Issuu

The Principal's Letter “One thing I have learned this year that I will take into the new year is that the currency of relationships is TIME.”

CONTENTS 01 02 ELC & Reception 03 Year 1 & 2 04 Year 3 & 4 05 Year 5 & 6 06 Year 6 Leavers 07 DEN 08 Year 7, 8 & 9 09 Year 10 & 11 10 Year 12 & 13 the Secondary 11 Meet Team 12 Meet the Admin 13 The Bulletin 14 Wall of Hearts 15 Mosaics & PTC 16 Bush Days 17 Year 13 Leavers 18 Alumni

The Principal's Letter

The overriding theme for this year at school has been that of providing pastoral support through hard times. This year’s magazine thus takes on this theme. We have put together a selection of photos and words that celebrate our community approach. The magazine, for the first time, looks at our school in several year groups and celebrates events that took place in a chronological fashion - rather than the traditional subjects and department theme. We have broadened the scope to include our Alumni. The pages ahead reflect not only the year that was - but the way in which we were able to support each other and carry everyone along into a new year of hope and renewal. My sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed to the creation of this magazine. This year it has had a strong student-led theme. Many of the pages are created by our students and indeed, our graphic designer Christie Lindsay is an alumnus of the college. Particular thanks go to Mr Mubila, Mr Coetzee, Mrs Stokes, Mrs Hulme, Mr Turner, Mrs Hoskins and Mr Hoskins for their hard work and attention to detail. One thing I have learned this year that I will take into the new year is that the currency of relationships is TIME. Nothing is more valuable to people than your time. At Baobab, we offer an open-door policy and I invite any of our community to book an appointment to see me and share some time with me. Let me know your views, thoughts and suggestions. As we close the year, we wish all our leaving students the very best as they travel on new paths. We know that they are well prepared for whatever comes their way. Our students also know that ‘Once a Baobab, always a Baobab’. With our Alumni swelling in the ranks, we look forward to hearing about your successes in the future and welcome you back at any time to visit. We look forward to an exciting and enjoyable 2021 / 2022!

ELC Musekese

Annette Steele: “Taking time to enjoy and find humour in everything you do is one of the keys to success.”

In the E.L.C. we have been learning about “People who help us” in our community and also learning how to be healthy. These have been great topics for children to get to know who can help in emergency situations and discussions that make them feel safe. It has helped to allay fears for children who worry about going to visit medical specialists like dentists.

ELC Sugar Bush

Our children are now more aware of the different jobs and roles in society. Our 2-3 year olds identified people who help us to stay healthy and the need to make right choices in regards to what they eat. They have practised their gardening skills by planting vegetable seeds and taking care of growing plants. They learnt that our bodies grow healthier and stronger by eating lots of vegetables and fruit. They planted cherry tomatoes and beans and discovered that they could make a healthy vegetable salad with these plants.

Rebecca Zulu: Likes to say every day... “Good morning my little Sugar Bushes!”

ELC Mulberry Bush Mary Mukamba: “Stay in your space and keep your hands to yourself. Sharing is caring, but we are not sharing germs.”

Reception Gardenia & Honeysuckle This year in Reception, we learnt about the power of YET! We read a story called “Giraffes Can’t Dance,” which taught us about accepting that everyone is different, how to embrace our own differences, and building our confidence and self-esteem. In this story, Gerald the giraffe is very good at standing still and eating leaves off trees, but when it comes to dancing, he is pretty bad. His bandy knees and thin legs make dancing very difficult so instead of joining his jungle friends on the dance floor, he gets laughed at which makes him very upset. Michelle Lewis - HOD ELC & Reception With some help and inspiration from a friendly cricket, “Imagine with all your mind, believe with all your Gerald discovers that anyone can dance… if you just heart, achieve with all your might.” have the right music. Gerald wows the jungle animals with his dazzling dancing. Just like Gerald the giraffe... there are so many things we want to be, So many milestones we want to see. There are so many things we want to know, So many ways we want to grow. Where we put our effort, the goal will be met, As long as we remember the superpower of YET! Kelsey Chehade “Laughter is timeless, Imagination has no age and dreams are forever” -Walt Disney

Meet The Team Laura Stokes - Head of Primary “When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening. That’s where your power is!” Adnan Mufaya - Music “ There is music in every child, the teachers job is to find it and nurture it.”

Mulenga Nkhata - IT “It’s not a faith in technology. It’s faith in people.”

Boussayna Yahfoufi - French “Don’t let the fear of making mistakes stop you from expressing yourself. Always remember that a mistake is an opportunity to learn and that every mistake you make is a step toward your progress.” Nathan Gondwe - PE Primary “One life to livestay active and healthy.”

Mercedes Milner Swimming and PE “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to TRY.”

Year 1 Jasmine In Year One, we have had an explosive year full of discovery and exploration. We have grown our knowledge and understanding of the world around us. We have allowed the children to grow in self-confidence and be independent thinkers. The children have a strong sense of identity and have blossomed into enthusiastic and motivated learners. We have explored top jobs and it was wonderful to see children aspire to be doctors, scientists and teachers. We feel that self-expression can come in all shapes and sizes. The children have developed their artistic skills by looking into the finer details of drawings and have produced extraordinary art throughout the year. We have had such fun this year learning about the Letterland characters. The children light up when we have the phonics lessons and role play the different characters. We have become explorers and designers looking at how transport has changed from the past and creating our own moving pictures and designing our own houses from different materials. 8

Stephanie Van Aardt : “You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a good book.”

Charlotte Hitchcock: “Be awesome. Be amazing. Be you! You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!”

Year 1 Mopane 9

Year 2 Acacia In Year Two, we have been exploring historic super scientists, featuring the following famous figures; Florence Nightingale, Joseph Lister and Alexander Fleming. The children learnt why it is important to get rid of germs with good hygiene and products and why medicine is important for us to get better. Starting with Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), she was a nurse who was kind, compassionate and understanding. These are all very valuable traits to have as a nurse and as a good friend to our classmates.

Eve Kapaso: “Never say I can’t. Always say I can try...”

With the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses have to work longer hours and risk their own lives to save the lives of others. Nightingale was an infection fighter and stopped infections quickly and cleaned all wounds with a cloth.

