Sponsoring a Zambian Student

Helping Young People to Continue at School

Link: Blog de Fundación Livingstone en español

In Zambia high school is not free. Young people who finish primary school have a difficult choice; to continue on to secondary or to stay at home to help with the little ones and with work that must be done in the village. Although many times they often have no option other than to stay home because they because they are orphans with no one to cover the school costs or because their family needs their help.

But to get out of the cycle of poverty and in order for development to occur in their villages, hese young people must be able to continue with their schooling. UNHCR proposes eight reasons for these children to continue at school. With your help as sponsors, going to school becomes reality for for these boys and girls.

Blessing Zimba has been sponsored for two years now thanks to families in Valencia! He is the second of seven children and his parents work hard at their small farm trying to support all of their children. Blessing is very grateful for the support he is receiving from his "families" in Valencia! Without their help he would have had to stay on the farm and would have never received any education after primary school. Thank you!!

Geoffrey was also grateful to have found a sponsor through Livingstone Foundation and Project Luangwa. His "family" in Valencia makes it possible for him to attend secondary school. He also knows that someone beyond the borders of his small village in Zambia cares about him and wishes him well. It is not only our financial support that means something to these children, but also the fact that we care about their lives and their futures.

We met these two girls on our first trip to Zambia. Karen from Project Luangwa was very involved in finding sponsors for them and making sure they have safe housing at Mfuwe Secondary School. They were nearing the end of their studies! Success and a brighter future await them, thanks to their sponsors!

We take for granted our secondary education, but for these boys it is an amazing opportunity. Many of these children would be back at the farm, caring for their elders or baby brothers and sisters, planting crops and grinding grain for their meals. Thanks to sponsors who care they now have a chance to study, to learn more and to break the cycle of poverty that holds their communities back.

Several years ago Ethan's family in Valencia offered to help Andrew with his studies through Livingstone Foundation and Project Luangwa. Andrew now has an opportunity to study and decide his own future, thanks to support from Ethan's family. And Ethan has the chance to learn about life in a small rural town in Africa and to meet Andrew through the letters they exchange!

Boyd Kamanga has been our sponsored student since we began working with Project Luangwa three years ago. I was lucky to be able to see him on a recent trip to Zambia. I took a book for him and our other boys. Boyd wrote in one of his letter to us later: 

"I thank you very much for the gift of a book. You know reading books is so good beacuase it makes one improve his or her grammar. I'm so happy about that novel What the Day Owes the Night, and I am enjoying so much the story by Yasmina Kahdra. I'm reading it again and again to understand the story better. It is great and fantastic and I really enjoy it!"


It is rewarding to help others and these young people are so appreciative of the chance to continue their studies. 

If you are interested in helping out with sponsorship, please contact us!

livingstonefoundationforafrica@gmail.com

Providing clean, fresh water in South Luangwa

Visit to Chitungulu with Makolekole 

Link: Blog de Fundación Livingstone en español

We are grateful to Adrian and Gid Carr for taking us up through the less visited villages in the Chitungulu area to meet the people and learn about the water situation. Adrian Carr, born and brough up in Zambia and his wife, Christina (Gid) who has lived in the area for 18 years work hard to bring clean, safe water to remote areas in the Luangwa Valley.

These villagers look forward to a visit from the Carrs, knowing that their village might be chosen for a well or borehole. At the present time the women and children must walk far to collect water and as the dry season approaches and their waterholes dry up they must walk even further, up to several miles daily, to collect water.

I snuck a photo of Adrian dowsing for water with a forked stick! It seems to work! Of course the area is then tested and checked, but according to local hearsay the man is a legend in finding water! 

A short video of our visit to the area.

Through our donations we hope to help enhance the lives of women and children in these remote villages. Instead of having to walk miles for water, they can collect it close to their homes, making their lives just a bit easier.

If you are interested in getting involved with our projects, find out more at our website: 

Livingstone Foundation for Africa

Magwero School for the Deaf

Magret's School in Chipata, Eastern Province

Link: Blog de Fundación Livingstone en español

Sponsor Julianne meets her student, Magret

In August, 2017, we accompanied Winnet Phiri to collect her daugher, Magret from the school she has been attending now for almost two years for a holiday break, Magwero School for the Deaf in Chipata, Zambia.

It was a long drive over dusty roads to get to Magwero School in Chipata

Julianne has been sponsoring Magret since she began school for the first time at the age of  12. We can only imagine how difficult it must have been for her to be taken to a new place and dropped off, without understanding why. Magret has been deaf since she was an infant and lost her hearing due to illness. She had never attended school before and we are grateful that we had the opportunity to help her start off. Now after almost two years she has adapted and made friends at her school and has learned to communicate through sign language.

