The Elizabeth Bowers Zambia Education Fund

EBZEF STATEMENT OF PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2023 2023 WAS ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR THE ELIZABETH BOWERS ZAMBIA EDUCATION FUND (EBZEF) WITH OUR PROGRAMS IN LUMWANA WEST IN NW ZAMBIA. TWENTY-ONE BETHS GIRLS WERE ACTIVELY STUDYING IN COLLEGE AS EBZEF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS. THEIR PROGRAMS INCLUDED MEDICINE (NURSING, CLINICAL MEDICINE, SURGERY, OPHTHALMOLOGY, PHARMACY, GENERAL PHYSICIAN), TEACHING (FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT TO SECONDARY SCHOOL), TECHNICAL (ELECTRICIAN, METAL FABRICATOR), PLUS CATERING, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, AND SUSTAINABLE NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE.THE EBZEF-ESTABLISHED AND SUPPORTED COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL HAD 114 SMALL LEARNERS, WITH 52 CHILDREN SENT ON TO GRADE 1. CONSTRUCTION OF A WATER-BASED (I. E., FLUSHABLE TOILETS, SINKS, AND SHOWERS) LAVATORY IS WELL ON ITS WAY TO COMPLETION. THE FOOD AND GARDEN PROJECTS, SUPPORTED WITH A GRANT FROM EBZEF PARTNER BAAL DAN CHARITIES, HELPED TO FEED THE CHILDRENPERHAPS THEIR ONLY FOOD FOR THE DAY. CHILDREN GREW THEIR OWN MAIZE AND GREENS TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR DIET AND TO LEARN AGRICULTURAL SKILLS. AS A RESULT, ATTENDANCE INCREASED. THE NEW EBZEF FUNDED WATER BORE HOLE IS SERVING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. MR. NJOLOMBA, OUR EBZEF REPRESENTATIVE, REPORTS, ABLUTION BLOCKS AT BOTH SECONDARY AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS ARE FULLY FUNCTIONAL. SANITATION ISSUES, ESPECIALLY OF OUR GIRL CHILDREN, ARE TAKE CARE OF. IT WILL BE SAFER AND MORE HYGIENIC FOR PRE-SCHOOL LEARNERS TO USE WATERBORNE LAVATORIES THAN PREVIOUS PIT LATRINES. THE COMMUNITY IS VERY PROUD OF THIS PROJECT. SCIENCE LABS COULD NOT FUNCTION WITHOUT WATER. THE FEAR OF SCHOOL CLOSURE AS A HEALTH HAZARD IS NOW OVER. THE NEW NJOLOMBA SCIENCE CENTRE WAS OFFICIALLY COMPLETED AND HANDED OVER TO THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IN JULY 2023. EBZEF WAS WORKING TO PROVIDE LIGHTING AND ELECTRICITY, WATER, LAB STOOLS, ESSENTIAL SCIENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES SO CLASSES COULD BEGIN IN 2024. SCIENCE LABS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS ARE RARE IN ZAMBIA, PARTICULARLY IN REMOTE RURAL AREAS. THE NJOLOMBA SCIENCE CENTRE IS THE CROWN JEWEL OF EBZEFS SECONDARY SCHOOL PROJECT. A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF FEMALE STUDENTS WILL NOW STUDY SCIENCE, REFLECTING THE COMMUNITY'S PARADIGM SHIFT TOWARDS THE EDUCATION OF WOMEN. THE ELIZABETH BOWERS MEMORIAL LIBRARY CONTINUES TO BE THE LITERACY CENTER OF THE COMMUNITY. MEMORIAL LIBRARIAN SANDRA KAMULOSU REPORTS, LIBRARIES ARE NOT BEING USED LIKE THEY WERE IN THE PAST SINCE PEOPLE HAVE OPTED FOR INTERNET USE. BUT RURAL SETUPS LIKE LUMWANA WEST LEARNERS FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS INTERNET DUE TO COSTS. MANY PUPILS USE THE LIBRARY, SINCE I HAVE STOCKED A VARIETY OF TEXTBOOKS. TEXTBOOKS ARE OTHERWISE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO STUDENTS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. STUDENTS CAN STUDY IN THE EVENINGS BECAUSE OF SOLAR LIGHTING. THE LIBRARY IS ALSO USED FOR COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL MEETINGS. EBZEFS SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS IN 2023 HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR MOVING FORWARD IN 2024. OUR FAITHFUL DONORS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE EBZEFS WORK TOWARD EMPOWERING WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND THEIR COMMUNITY IN LUMWANA WEST, ZAMBIA, TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY THROUGH EDUCATION.