Year 2 Flamboyant The next super scientist we learnt about was Joseph Lister (1827-1912) who was a surgeon in England. He believed that all his surgeries and his equipment should be as clean as possible to reduce infections. The children were eager to share that they too use sanitiser to kill germs on their hands at school and even when they go shopping. Then Alexander Fleming created penicillin, an ingredient in many antibiotics to fight bacterial infections. The children recalled times that they were sick and the different medicines that they took to make them feel better. All of these super scientists changed the world in their own way and the world is a better place because of them.

Aisha Patel: “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says “I’m possible!”

Year 3 Jacaranda

Louise Stander - HOD Lower Key Stage2 “Forget the mistake, remember the lesson.”

Lecia Claassen: “Everything is hard before it gets easy.”

Year 3 Lilac “Our job is not to prepare students for something. Our job is to prepare students for anything” - AJ Julian In Year Three, parents, teachers and students were a team. We learnt that difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. As a team, we embraced change and remained motivated with Baobab@Home. Throughout the year, we focused on the good, did what we love, kept being brave and ultimately achieved our goals. The 2020 / 2021 academic year started in August with Baobab@Home. All students actively engaged with online lessons on Seesaw. This provided some challenges at first, like getting to know teachers and students and adapting to a new Key Stage, but soon, with positive attitudes and perseverance from parents, teachers and students, most hurdles were overcome. Happily, teachers welcomed students back on campus in September. Adapting to the “new normal” took some getting used to, however, by December all students had made great progress. Being able to work in class, surrounded by friends and teachers made a world of difference to the students’ emotional and academic growth. Ready for the Christmas holiday, goodbyes were said with happy hearts, proud of all our accomplishments and goals achieved. We had a delayed start in January, but continued online and all students were on board and actively involved in all the lessons and activities. We were fortunate to return to school in February and continued practising social distancing and COVID-19 protocol to ensure the safety of our staff and students. Our students did a fantastic job to adapt to school life again and made excellent progress in all areas.

Year 4 Marula

Louise Opperman: “Wow, you nailed it”!!!

At the beginning of the year, we were so excited to go to Year Four, but unfortunately COVID-19 forced us into online teaching. We tried our best but we dearly missed one another. When we returned, we had a lovely assembly about being a Survivor in 2020. We learned how to be resilient, unbeatable and unstoppable. We learnt how people lived in the early civilisations and how fortunate we are to have schools and shopping malls.

Today, we have our own currency which we can use to “trade” in and buy the things we need. We learnt about electricity and we were so surprised when we connected the wires and a lightbulb lit up! We enjoyed making our musical instruments using recyclable resources. We are all ready to play in our own band now. When faced with an investigation on sound proofing a studio; we were able to help an imaginary band come up with the best material for absorbing sound. Now, thanks to us, the band has a sound proof studio.

Angela Kunda: “No one is perfect - that is why pencils have erasers.”

Our art pieces on Pointillism were really beautiful. We learnt how to make a sunflower using shades and tints. This year was really special as we were introduced to Times Tables Rockstars. Not only did we challenge each other as a school, but had the opportunity to compete against other schools worldwide. We are survivors as well as Times Table Rockstars!

Year 4 Tamarind

Natassja Chelemu : “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

Year 5 Syringa

#wekeepmoving has been our mantra. What a tumultuous year it has been: through learning online, in class, friends coming and going, we have taken it all in our stride with determination, passion and grit. One thing that has stayed constant, is you, your resilience and enthusiasm every single day. In a world of many heroes, YOU reign supreme! From sculpting unique vases, to doing obstacle courses, writing R.A.P. songs, performing in our ‘Zam-azing-bezi’ play and learning about ancient civilisations. We have danced through Jamaican folk songs in Geography, seen things react and bubble over in Science and shared our unique perspectives and life stories in PSHCE. Your adaptability and flexibility has ensured that we have soared above through the highs, lows, challenges and triumphs.

Year 5 Hibiscus It’s time to say good-bye; It’s the end of the year, I think there’s something in my eye…

Emma Herbert: “Work hard, dream big, never give up.”

No, it’s just a tear. I’ve watched you learn and grow And change from day to day. I hope you’ve come to know Skills to guide your way.

So I’ll treasure happy memories As I send you out the door, Hoping you have the wisdom For what life may hold in store. Well done for an amazing year, Team Year Five. Definitely a year to remember!

Year 6 Ebony, Mukwa & Kigelia The 2020 / 2021 academic year began with Year Six in class, divided into three bubbles and having to learn new important words such as social distancing, sanitising and MASKS! The children had fun in the first term dressing up as nursery rhyme characters and guessing who was which nursery rhyme. Despite this new ‘norm,’ Year Six managed to perform a lovely percussion piece for the virtual Independence assembly. In January, it was online again. We were very proud of the children’s IT skills, how they continued to improve and how positive they were with the online learning and, of course, the challenges created by power cuts. They were able to help each other (and the teachers), provide encouragement and were resilient with the work online. We introduced a few fun days here. This included a fun hair day (with some extraordinary, innovative styles), pyjama day where the children could be online in their night wear and ‘decorate your mask’ day. We held a bake sale to raise money for their Leavers’ Lunch. This was a great success as the parents provided (with help from some of the children) a truly magnificent spread. Everyone assisted, with some putting their numeracy skills to the test, whilst being entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, the trip to Mukambi was postponed but the children will be able to go in the first term when they are in Year Seven. Year Six has been a challenging year, but it has been a great one! 18

Gea Sportel: (HOD Upper Key Stage 2) “Just follow the steps; you’ll get there.”

Roslyn Baillie: “By taking small steps you will have greater belief in your abilities and achievements.”

Ewa Bwalya: “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work, work hard.”

06 Year 6 Leavers

Anne

Akshat

Ahmed. M

Ahmad. H

Andoni

Ali

Alex

Chisha

Cody

De Wet

Ezra

Ethel

Fatima

George

Ghazi

Jaycen

Jayden

Josh

Kai Xin

Kamogelo

Katrine

Keagan

The Year Six group has shown resilience and despite all the difficulties they met this year, they are full of dreams and are working hard to fulfil them. We are proud of each and every one of them. Each Year Six child has a vision of where they want to be when they are older. Meet their future selves! 20

Kiara

Lily

Luca

Lucy

Mahitha

Malaika

Malelo

Maia

Michelle

Mumba

Muna

Nsofwa

Olivia

Riley

Seth

Shenae

Tawana

Yafei

Yi Fan

Zayd

Zaynah

07 Primary & Secondary Department of Educational Needs In our Department of Educational Needs, affectionately known as the DEN, encouragement and nurturing are our top priority to help children reach their full potential. The DEN also runs an after school homework club. This year, we have used great writers such as Dr Seuss and Roald Dahl to help understand different life lessons, as well as to assist with our numeracy and literacy lessons. We encourage children to read plenty of books to improve their imagination and writing, to help them with vocabulary and expand their knowledge; but above all, to enjoy the magic of books. As Dr Seuss once said, “You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax; all you need is a book.”

