The Problem

Just outside the city of Solwezi, in the North Western Province of Zambia, subsistence farmers lead lives of quiet desperation huddled in squalid clusters of makeshift huts—“villages” it seems that time forgot. Solwezi is no paradise, but 65,000 Zambians manage to eke a marginal standard of living from the hustle and bustle around its copper mining industry. The farmers in the villages of Kambeu, Muzabala and points in between are not so fortunate. They plant whatever will grow around their huts to feed themselves. Their children—many of whom are HIV/AIDS orphans being raised by aunts, uncles and grandparents—are especially vulnerable. For years, they had no prospects for even basic education: there were no schools for miles around.

The Program

The ZACTS School for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (ZACTS OVC) is located in the Muzabula area. The school opened in January 2012 with 3 classrooms and 60 students. Today, ZACTS OVC has grown to include 9 classrooms, a kitchen, washrooms, a playground, and supports over 1200 students! The school also grows vegetables and raises livestock to help supplement the children’s dietary needs and fund their academic programs.

Click here to learn more about sponsoring a group of children at the school through the Zambia Group Program.