It took some doing but after a flight from Lusaka to Mbala then renting a car and driving five hours over very inhospitable roads, we made it to Kasama, Zambia to visit the Saikalo School. The staff and students were enthusiastic about our return after a long hiatus due to the pandemic.
After greeting each class, we made our way to the site where the new Saikalo School will be constructed. Thanks to the incredible efforts of the team who run the school, the local council recognized their commitment and the need for more space for a bigger school. The current school, with its four classrooms, is not large enough to accommodate over 600 orphans who call the place home. The council made a new parcel of land near to the existing school available for this use.
The new plot, at over two hectares, will allow for the construction of a building with space to accommodate all the orphans in the area who need a place in class. The plan is for the new site to serve over 1,000 students!
Up first will be putting in a borehole. Fundraising is already underway for the school build project. Stay tuned for more exciting details about this mission to serve orphans in Kasama. Our thanks to the dedicated volunteer teachers at the Saikalo School who serve these orphans twelve hours a day, teaching in three shifts, to meet the needs of the students in their limited space.
Pictured is from left is Geoff Muvumbo, Project HOPE’s manager of eastern Zambia operations, the head master of the Saikalo School, Mercy, the vice principal and teacher at the school as well as Project HOPE Executive Director Christopher Graves, surveying the new property.