Meet The Team Claire Sauter ( HOD) Advice: “Be the reason someone smiles.”

Mieke Versleegers Advice: “ Never judge a book by its cover. Talk to people, get to know about them before you make any judgment. It is their story to tell, not yours.” Musonda Chiwele Advice: “ Be kind and love yourself, talk to yourself with respect. Go easy on yourself when you make mistakes because the way you treat yourself is how you teach people to treat you.” Alison Hulme ( Deputy Head of Primary) Advice: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” - Dr Seuss

Amina Makrani Advice: “Never give up.”

Paxina Mwimbi Advice: “Never say you can’t, always believe you can.”

Naseemah Pandor Advice: “Believe in yourself.”

08 Year 7 Kalombo Kalombo is a populated area located in North-Western, Zambia. Year 7 K tutor group presents Kalombo as an acronym, representing the following values, which guide us and which we are proud to uphold: K stands for knowledge A stands for amazing L stands for love O stands for obedience M stands for mannered B stands for believe in ourselves O stands for orderly As Year 7 K , we are knowledgeable and amazingly we get better. Working together is the virtue we uphold. We care and love each other with obedience. Supporting each other is what we do best. Well - mannered children with respect and thankful for the knowledge we receive. We believe we can do better, as the sky is the limit for us. We always do things in an orderly fashion.

Lara has spent time this year improving her guitar playing

Marcus and Timothy stand proud after completing IGCSE Dutch exams

Year 7 Mumbuluma Year 7 Mumbuluma is an eclectic mix of budding scientists, engineers, artists and musicians. 7M has overcome the initial nerves of secondary school life to become established, confident members of the school community, ready to grow into responsible young adults.

Rayhan proudly showing his football medal

Mark making corn and chilli bread

Map reading activity during bush day

Simbi working on his goal to get better at swimming.

Sebastian playing football as an activity during baobab at home

Sebastian doing an experiment on chemical reactions

Year 8 Kalungwishi Year 8 Kalungwishi has students from different countries with diverse cultures and yet they all live together in harmony. The class members enjoy all activities and have fun together, but at the same time, they work hard in areas that need their attention in order to progress. Each class member excels in different skills and accomplishment of one is cherished by all. They celebrate every little step towards success, praising and encouraging each other to do their best. This class truly lives up to their saying “Togetherness makes things easy; sometimes we cannot do things alone, we need support of others.”

Pratap and Jason in art

Reo testing the floating weight at bush day

Year 8 Ngona Year 8 Ngona class is known for their superb musical abilities and creativity. It is a multi-talented class with pianists drummers, guitarists and singers. Not only is the year group musical, some of our class members are part of motor cross, swimming clubs and football teams. We are known for amazing team spirit. James,Bahle, Ali, Evangelos, Heyoungbin

Tiyezye

Piano time Faye Noel

James

Year 8 Ngona Falcons

Angelo Heyoungbin music

Luyando, Ndimyake, Aaliyah

Year 8 Ngona Eagles

Year 8 Ngona Hawks

Yehya

Thabo

James stuck in an Indian sari

Faith - Horse riding

Kalenga as a girl

Enjoying French class under warm sun

James in drama

Sofia volleyball

Tanvi volleyball

Camilla - Horse riding

Year 9 Kaombe Year 9 Kaombe is a culturally diverse class with students that have great individual talents like horse riding and piano playing as well as academic and athletic abilities. It is great that each individual student shines, but as a whole, we excel. Year 9 Kaombe is not just the name of our class, it’s our family filled with kind-hearted, helpful and delightful young men and women with a wide range of personalities. Our differences are what bring us together and there is never a dull moment with us.

Yara volleyball

Carissa in costume for drama

Year 9 Luombe “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances.”

Callum drama class

William Shakespeare (As You Like It) As part of English and as an introduction to Drama at IGCSE, Year 9 Luombe had a chance to learn about the various skills needed to put on a good performance. Some took the opportunity to get creative with costumes, while for others, it was all about the performance.

Daphne drama class

Chloe in costume for drama

Mrinal and Franklin Svetlana in costume for drama

Mapalo in costume for drama

Bwalya drama class

Leticia-Sofia in costume for drama

Boitumelo in role for drama

Radiyyah in drama class

Simbarashe in drama class

09 Alysa

Chomba

Josie

Mika

Year 10 Eagle dressed for Careers Week Lumba

Year 10 10 Eagles

10 Hawks

This is a group of diversely talented and unique students who find joy in being in each other’s company. They cheer each other on during sporting activities and also assist each other in pursuing academic excellence by having subject-based discussions and reminding each other of assignment deadlines or upcoming tests. “Eagles always soar because they focus on their goals.” GO EAGLES!

Enthusiastic, inspiring, goal driven, strong personalities, beautiful, cool, kindness, compassion, good humour, resilient and athletic are a few words that can describe this group. With a clear hunger for life, they seem to equip themselves with more and more knowledge and experiences each day, eager to make a difference in this beautiful world of ours.

10 Falcons As symbolic creatures, falcons are considered to be the embodiment of energy, foresight, ambition, courage, willpower, transformation, vision, mental acuity, freedom, control, and a bright life-force. These perfectly illustrate the traits possessed by 10 Falcon. Throughout this trying year, we have shown great resilience and resolve to rise above all challenges, riding the wind to achieve our goals! Go Falcon! 30

Joshua

Changing the world for the better needs young inspiring people like the Year Ten Hawks. They are just like other teens, they have their attitudes and tantrums, they have bad days like we all do, but what is so inspiring about them is that they do not allow these bad days to define them, but instead they get back up and fight harder to better themselves, as progress is the best reward for those who strive for higher things in life.

