Primary Schools

HealthEd Connect sponsors three community schools in the Copperbelt region of Zambia.

While visiting homes to provide basic health care and home-based palliative care for the desperately ill and dying, community health workers (CHWs) noticed that many school-aged children were not attending school. The health workers initiated a community survey to ask basic questions, including: “What is the biggest risk to your child’s health?” The response was “education.” Somewhat surprising in an area fraught with food shortages. The caregivers - many of whom were widowed grandmothers caring for their orphaned grandchildren - said, “Tomorrow we may be hungry. But if our children do not have an education, they will have no future.”

With education identified as the most urgent need, specifically for orphans and vulnerable children, local leaders established three community schools with mentoring, encouragement, and financial support from HealthEd Connect. There are currently over 1,400 children, ages 5-15 enrolled in the three schools serving grades Kindergarten up to Grade 7. The children span a large age range but all start in Kindergarten or first grade since this is frequently their first opportunity to attend school.

The school programs are organized and run by community appointed school boards who work closely with community committees and parent-teacher organizations. The CHWs have been integral to the establishment of the schools because they are trusted and respected by the community, are knowledgeable about the needs of the various community members, and help facilitate enrichment programs for the children at the schools. We all refer to these three schools as “sister schools” because of the close collaboration between them, coming together for round-table meetings to discuss issues and create school policies. 

Like a proud parent, we’re happy to boast that 100% of the Grade 7 "graduates” from our partner schools passed their standardized exams to be eligible to go on to secondary school. And to give credit where its due, we applaud the hard working teachers and students who accomplished this goal!