Mission Direct - Volunteers helping the world's poor

Kiine School was founded about 10 years ago by a local couple, and later taken over by the Evangelical Church in Zambia (ECZ). The school exists to serve the under-privileged children from the adjacent Kaunda Square residential shanty town. Kiine means "truth" in the local language. The school was originally based in a converted house providing a basic Christian education to the children. As the school grew, it became clear these facilities were not suitable to provide a good standard of education and would also restrict the number of children who could attend the school.

Our Involvement:

Mission Direct became involved in the project in 2008, partnering with ECZ. In 2008 Mission Direct funded and built 2 new classrooms and put 2 new toilets into the existing school.

In 2009, ECZ's plans for the school grew - with the vision that Kiine School would eventually educate 900 pupils, of whom 80% would be orphans and vulnerable children. In support of this vision, Mission Direct funded and built a new three classroom block on an adjacent site, where the new Kiine School is taking shape. At the completion of the 2009 campaign, two further classrooms had been completed, allowing class groups to be moved across - leaving the existing buildings for baby class, nursery, and pre-school classes.

At the end of 2009, there were 124 children at the school from ages 4 to 14 in 8 classes. As well as the new classrooms built by Mission Direct, more classrooms have been built with support of another donor - overall, there is now capacity to increase the school to over 300 pupils in the next school year.

Outcome:

With Mission Direct's involvement, Kiine School has been transformed from a cramped under-resourced school, to new, modern accommodation offering much-improved learning facilities, with scope for significant expansion of the school. The standard of education for the 124 children attending, has risen appreciably - for each child, the gift of education is a chance to rise out of the worst poverty.