Ben

Loretta

Amber and Loretta hockey

Muhammed

Diya

Lumba, Thandi, Yasir Netball Mwiinga

Yasir

Sarah

Aryn

Josh

Amber

Khadija

Deandre

Maria Chisala making bread in Food Technology Class

Saskia

Takondwa

Luumuno and Elisha

Aya, Chileya, Maya and Mapalo

Year 11

Year 11 Falcons

Mapalo

Kamal - Experimenting with light refraction in Physics

It has been quite a year for all students at Baobab College. The Year Eleven group was uncertain about whether they would get to write their Cambridge exams, but pulled through like superstars. Our beloved students spent much time in PSHE lessons looking at various coping strategies and exam preparation techniques. They have been there for each other and amazed us all, considering the turbulent nature of 2020/21 and the constant uncertainty. They should be proud of their resilience and ability to buckle down and get the job done under immense pressure. 32

Shanti participates in exciting horse riding competitions Divya and Mazviita, an acoustic pair, play the guitar and the ukelele together.

Amorette - Polocrosse legend

Orlando - My thoughts can be seen in my eyes.

Max - One that did not get away

Zan draws a variety of flowers in his artwork.

Cibella learns Korean and plays the piano too.

Liam - Representing Zambia at CANA in Kenya

Christian

Hamzah visited the Blue Moon Mosque in Turkey in January. He also has fun with Buddy.

Aaron engaged in swimming galas as part of the Baobab Barracudas swimming squad.

Aiden - A great way to prepare for exams

Gianna tries out various recipes and bakes in her free time.

Year 12 Mubanga - Intense revision in preparation for AS exams

Philemon, Mwenya, Abishiek - Posing with the 25th Anniversary Mosaic Wall

Mutale - It’s Thursday... Or as I like to call it... Day 4 of the hostage situation. Emma and Carys re-creating the MRI used in the Canli study in Psychology

Souliman - Doing a plank

Carys researching for a Baobab birdbook.

Kaela and Jaunita - Preparing an assembly whilst maintaining social distancing and building stronger relationships amongst each other.

Cassandra - Overcoming the obstacles in my life

Abishek the beast challenge Akhilesh, Maria - Completing an AS Biology practical

Nestor - Enjoying some sport on the playing fields.

Year 13 Alinani - Studying A2 Travel and Tourism Tabea - Completing an A Level Chemistry practical

Lean - Performing simple dilutions was a nightmare before all the hard work, dedication and practise that the school provided.

Niza and Mwenya volleyball

Lara -This picture was taken in 2019, while I was participating in an under 19 international polocrosse tournament, between a South African team and a ‘Barbarians’ team, which was composed of players from around the world. The tournament took place in Mooi River, KwaZulu Natal.

Jenna - Showing us how she does revision

Russian House talking to A Level students about Space exploration

Zanele - Reading a book for class

Chikondi

Chisha -Serious preps for the final exams

Luyando - Revising in preparation for exams

Anna

Beth - Having finished my A levels, I will only be reading fiction books - and I won’t be analysing them!

11 Meet The Staff

Natasha Allenby

Victoria Chilengi

I teach KS3 Science, as well as IGCSE and A level Biology.

I teach Secondary Mathematics

Advice: “You cannot escape it - life is about hard work!”

Advice: “A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”

Shadreck Lyuba Chitanda ( Head of Business) I teach Business Studies to Years 10-13 and Accounting to IGCSE. Advice: “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.”

Nathalie Dindoyal

Ekta Girdhar

Anna Harrison

I teach French to all year groups in secondary.

I teach KS3 Mathematics, IGCSE Business Studies and A Level Economics.

I teach KS3, KS4 and KS5 Geography

Advice: “On ne peut pas rattraper le temps perdu mais on peut arrêter de perdre son temps.” Meaning :“You can’t make up for lost time, but you can stop wasting time.”

Advice: “No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.”

Hanno Coetzee

Advice: “Jobs fill your pockets; adventures fill your soul.”

Carole Hoskins (Deputy Head of Secondary) I teach English and Literature to IGCSE. Advice: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

I teach Design and Technology from Year 7-A level and Geography to Year 7. Advice: “Surround yourself with people that talk about visions and ideas, not other people.”

Chanda Kaluba I teach P.E. Advice: “A good coach can change a game; a great coach can change a life!”

Jonas Kaputa

Ng’ambilani Lungu

Tambudzai Makwelele

Oscar Mubila

I am the lifeguard and assistant coach.

I teach Travel and Tourism to Years 10-13 and Religious Studies to Years 7-9.

I teach Food and Nutrition to Years 7- 11

I teach English Language to Years 10-13 and Drama to Years 7-9.

Advice: “Never be in competition with anyone in life, but instead challenge yourself to always improve and do better than you did last time.”

Advice: “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, but wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.”

Advice: “Listen before you speak.”

Advice: “ When you make a decision, let the decision make you.”

Jacqueline Namani Ng’andu

Kingfred Mukamba

Amon Mutesi

Syben Mweemba

I am the KS3 Science Coordinator, and I teach AS / A Level Physics, IGCSE Physics Y9-Y11 and Y7-Y8 Science and I am a Y8 tutor.

I teach Mathematics and ICT.

I teach KS3 and IGCSE I teach Drama to KS3 and music. English to KS3 and IGCSE students Advice: “Have flexible expectations and always remember Advice: “If your heart is full of love, you will to smile.” surely give love. If your heart is full of hate, that’s what you are going to give. So, what are you giving?”

Advice: “Learning is a lifestyle, embrace it!”

Advice: “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.”

Shaun Rathgeber

Rakhee Shivdas

(Head of Science) I teach KS3 Science, IGCSE and A level Chemistry.

I teach Information Technology & Computer Science to IGCSE, AS and A2 level.

Advice: “You don’t have to be perfect; strive to be little better each day.”

Advice: “Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow.”

Russell Sparg (Head of P.E. and Sports) Advice: “Movement is medicine.”

Kaschila Simwanza (Head of Humanities) I teach History to KS3, IGCSE and AS/A2 students. Advice: “Never forget where you come from.”

Jon Turner ( Head of Secondary) I teach Maths to Years 11-13 Advice: “You cannot change the world, but you can change the world for individuals.

Chris Smith (Head of Languages, Drama and Psychology) I teach English at KS3 and KS4 and Literature at KS4 and KS5. Advice: “Be You. Nobody else can.”

