The Chinsanshi School Project - Update May 2022 

During a Rotary Friendship Exchange between our District and District 9210 in April 2022, our team was able to visit the project and tour the new classrooms, Teachers’ Residence (nearing completion), Water System, Washroom Block, Community Centre Bldg. (new addition for school to hold events, adult education, etc.), irrigation system for school vegetable garden and the Hammer Mill (now operational again - and a key source of funds for the school).
 
The school now has 6 teachers and approximately 350 students – up from 2 teachers and 143 students in 2017.
 

We also presented a cheque for US $6,524 to reimburse the Nkawzi club for outstanding cost for the Teachers’ Residence; plus, school supplies (of note chalk) and sports equipment.


What is Next?

We are planning on conducting a new “Needs Assessment” with the Rotary Club of Nkwazi, Zambia Open Community Schools Organization to determine any additional needs for the school…possibly a Phase Three. This may eventually lead to a team returning to the school in the next few years.


Project Update July 2021

Part of the planned return to the project in 2020, was the construction of a teachers' residence, a requirement to secure qualified teachers. (This was a major component of the Needs Assessment. Because the village is so remote, a teacher cannot travel to and from the school daily and would need a place to stay.) Zambia Open Community Schools organization (ZOCS) have now followed through on their promise to provide the teachers. That is great news for the school and for the students in the community.
 
As the photos illustrate, the residence is well on its way to being completed, thanks to our Rotary partners in Zambia who have been instrumental in moving the project forward on our behalf, with remaining funds from our District 5-year commitment.
 
 
To date CAD$23,000 has gone into the construction of the residence. The goal now is to raise the additional CAD$5,000 needed to successfully complete this particular phase of the project.
 
If possible, we will have a team return to the project in 2023, with the focus on a third component that had been under consideration for 2020 - a bicycle program similar to the Gravenhurst club's Rotary Wheels for Learning project in Cambodia.  (As also identified in the Needs Assessment, many students have to walk 5 kms or more to attend the school.) Details will be announced sometime in 2022.

Project Update
Shelly Duben, Co-Chair
August, 2020
 
Led by the Rotary Club of Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes, the team of 18 Rotarians and friends that travelled to Zambia in March 2018 completed several components of the project, with a total expenditure of $48,891.00. Read the detailed update > here.
 
Due to the pandemic and our team unable to return in 2020 as planned, CAD$24,000 was forwarded to allow for the construction of the 10-stall washroom facility at the school, complete with running water, flush toilets and showers to proceed. Pictured here is the close to completed facility, which members of the Rotary Club of Nkawzi will be painting over the next several weeks.
 
 
Read the "Spotlight on Service" article for the latest news about the project and plans to head back - now in 2023.
 
R.E.L.A.Y. (Rotarians Enhancing Learning of African Youth) Zambia School Project
March 3-12, 2018
The Rotary Club of Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes is excited to be the lead club on this new District International Project - a multi-year R.E.L.A.Y. (Rotarians Enhancing Learning of African Youth) project in a small rural village north of Lusaka, Zambia. This is the seventh R.E.L.A.Y. initiative led by Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes Rotarians Michael and Shelly Duben.
 
The R.E.L.A.Y Team of 18 Rotarians and non-Rotarians, spent 6 days actively assisting with the construction and renovations at the school which involved painting, assembling desks, installing windows and doors, painting soccer posts and planting trees. Team members also spent time with children and teachers in the programming component of the project - doing artwork and crafts and playing games. Check out the slide show. For more photos and videos - click here.
 
 
The Chinsanshi School [Google Earth Coordinates - Latitude: -15.2173, Longitude: 28.1221] only had one classroom. It is part of the Zambia Open Community Schools system. There are about 150 students there currently attending nursery school and grade 1. The community wanted to expand the school to 4 classrooms because there are many other children who cannot attend school because of the lack of classroom space. The school is in an area about 17 kms from the capital city of Lusaka in a fairly rural setting. It has a large catchment area of several villages but very limited classroom capacity. The nearest government school is 6 kms away and that tends to discourage parents from sending their children to school.
 
There were several components to the 1st phase of this project, including:
  • Building a 3 classroom block
  • Purchasing and assembling desks for the new and existing classrooms
  • Purchasing water filters and training local community members how to use and maintain them.
  • Starting a library at the school
  • Providing curriculum books and teaching aids to the school
  • Providing sports equipment to the school
  • Providing backpacks with school supplies and new clothing for all students
  • Facilitating “programming sessions” with the teachers and students at the school
  • Completing a Needs Assessment to determine next steps at the school and in the local community
The Needs Assessment (a new component of The Rotary Foundation), conducted with our Partners in Zambia (including the Rotary Club of Nkwazi and Zambia Open Community Schools organization) included a discussion about the installation of solar submersible pump and poly tank water system, building a flushing toilet block and repair or replacement of the Hammer mill house grinding unit. This mill which is currently broken down is a key source of revenue for the school.
 
The Rotary Club of Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes is proud to announce their partner Rotary Clubs so far. These clubs include:
  • The Rotary Club of Nkwasi-Lusaka (in Zambia)
  • The Rotary Club of Barrie-Huronia
  • The Rotary Club of Bracebridge
  • The Rotary Club of Hunstville
  • The Rotary Club of Huntsville-Lake of Bays
  • The Rotary Club of Windsor-St. Clair (District 6400)
For more information: Contact PDG Bill Hagborg OR PDG Margaret Walton