For students who would not be in school,
a reliable meal and an education.
Not every child in Zambia can afford to go to school. The cost of exam fees, uniforms, and textbooks are out of reach for families struggling to put food on the table. Without a primary education, most children remain trapped in an intergenerational cycle of poverty.
Families asked for our help, and we responded. Since 2001 CACZ has partnered with local churches to provide nutrition and education to thousands of children who would otherwise miss out on school.
In our seven FaithWorks primary schools, church buildings become classrooms during the week for children in Grades 1 through 7. For children in Grades 7 through 12, the Helen DeVos Christian School (HCDS) offers a quality secondary education that prepares students for university or careers in various trades.
How we help school-aged children:
RELIABLE MEALS.
Students in our schools access a daily hot lunch, sometimes their only meal of the day, improving attendance, focus, and performance in their studies.
HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION.
On average, our primary school students achieve 20% higher national test scores than students in public schools. Secondary graduates of HDCS boast an 100% pass rate, double the national average, and are prepared to be competitive in their fields of career or study.
POSITIVE ADULT INFLUENCES.
Many students in our schools are single and double orphans who see their teachers as educators and trustworthy adult figures. Teachers guide students through challenges and help them reach their goals.
GENDER EQUALITY.
We champion gender equality in a context where girls are less likely to complete primary or secondary education due to domestic responsibilities, early marriage or pregnancy. We maintain a 50/50 enrollment ratio of boys and girls, and educate our students gender-based inequalities.
Bathsheba’s story: she was given the gift of education. Now, she wants to give back.
As a young girl growing up in one of Lusaka’s poorest neighborhoods, Bathsheba lacked regular access to medical care. Whenever doctors visited, she would stand in line with her mother for hours. “The lines were so long that I watched people die before they got help,” she said. “When I saw this, I knew then that I wanted to help them.”
Today, Bathsheba is one of the top students in her Grade 12 class at HDCS. After she graduates, Bathsheba will apply to study medicine at a local university. She dreams of returning to her community as a doctor to establish a free medical clinic that will provide life-saving care to her neighbors.
“I was given the gift of education,” she tells us. “And now I want to give back.”
Thousands of children lifted up through education.
7,354
children have received nutrition and education at FaithWorks primary schools since 2001.
1,609
teens have become the first members of their families to graduate from secondary school.
51
young adults whose families could not afford primary school have now completed a university degree.
4,040
boxes of food provide daily lunch at school each year for thousands of children who struggle with food insecurity.