John Ngulube I teach Mathematics to Years 8-12. Advice: “If you want to succeed in life, you should learn how to use both your hands and your head.”

Leone Smith I teach AS & A Level Psychology, IGCSE Literature, Year 10 Literature, Year 9 English Advice: “Everything is okay in the end. If it’s not okay… it’s not the end”

Nthongase Turner

Charles Niven Whitaker

I teach Art & Design at KS3, IGCSE, AS and A Level.

I teach AS/A2 Physical education, KS3 History and AS/A2 Geography.

Advice: “Life is what you make it.”

Advice: “If you want flowers, plant the seeds; nurture the seedlings.”

Meet The Admin Barbara Mumba

Bernadette Mwate

I am the Accountant in the finance office

I am the Finance Manager

Advice: “Always put your best foot forward in every situation, and remember to take up space in every opportunity that presents itself.” Catherine Mulenga

Chileshe Lumba

I am the Human Resource/PA to the Principal

I am the Accountant in the finance office

Advice: “Every good conversation starts with listening.”

Advice: “Don’t ever stop learning and growing as a person.”

David Hoskins I am the Communications Administrator

Gilbert Mwiinga

Advice: “Get qualified in touch-typing. After three weeks training and 25 years typing, I have never regretted it!”

Advice: “Always be kind. Stay humble and work hard.”

Mwanang’umbu Munalula

Harrison Mpande

I am the IT Technician

I am the Deputy Finance Manager

Advice: “ Patience is a virtue.”

Advice: “Education never stops when you graduate, be very open-minded to learning all things, as it is in growth that we learn our true purpose.”

I am the IT Systems Administrator

Advice: “Every day is a day to explore and to grow.”

Newton Simbeye

Thandiwe Syankombwe

I am the IT Administrator

I am the Assistant Accountant

Advice: “I was given during my college life was to have attitude of gratitude.”

Advice: “Use every good challenge that comes your way as an opportunity to learn.”

The Baobab Triad! Our Magazine Club’s Alankrita Anand sat down to find out a little bit more about our three Wonder Women who keep the front office of Baobab College running so smoothly.

Tombozi Nkhuwa Admissions Officer I am usually found replying to admission forms, helping teachers with printing and photocopying and assembling documents. What I find memorable and remarkable is the way Baobab has grown from its humble beginnings to where it is now. I always wanted to go into the field of hospitality, like being part of a flight crew or working in a hotel.

Heather Steele School Secretary A typical day or week has me doing communication work, helping out with distributing uniforms, filing papers and helping the primary and secondary heads. My favourite thing about Baobab is the beautiful school campus. I always wanted to be an archaeologist when I was younger.

Caroline Kachapulula Purchasing Officer On a typical day or week, I am to be found busy helping the parents, teachers and students. I take care of the ISAMS register and do daily procurements. My most memorable experience so far has been going to and having fun at the Baobab College fireworks.

Nurses’ Station

My favourite thing at Baobab is the interaction that I have with the parents, students and teachers on the campus. Believe it or not, I originally wanted to pursue modelling as a career when I was younger.

Our fabulous team of Baobab nurses, Auntie Marion and Auntie Annie, have looked after us all more than ever this year. They have been called to the fore to provide medical support during the Covid-19 pandemic. Always ready with their care and expertise, we are blessed to have their duty and dedication to the school on campus. Thank you Marion and Annie.

Annie Thomas

Marion Makesa

The Bulletin 1 YEAR IN THE LIFE OF BAOBAB COLLEGE

… and what a year it has been! We invited our Magazine Club students to review some of the highlights of our academic year, month by month. Welcome to our summary of 2020/2021.

AUGUST

by Cayllum Randeree.

Return to School.

Hi I am a new boy at Baobab College called Cayllum Randeree and I would like to tell you, the reader, what happened in the month of August at Baobab College. In August 2020 Baobab College welcomed students back to a new year and to their new grades. However the start of the academic year was like no other, as we all know life’s current norm is not what we are used to. With the current pandemic, COVID 19, we could not return to school all at once and government protocols were strictly followed. We were guided by the regulations of the Government. Initially we were allowed to open the school for examination years only. We then also welcomed our different year groups back onto campus as we were allowed. Some of our students were not able to return to school and we were offering an online option for all years. A huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes to prepare for the new academic year. On campus,

Baobab repurposed or created 14 new teaching spaces and upgraded the IT equipment to be able to deliver lessons online. All teachers went for training and planning. Staff, students and parents had to develop and learn an extraordinary range of skills in the past year. August is always the start of Baobab College’s new academic year. As always we welcomed new students to our beautiful campus and this year Baobab decided to start a magazine club with the aim of allowing students to develop their journalistic skills and report on what has happened here at Baobab College over the past year. The students were each given a month to focus on. Their reports are given in the next few pages.

New Staff

We also welcomed to our school, five new members of staff. Mr. Rathgeber joined us as Head of Science from the USA, Ms Pandor in Year 1 and Mr Chewe in the Secondary DEN. We also welcomed back to the Baobab community Mrs Cochrane-Dyet in her role of Literature teacher, also working on university admissions, and Mrs Chelemu who was running our Cambridge Professional Development programme and teaching Year 10 Maths.

Revised Results

The revised results of our seniors also had a very positive impact on our graduating class of 2020, with more of these students now achieving the required grades for their first choice of university.

REMEMBER SEPTEMBER, by Walinase Kunda.

It was with delight that schools reopened between 14th and 28th September.

Top Performers

And to add to all the excitement we received news that our previous Head Boy, Bonginkhosi Moyo, had been accepted to the University of Manchester to study Law, after achieving A*AA in his A Levels in History, English Literature and English Language. Chang Lu is attending University of California to study Molecular Biology at UC Davis. Chang was the first student ever to achieve four A* at A Level, in Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. This just proved to us that within all adversities lies opportunities.

Scanners

Facial recognition health scanners were installed at all entrance points. Students were registered on the scanners on their first day back. When entering school all adults and parents would have their temperature checked. PE was modified to follow safety protocols for distancing and sanitizing.

OVER TO OCTOBER, by Trisha Bashak

Most students returned to school after a long time of “Baobab At Home”. Many students were so excited to come back to school, but they had to deal with all the COVID 19 protocols. Nevertheless life started to become a little bit more normal. As a result we started celebrating our old traditions again.

