Education
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
Photo Credit: Xiomara Bender / Bushcamp Company
our approach in zambia
Dazzle Africa believes deeply in the transformative power of education because a great education can change everything.
The education vision of Dazzle Africa is to provide holistic economic and academic support to students and their families in Mfuwe, Zambia. We focus on supporting students who have the academic abilities and mindset but do not have the economic means to leverage education as a catalyst. Our educational scholarships have a primary emphasis on tertiary education (post high school) so that young people are empowered to chase their dreams and create a thriving future for themselves and their community.
Sponsored Student, Maggie Mwale
Maggie is one of the many students that we have had the pleasure of supporting through sponsorships since launching this program. Learn more about Maggie’s story and how her life was impacted by reading this interview.
We invite you to meet the rest of our incredible sponsored students, learn about their story, and encourage you to make an impact through a sponsorship of your own.
Education in zambia
The truth is, education is not just about one person, the effects reach the entire community.
Education for students in Zambia starts at around seven years old when they enter school in grade one. Within government-funded schools, grade one to grade seven students receive a free education. At grade seven, students will sit for their Certificate of Primary Education and if they pass will continue through to grade eight where they will then have to start paying school fees. At the end of grade nine, students sit for their exams and at grade twelve, their exams will determine if they are eligible to attend college, university, or a trade school within Zambia.
Educational obstacles in Zambia:
- Girls often have to quit school around age 13 to financially support their family, collect water and take care of younger siblings
- 60% of people in rural Zambia live on less than $1.90 a day, creating an additional burden for parents to educate their children
- The majority of our students are first-generation college students and the first to navigate higher education
- 1 out of 3 girls between ages 15 and 19 have been pregnant
At Dazzle Africa, we strive to help break these cycles through sponsoring the most vulnerable and hard-working students in the region.
Our sponsors are committed to the long-term investment of each child’s education. Sponsors provide annual funding that covers:
- Tuition
- Room and Board
- Transportation
- School Supplies
- Other services as needed
- Leadership opportunities when appropriate
Ongoing communication with students allows us to share updates with sponsors that include: academic reports, letters from the student and a recent photo 2 times a year. You can also join us on safari and meet your Zambian student during your trip of a lifetime!
To sponsor a student is to change a life. Contact us to learn more.
hands over zambia
An Entrepreneurial Marketplace
Hands Over Zambia provides skills-based training to Mfuwe Secondary School teachers to develop a self-sustaining, student-run Entrepreneurial Arts Class and Market. Proceeds help expand the market offering the school’s lunch meal program that feeds over 700 students every day.
Trainings are conducted on an annual basis by an educational business advisor familiar with and knowledgeable about the local Zambian region and culture. The training curriculum emphasizes identifying and creating profitable art products as well as marketing techniques geared toward local tourists visiting the Market at Mfuwe Day Secondary School.
Entrepreneurial education provides both economic and social prospects to combat systemic poverty; it boosts self-esteem, increases innovative thinking, and improves academic performance by providing experiential education opportunities. The skills that staff and students acquire in this program can be used for years and generations.
In addition, this serves as the beginning of a sustainable tourism program, incorporating small business training, economic development through the sales of local crafts and appreciation for the local wildlife that propel tourists to visit the valley.
Entrepreneurship is rooted in innovative thinking and design. Teaching students to think and be entrepreneurial through the ongoing development of this market will provide students’ employment preference post-graduation.