Education

In rural Zambia, access to education continues to be hampered by basic challenges such as long distances to school, inadequate infrastructure and shortage of qualified teachers among others. Girls are more affected by some of these factors, making the school drop out rate higher than that for boys.  At Katete Primary School in Chibombo District, a lack of sanitary facilities meant that girls were missing up to 45 days of school each year, simply because they didn’t have access to clean, private spaces to manage their menstrual hygiene.

That is, until now.

Thanks to the generous support of Mr. and Mrs. Ulrich Ackerman of the Transearch Foundation, working through ChildFund, Katete Primary School has undergone a remarkable transformation. Newly constructed shower rooms and waterborne toilets have restored dignity and opportunity to the school’s female learners, cutting absenteeism due to menstruation by half, from 10% in the past to 5% now, according to Head Teacher Mr. Renartus Mushibwe.

“Before the new sanitation facilities, many of our girls would stay home for five days every month. Now they have a private and safe space to take care of themselves,” said Mr. Mushibwe. “This has not only improved attendance but also boosted the girls’ confidence and classroom performance.”

Katete Primary School, located in Headman Mayaba’s area in Mungule Chiefdom, is now a model of transformation for the 13 surrounding villages it serves, home to nearly 6,000 people. Since the adoption of the school by the Transearch Foundation, supported by ChildFund and the Government of Zambia, enrolment has more than doubled – from 634 to 1,322 pupils.

“We are proud to see our efforts contributing to real change,” said Mr. Ulrich Ackerman at the commissioning ceremony. “We’ve faced global economic disruptions, including the war in Ukraine, but our commitment to Zambia and its children remains unshaken. Education is the most sustainable investment we can make.”

The improvements at Katete have been both broad and impactful:

• Waterborne toilets for boys and girls have been completed
• Private shower rooms for girls have been put up
• 5 new classroom blocks have been constructed
• Semi-detached flats for teachers have been constructed
• A water kiosk supplying 13 villages
• 115 desks, 4 office tables, and 6 chairs
• Full solar electrification of the school, enabling evening study sessions for learners

“Thanks to the solar lighting provided by the Ackermans, learners are now able to study at night, especially during exam periods,” said Mr. Mushibwe. “This is a game-changer for education in rural communities.”

The school is also running double sessions for Grades 1 and 2, reducing overcrowding and ensuring more personalized learning.

“What the Ackermans have done goes beyond buildings,” said Ms. Tashar Imasiku ChildFund Zambia’s Education Specialist. “They’ve restored hope, particularly for the girl child. With better sanitation and infrastructure, girls are staying in school, and they’re dreaming bigger.”

Mavis is one of the girls from the grade 7 class who can now dream bigger: “I used to miss school every time I had my period,” Mavis said quietly. “Now I can come every day. I want to be a nurse one day and help others the way people have helped us.”

Chibombo District Council Chairperson, Mr. Newton Nyeleti, was also present during the handover ceremony. He commended the partnership and emphasized government’s support:

“This project proves that when private partners, NGOs, and the government work together, we can achieve sustainable results. We’ve now upgraded Katete Primary to a full secondary school so children no longer have to walk 10 kilometres just to continue learning.”

The work at Katete builds on the successful model pioneered by Mr. Ackerman at Namununga through the Namanunga School Improvement Project. There, the Transearch Foundation facilitated the construction of: 

• Five classroom blocks
• Ten solar-powered teachers’ houses
• A pre-school with play areas
• A health post serving 5,400 people
• A hammer mill and a community shop for school sustainability

As the region looks forward, one thing is clear: When children, especially girls, have access to safe, inclusive, and well-resourced learning environments, their futures open wide.

“We’ve planted seeds of change,” said Mr. Ackerman. “And together, we’ll keep nurturing them until every child has the chance to learn, thrive, and lead.”