Zambia Week and Talent Show

Students were extremely excited for Zambia Week. They got to enjoy many fun activities and games. We were sad to announce that there wouldn’t be a physical school assembly but fortunately there was a virtual one. Students could participate in a talent show by sending short 30 second videos of themselves. We were truly impressed with all the students that participated.

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER MEMORIES by Lara Hoskins.

Girl Who Harnessed the Wind.’ Performances were held in the school hall whilst social distancing was maintained. A very inspiring performance indeed.

Golfers Galore!

House Activities

As we moved closer to the end of 2020, we were delighted to hold house activities for Primary and Secondary school on Monday 7th December, during school time. All Primary and Secondary students from Year 1 up to Year 13 came to school in their house kit. Primary School had Christmas activities. Secondary School had the final round of activities which had been in operation for four weeks. Mr. Sparg also introduced “The Beast Challenge”. The beast challenge was won by 23 people from Year 9-13. The beast is an athletic triathlon, starting with a 400m run, followed by an agility course, and ending with Baobab’s new obstacle course, on our back field. Boys were set the target of under 5 minutes and the girls under 6 minutes.

Elevate Workshops

We were happy to continue our relationship with Elevate, which provided workshops on study and exam skills for Secondary students in exam years. For the first time, we were happy to share an invitation to parents to join a free Elevate Webinar on technology. In addition, all of our lovely Primary School children took part in Nursery Rhyme Week. We saw some wonderful costumes on campus. We also had yet another performance from Barefeet as we always do. All students from Year 3 up to Year 10 were treated to this year’s Christmas show from Barefeet Theatre, ‘The 42

As the year ended we are bursting with pride; our impressive Baobab golfers: Lucy Waddell, Amir Huamani and Breyten Botha were all in competition again on the 26th November 2020 at Bonanza Golf Club, in the PGAZ Suscon Invitational Golf competition. Amir Huamani came 4th in the Juniors U17. Breyten Botha won Juniors nearest to the pin. Both boys were in the Reliant sponsors team and came 2nd overall. Lucy Waddell received special recognition for being the only girl under 13 to qualify for the competition. Representing The Bed Shop sponsors team, Lucy’s team came 1st overall.

Tree of Joy

Every year our Tree of Joy is a highlight of our year as it affords us a chance to give back to those in need and this year was no different. This gave an opportunity for Baobab families to donate gifts to children in community schools. In November we were delighted to know that the community school we were working with was Light for Future Community School. The Senior College students were the coordinators for this year’s Tree of Joy activity.

Christmas Carols

Of course the Tree of Joy sets the tone for the rest of the festive season and it traditionally gets followed by

our beautiful Christmas Carols at the Cathedral, but due to COVID 19, innovation and creativity were called into play once again. Instead of the usual gathering, many of our students performed a concert to be filmed and streamed online. Even though it was not our traditional performance, we still had a heartfelt performance at school. A virtual Christmas Carols performance was conceived that did not disappoint. Outstanding performances were filmed by Mr Hoskins and shared with all Baobab parents, friends and families, even beyond borders. We were delighted to celebrate Christmas and still have our traditional readings.

January

We entered the New Year with the resolve to stand firm amidst the growing uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The following

by age group, along with information sheets on many online apps and recommendations for parents.

COBIS Coding Challenge

Several of our Year 7 students and IT enthusiasts signed up to join the 2021 Coding Challenge organised by the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) in conjunction with Discovery Education. This ran until 25th February. Students were guided through a sequence of activities to develop their coding skills, before unleashing their creativity to design their own app!

Hamerkops Nesting This was the month that we were delighted to see one of Zambia’s iconic birds, the Hamerkop, nesting in the heart of our school. It was a

represent the key moments during the month.

Baobab Online

January saw the school re-open for the second term. Unfortunately, due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation at the time, students’ return was staggered over a few weeks. This meant that

lovely addition to the team and great to see this beautiful nest in our school.

February

Baobab Online was the norm. To enhance online learning, Numbots and Times Tables Rock Stars were added to the list of online platforms to support primary school students in their learning.

Sadly, owing to the prevailing health situation, we did not have the long standing tradition of roses and gifts associated with the month of love. Nonetheless, plenty of love was to be expressed in so many other ways.

National Online Safety

Baobab College became a Certified School with National Online Safety. This allowed parents access to online guides for managing children’s online safety,

Return to Campus

By mid-February all classes had returned to school with only those with unavoidable circumstances continuing online.

World Book Day: Hearts for Heroes

Introducing Sunflower Kitchen

A new packed lunch service from Liz Cooke at Sunflower Kitchen was introduced. Lunches made to order and delivered to school in recyclable packaging were made available on a daily basis, priced at K50 for Primary and K60 for Secondary. Sunflower Kitchen prepared a delicious and balanced menu with a vegetarian option. Orders needed to be placed in advance.

Farewell Mrs. Cochrane-Dyet

We bid farewell to Mrs. Cochrane-Dyet who had been teaching English Literature online up until then. Mrs Cochrane-Dyet had been teaching remotely from the UK and sadly had to leave us to take up a new position in the UK. We are truly grateful for the excellent work that was done to get ahead with the curriculum.

Nature Watch

For a brief period, nature took over at Baobab. We were amazed to see more than 150 birds of prey enjoying a feast of insects on our back field. The display by the amur falcons and lesser kestrels was quite mesmerising and a joy to behold. Go Falcons!

On World Book Day Thursday 4th March, we launched a very special fundraising project, ‘Hearts for Heroes’. Baobab College supported the Zambia Cancer Society to raise funds for cancer care in Zambia. It was only right that while we all focused on fighting COVID-19, we were still able to remember those people who are suffering from cancer. The Cancer Society invited our students to paint a canvas heart to celebrate health care heroes in cancer wards across Zambia. Over 200 heart donations at K100 each were received. Great job from the community. Well done to our students and staff who marked World Book Day with a difference this year. We were all invited to dress up as our heroes and it was great to see the range of outfits in school. There were plenty of doctors and nurses and a few teachers.

