and teaching materials.
As reported in the June update, Zambian schools were closed in March to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Most of the schools reopened on September 21. There were some challenges in reopening the community schools since they did not have adequate space for social distancing.
Read MoreThe CCAP Synod of Zambia is proud of its Community Schools Initiative, and rightly so. Because of the large number of vulnerable and orphaned children in Zambia, there is a critical need for them to access early learning opportunities in order to break the cycle of poverty in their lives.
The synod initially opened daycare centers with feeding programs in 2001 to serve poor communities. In 2004 these daycare centers were transformed into community schools. The community schools educate children who would not have access to school due to financial constraints. The synod now operates 40 community schools nationally, linked with CCAP congregations, that serve more than 6,000 vulnerable children. As the number of schools increased, the synod created a Department for Early Childhood Education and Community Schools.
Read MoreThe Outreach Foundation recently received the following message from CCAP Moderator Rev C. Chundas:
Dear friends,
The CCAP Synod of Zambia is so thankful to the Lord for his love and mercy towards his people in our Synod. I want to thank all of the CCAP members for their support and contributions – spiritual, physical and financial. I also want to thank our overseas partners who have contributed by sending us mission co-workers together with prayers and financial support. The Synod really appreciates this support. Partners have supported us in developing the church in many areas; they have also facilitated the funding of many projects. The CCAP Synod of Zambia has various projects which are ongoing, such as construction of the Synod offices and construction of the Chasefu Theological College classroom block.
Read More
