Child Protection

For 19-year-old Anna, education has always been a priority, but the journey to school made it almost impossible to succeed. Living in Shikatende, a rural community in Zambia’s Central Province, the grade 11 secondary school student had to walk nearly 10 kilometers each way to reach school. The daily trek was long, exhausting, and often demoralizing.

“I used to get to school very late. Sometimes it was even 08:00 and my friends were already learning,” Anna recalls. “They would start a new topic and I’d just be lost.” The physical toll was just as demanding. “My shoes would get dirty and wear out quickly,” she says. “By the time I got home after school, I was so tired I couldn’t even study.”

Despite her best efforts, Anna’s tardiness often led to punishment from teachers who didn’t understand the daily challenges she faced. “Sometimes they would discipline me for being late, not realizing how far I had to come,” she shares.

For many girls in Zambia, long distances to school is a barrier to completing their education. Fatigue, poor academic performance, and increased vulnerability to attacks.

Everything changed when ChildFund, in partnership with the Mumbwa Child Development Agency  constructed the first-ever girls’ dormitory at her Secondary School in Shibuyunji District. Designed to accommodate 64 girls, the dormitory was created to provide a safe, supportive, and stable environment for students facing challenges similar to Anna’s.

“When the dormitory was finished, my teachers helped make sure I was accommodated,” Anna says. “It was the best thing that’s ever happened to my education.”

Now, living just steps away from her classroom, Anna has time and energy to study, and it’s showing in her grades. “I like living in the dormitory because the rooms are nice, meals are prepared, and I can study anytime I want,” she beams. “Now I’m able to catch up on lessons, and I’m doing well in class.”

Anna’s transformation hasn’t gone unnoticed. Her teacher, Melody Simwansa, has witnessed the change first-hand. “Anna has shown remarkable improvement since she started living at the dormitory,” she says. “She is more attentive, confident, and her academic performance has really picked up. This dormitory has given our girls the space they need to thrive.”

But while Anna and her peers now have a supportive place to learn, the dormitory is already at full capacity. Many other girls still face the same daily struggle Anna once did — long, tiring walks to school, poor academic performance, and increased vulnerability to early marriage and pregnancy.

The Need to Do More

“There are still girls walking long distances and it’s affecting their performance,” Anna says. “We need another dormitory so more girls can be accommodated. It would also help prevent teenage pregnancies because girls would be safer and more focused on school.”

Gracious Nkeete, Manager of MCDA, echoes this sentiment. “The dormitory has shown us just how much potential our girls have when given the right environment,” she says. “But one building is not enough. We must continue investing in girls’ education by scaling up efforts like this one across the district.”
To date, ChildFund has constructed girls’ dormitories with 64-bed capacity at Mwembeshi, Mwanvule, Myooye, and Mululi schools in Mumbwa, as well as a 66-bed dormitory in Luangwa District. These facilities are already making a significant impact, but the demand continues to grow.

ChildFund remains deeply committed to advancing girls’ education, knowing that when girls get an education, their families and entire communities benefit. Through local partnerships and ongoing support, we are working toward a future where every girl, no matter where they live, can go to school, stay in school, and succeed.