The focus of the project is on education and helping families who are already doing everything they can to help themselves, but their efforts are not enough to support their children through school (which is all boarding school here in Zambia, after grade 7). Their poverty perpetuates the poverty of their uneducated children. The idea is to end the cycle by giving the sustainable gift of a high school diploma and education.

Our first family is the Manda family. Mr. Manda is the Clinic Incharge at our Rural Health Center. He is one of four full-time staff members, serving over 10,000 villagers that live in our area. Obviously his services are in constant demand. His government net salary is 1.1 million kwacha, roughly 250 US dollars, each pay period (once a month). His wife, Ester, has a smart sense for business. Aside from subsistence farming (to feed the family), cooking, cleaning, sweeping, fetching water, and taking care of the kids, Ester goes around and buys everyone’s surplus maize during harvest season, only to sell it to the government when the time and price is right. This money goes towards school fees.

James (Mr. Manda) and Ester were fairly responsible give their culture they had a meager 5 children, spaced every two years. Then Mr. Manda’s sister died, leaving them with two more. Death on Mrs. Manda’s side left them with another.

They are great parents. They instill in their children the importance of education. – In Zambia school is not free. Grades 1 through 9 are local, but require a “school fee” and if you are lucky (motivated) enough to learn anything in the understaffed, large, classrooms, you pass the Government Grade 7 and then Grade 9 Exams and qualify to continue. To continue means to go to boarding school, where there are: school fees, boarding fees, meal fees, uniform fees, exam fees, and worst of all, transport costs between the school and home three times a year.

The Manda’s first born, Marriyam, not only finished grade 12, but is now at The University of Zambia (UNZA) doing her first year of medical school! It was her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Manda who have paid for all of her schooling.

Rihanna, one of their adopted dependents, has finished grade 12 and has just received acceptance for a full-scholarship for a four-year nursing degree. Room and board, tuition costs, etc, are all paid for. However, just as if I were to be accepted to the University of London for a PhD, they would not provide the plane ticket. Rihanna’s university, Mackaine, happens to be a 250 dollar plane ticket away. She is so close, but so far.

Mrs. and Mr. Manda have gotten their children so far. They have achieved this, mostly by borrowing money and paying it back until the new school year begins and they have to borrow money again. However, they are now at the end of their rope.

I am not in favor of charity. I am not in favor of NGOs there give money, as opposed to teach others how to make it for themselves. But what of a family that is already doing all they can? What of a family that is already working as many hours as possible in some of the best village jobs available, but it is not enough? Do their children stop going to boarding school because they have no money to pay it? Then their children build huts in the village because they are unable to qualify for jobs in the town or city. And then they cannot afford to put their kids through school. So their children do not even bother going to school, since, really, what is the point? Even if they qualify to pass grade 7 and qualify for boarding school, there is no money to sponsor them. So now you have a village of thousands who never even passed grade 3.

This program is an opportunity to end that cycle. To raise motivated, hard working families from the chains and vicious cycle of poverty by providing an education. The program is an opportunity for those abroad who would like to help those in the worst of poverty. It is an opportunity for those who always wanted to do something they knew would make a significant difference, but do not want to move to rural Africa. By sponsoring a child here (meaning only paying for their education directly) you have made a difference. That degree will be with them forever. Period.

As a sponsor chooses a child whose education they would like to pay for, they notify my at ps674@nyu.edu . Once they have sent the funds, they must send an e-mail again, one to: yahyacollector@gmail.com and one to ps674@nyu.edu stating exactly how much was sent and to which child they would like the money to go. Yahya is a permanent staff member here in Katete. At the beginning of each school term, Mr Manda will come and pick up the amount the sponsor has provided for the child’s school fees and only that amount. Upon request of the sponsor, at the end of each school term, the sponsor will be sent the Certificate of Completion and Report Card for that student to let them know that the school fees were paid as they child has completed the term and is doing well at school. It is that easy.

This opportunity is unique in that the money goes directly from the sponsor to the child. There are no expenses (except for whatever fees your bank may charge you for transfer). Then the money is picked by the family and or paid to the school. Period.