IGCSE Options Evening

March

March was a very exciting month for us with lots to be pleased about. 44

On 11th March, 2021, from 16:00-17:30, we successfully hosted an online IGCSE Options Webinar for Year 9 students and parents. Mr. Turner and Mrs. Hoskins presented the IGCSE programme for Year 10 and Year 11, commencing August 2021. Those who attended got a chance to see on-demand videos introducing each of the IGCSE subjects offered. Faculty heads and subject teachers were available for live Q&A sessions on Google Meet. This has always been an important event for Year 9s as they make their first subject choices for further study from Year 10.

Vaccinated!

Yale Young Global Scholars

We were delighted to announce that Year 11 student Gianna Chibesa had been accepted to join the ‘Innovations in Science and Technology’ programme at the Yale Young Global Scholars programme https://globalscholars.yale.edu.The two-week workshop held in June, hosted by Yale University, explored a wide variety of scientific fields such as physics, molecular biology, chemistry, biochemistry, astronomy, engineering, neuroscience, immunology, psychology, and earth science. Congratulations Gianna!

A Level Scholarships

Applications were opened for Year 11 students to join the A

We were so delighted that many of our staff took the opportunity to have their first Covid vaccine. Mrs. Noble was invited to receive her vaccine at the launch of the Chilanga Health care vaccination centre, along with the District Commissioner. A temporary vaccination centre was then set up for our staff to receive vaccines in school. Thank you to Chilanga Healthcare for making that happen. We were immensely grateful that school staff were listed as frontline workers and we appreciate all members of staff who took the vaccine, which will further enhance the safety for our children and families in school.

Parents and Teachers Committee AGM

Level Scholarship programme for August 2021. 50% Scholarships would be awarded to students who demonstrated excellence in academics, sports or creative arts. Applications were invited from our own Year 11 students and from new A Level students joining the school for next academic year. The deadline for applications was the last day of term 2, Wednesday 31st March.

April

On 19th April, School re-opened for the third term after the Easter Holidays. It was straight to business as usual.

Thursday 29th April at 17:00, saw the successful hosting of the PTC AGM. It marked the first signs of some kind of return to a degree of normalcy. We extend a big thank you to parents and staff who attended the PTC AGM, and especially to our outgoing Parents and Teachers Committee of 2020-2021. The committee has done excellent work to keep the PTC active during the last year. We are delighted that many parents volunteered to join the new committee for 2021. There are good times ahead for the PTC and we look forward to sharing more news as the new committee gets started.

Commemorative Mosaic Unveiled

At the PTC AGM we took the opportunity to unveil the 25th anniversary mosaic wall on our beautiful library building. The project was conceived in 2019 as a community project to mark the first 25 years of Baobab College. During the last two years the whole school has come together to work on the mosaic tiles. The result is a beautiful collaborative artwork that marks the history of Baobab, symbolising the diversity of our community, and the collaborative relationships in our Baobab family. Thank you to PTC members who have worked so hard to bring the project to completion, to Mr Coetzee for leading the project and for officially opening the mosaic after the PTC AGM.

Afternoon Activities

We welcomed back afternoon activities, which we were delighted to have and allowed us a limited programme of activities for both Primary (Year 2-6) and Secondary (Year 7-10).

MAY HIGHLIGHTS

May is usually the month that the bulk of the external exams happen and this year was no exception. In the background other activities continued. Here is a quick summary for May.

Letterland Week

Parents, children and staff embraced Letterland Week in ELC and Key Stage 1. The children had a lovely time celebrating the Letterland characters. They made ‘Walter Walrus Waffles’ and enjoyed ‘Jumping Jim’s Jumping Castles’. It was great to see the beautiful costumes for dress-up days. It was indeed a memorable week for all the children.

Open Days.

6th May saw us hold an open day for new parents to visit our school. All the parents who visited commented on the good behaviour and politeness of our children. This was followed by a Virtual Open Day held online on Thursday 20th May at 4pm. This gave a good opportunity for those parents who were unable to attend the earlier open day.

Baobab Bushcamp Opens!

On 21st May, we launched our very own bushcamp with the first of our year group bush days. Year 8 spent the day in our newly developed camp on-site, with a variety of fun educational activities and outdoor games. Using natural resources and led by their teachers in art, design & technology, science and other curriculum areas, activities included the ‘Tower of Hanoi’ challenge and egg drop. Team-building fun continued throughout the afternoon and evening with an obstacle course with a twist; orienteering 46

around campus; ending with supper, fire and marshmallows. We thank the estates team for all their work establishing our new bushcamp. More Primary and Secondary year groups enjoyed activities at the camp.

Bake Sale & Hot Chocolate

On Wednesday 26th May, Year 6 children organised a bake sale as well as hot chocolate. This was to raise funds for their leavers’ lunch. Every item was K5. Our thanks go to all those who supported Year 6 for their end of Primary event.

Agriculture Plot

Things were buzzing on the school Agriculture plot in Term 3! Students recently harvested our first maize crop as an assessed coursework exercise, and had great fun doing it. We had a very good yield. Some of the maize was earlier sold green and we took the maize seed to the millers for grinding into chicken feed. Year 10 agriculture students also got a chance to visit Lilayi farm. Packed into 90 minutes was an introduction to combine-harvesting, centre pivot irrigation of winter wheat, a masterclass given on growing wheat and maize in seed trials, and how to produce hybrid seed. They were shown around the organic garden and learned about the importance of micro-organisms in the biome and the harm done by antibiotics in both farm animals and humans. The session showed us how what we think of as weeds actually have very important roles to play in balancing the soil and in attracting pests away from the main crop. Our students came away buzzing with ideas. Many thanks to Alan Miller and Annemieke de Vos for the enlightening tour.

PGAZ Golf Tournament

Amir Huamani-Alvarez, Breyten Botha, and Lucy Waddell took part in the PGAZ tournament in Chilanga. Amir finished fourth in his section and, most impressively, scored a hole-in-one on the eighteenth! Lucy came second in the under-18 tournament. Well done to all of them.