Magwero School for the Deaf was established in 1955 by Dr. Ella S. Botes, a Dutch Reformed Church missionary nurse and teacher. The school was the first of its kind in Zambia and children came from many parts of Zambia and Malawi as well.  

The Director of Magwero School welcomed our visit and asked one of the teachers to show us around the grounds. 

Our first stop was the maiz grinding area where the staple diet is prepared - mealy mealy or Nshima. We were also shown the husks of sunflowers which is pressed for oil. 

The vegetable garden looked very healthy, we were impressed by the size of the garden and the the amount of vegetables for the children.

The girls' dormitory, with has its own well or borehole just outside where the girls can collect water and wash their clothes.

Each room sleeps between four and eight girls. There is a bed for each child and enough storage space for each student by way of closets and shelves.

The girls were happy to have visitors. It was the last day of term and they were busy cleaning up their rooms and clothes and getting ready to go home to visit with their families for a few weeks.

The boys were also getting ready for the break, cleaning and packing. They communicate through sign language, so for someone with hearing it was a very quiet visit despite all the conversations going on around us!

It was time to leave, but we will think often of Magwero School for the Deaf. They are helping these children who otherwise would live in a more solitary world. At the school they learn to communicate and find new friends.

Greenhouses for a Vocational School

Fundación Livingstone Helps Chikowa

Link: Blog de Fundación Livingstone en español

Neil Collen from F. Livingstone with Father Francisco of Chikowa

Neil Collen, from Fundación Livingstone, met with Father Francisco of the Chikowa Youth Development Center in Chipata, Zambia. Founded more than 30 years ago, Chikowa trains young people in skills such as carpentry, agriculture, automechanics and bricklaying. 

Ad from their Facebook Page for prospective students

Their goal as an institution is to become as self-sufficient as possible through their own resources. At the present time they make furniture in their carpentry program which is sold locally. Through the agriculture program, they are able to grow enough produce for their own center and they also sell to local commerces and especially to the local lodges. 

Father Francisco introduces Majo Grau, from Fundación Livingstone to the Commissioner. 

After the trip to Zambia in March, our mission was to raise enough funding to cover the costs of at least 3 greenhouses, or "tunnels" as they are called at Chikowa. Thanks to our donors and the funds raised at our Fair in May, we have been able to purchase 5 greenhouses for Chikowa!

Follow these photos as the greenhouses are constructed:

The metal frames are erected

Teamwork is important for this project!

The structure is ready for the canvas

The canvas is in position to be pulled over the top

One of the five tunnles is ready!

Thank you to those who have helped through donating and through helping at our fundraising fair!

Edulution for Kapita

NEW MATH TUTORING PROGRAM FOR KAPITA
To begin: January 2018

Blog de Fundación Livingstone en español

Livingstone Partners has funded a new program for Kapita School, Edulution, where students who had been falling behind in mathematics have small group tutoring and a computer program that keeps track of their progress. 

Charles, the head coach struggled with math as a young student, but he told me that Edulution helped him catch up in mathemtaics and actually graduate number one in his graduating class!  He is from Lusaka and stays in Mfuwe to do the coaching, almost 800 kms from his home! 

Charles is able to keep track of each of his students, following their progress, attendance and even their interest in the lessons! This program is very impressive and we hope that many students can benefit from the lessons and tutoring!

Working with coaches to better understand the problems

And working on their own, a powerful tool to learn independently.

Welcome!

Livingstone Foundation Blog

Blog de Fundación Livingstone en español

  

Our Vision: An Africa with opportunities for all

Our Mission: To help developing communities in rural Africa through supporting education and helping to provide access to clean water

WELCOME!

We invite you to follow our new Fundación Livingstone blog. We will be posting our activities, plans and the work that we will be doing with local NGO's, schools and well-digging companies in Africa to keep you informed. 

Our beginnings: In 2014 we set up a foundation in Spain, "Fundación Livingstone" to aid us in sending funds to different projects in southern Africa. We are now in the process of setting up a foundation in the United States, "Livingstone Foundation for Africa".

We work closely with Livingstone Partners, a mid-market, mergers and acquisitions, debt advisory firm. 

Our first project, the reconstruction of Kapita School in Mfuwe, in the Eastern Province of Zambia, was funded entirely by Livingstone Partners. 

  

From an overcrowded school

and students having to spill over into the tool shed ... 

to a new four classroom block building, soon followed by a three classroom block building.


"Thank you Livingstone Partners for our fantastic new school!"