WALL OF HEARTS In March 2021, Baobab combined with Punzila Education and Zambian Cancer Society to produce a beautiful display in our admin building, the ‘Wall of Hearts.’ Students painted over 200 individual canvasses with a heart motif, celebrating heroes in all medical fields in the fight against cancer, as well as commemorating those who have worked so tirelessly during the Covid-19 pandemic. The ‘Wall of Hearts’ display was opened by Mrs. Noble, together with Mrs. Udie Soko, Founder of Zambian Cancer Society, herself a cancer survivor, and Idah Phiri, project leader for the Hope Kidz Campaign. Our campaign raised K12,902 for Zambian Cancer Society, an amount matched by Liquid Telecom in dual sponsorship for this beautiful artwork. We are proud to support the Zambian Cancer Society in the battle against cancer and to educate our children and our community, for the benefit of those suffering with cancer in Zambia and around the world. 48

Commemorative Mosaic On the occasion of the PTC AGM on 29th April 2021, the Baobab College 25th anniversary commemorative mosaic was unveiled on the side of our library building. The beautiful mosaic, glistening in the sunlight, reflects the natural beauty of our surroundings. It is a symbol of the togetherness and unity in our diverse community, marking time and history as we celebrate the first 25 years of our school. We came together to celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2019. Throughout the year, children, staff, parents and families, enjoyed the opportunity to make the beautiful mosaic tiles that now stand proud on this landmark. Thank you to the PTC, who have tirelessly seen the project through to completion, and especially to Mr. Coetzee for the leadership and creative drive behind the project. It is a wonderful momento that is truly the best of Baobab.

Parents Teachers Committee PTC 2020/2021 Our Parents Teachers Committee started 2020 with energy, enthusiasm and ideas for a long list of events that were intended to take place during the year. Whilst the Covid-19 pandemic prevented us from hosting many of these, our PTC held firm throughout. Thank you to out-going Chair Mrs. Bona and the Committee of 2020-2021 for keeping our PTC moving. As well as completing the beautiful 25th anniversary mosaic, the PTC supported our children with celebratory cupcakes and chocolates marking Christmas and Easter. Special T-shirts were purchased for the winners of ‘The Beast’ assault course triathlon challenge in December 2020. Our AGM, held in April to allow parents to attend, marked a fresh start for our new committee. We look forward to exciting times ahead for the PTC.

Bush Day Our new on-site bush camp at Baobab College is a great addition to our outdoor facilities. Year 8 were the first to try out the bush camp for a fantastic day of creative activities at the end of their exam week. The idea was to bring the bush trip experience to Baobab, taking advantage of our campus backdrop that could easily be in the middle of the bush. Students began their day by creating names and chants for their teams. What then followed was a series of activities which included team-building exercises. These ranged from a scientific biodiversity study to the “Tyre of Hanoi” – Baobab’s own take on the classic Tower of Hanoi problem. Teams enjoyed the challenge to build natural cases for raw eggs to be placed in and dropped to test their durability. Other creative activities included bark and surface rubbings.

the pool from resources available to carry a 100g weight; orienteering and map reading across the whole campus; and running the obstacle course whilst carrying a bucket of water, without touching the bucket. The day ended with a hearty fireside supper before reviewing the activities and then finishing off with everyone’s favourite; toasting marshmallows on the open fire. Primary classes have also taken advantage of our bush camp this term and we look forward to developing the facility further next year. Watch this space!

During the full day of activities, students took advantage of the whole campus, making a float at 51

Year 13 Leavers

Julia Atkins I am going to be doing Marketing Management in the Netherlands.

Anish Balasubramanian I am going to the UK to study Finance.

Mwenya Chikoti I plan on going to the UK to get my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and Marketing and hopefully go on to attain a Masters in Sports Marketing

Niza Chifunda I plan on pursuing a Bachelors degree in Business Economics and Finance in the UK, and later I might do a Masters in Project Finance.

Josh Du Preez I am going to take a gap year after school in order to gain work experience and travel, and then I plan on doing a Business/IT related course in either Canada, Netherlands or South Africa.

Beth Hoskins I want to go to England to study Psychology at Durham University.

Tabea Kradolfer I am planning on getting my Masters in Secondary Education at the Teaching College of Thurgau in Switzerland.

Nabeela Lunat I plan on taking a gap year to figure out my career path.

Chikondi Maliki I am not completely sure what I am going to do, however, I am going to go to university this September.

Andrew Mawson I plan to go and study Sports Science in the UK.

Alinani Membe I plan to study Pharmacy in Canada with the aim to undertake a career in Biomedical Research.

Zanele Munjanja I would like to study Law or go into the Social Sciences in the near future.

Lusemeka Mumba I plan to study Business and Marketing in Leicester, England, while also hoping to chase my sporting dream during that time.

Tapfuma Murove I am going to the UK to study for a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the University of Birmingham.

Nicole Muzira I plan on studying Economics and Finance in the UK.

Teresa Nel I plan to study Biokinetics in South Africa.

Hetvi Patel I plan on studying Bachelor of Business Administration & Digital Businesses at the EU Business School in Barcelona, Spain.

Jenna Slabbert I want to study Forensic Psychology at Nottingham Trent in the UK.

Luyando Simatyaba I plan on getting a degree in Computer Science at the University of Liverpool or Manchester.

Chisha Sikazwe I am planning to study Computer Science at the University of Manchester or Glasgow.

Keren Steele I plan to go and study Business Management and Marketing in the UK.

Charity Tembo I plan on taking six months off to explore different passions and gain some work experience.

Lara van der Heide I have decided to take a gap year rather than immediately pursuing further education, affording me more time to focus on personal interests that were previously sidelined due to studies.

Anna Wyllie I am going to take a gap year and go onto further my studies in Chiropractic and Health Sciences in England.

Our Alumni Baobab College has reached its 27th anniversary this year. From its humble beginnings in a house in Roma, it has evolved into the fabulous institution we all know and love of today. As a school, we have started to create our official Alumni. So far our data base has grown exponentially and we are delighted to have so many former students register with us. We shall soon will be in a position to start formal school reunions on campus as well as newsletters specifically designed for our Alumni. These pages are dedicated to some of our past students and their experiences over the last year. We start with catching up with our old Head Boy from last year, who left us to go to university in the heart of the global pandemic. Our Head Boy for 2019-2020, Bonginkhosi Moyo, was accepted to the University of Manchester to study Law, after achieving A*AA in his A Levels in History, English Literature and English Language. What were his experiences like? ‘I travelled into the UK a bit late and immediately had a lot of catching up to do. One of the most challenging things about University is there is no one making sure I am keeping on track or attending classes (over Zoom) or anything like that; it was about choosing to engage in everything because I wanted to. On the face of things, it looked like I had all the time in the world but quickly realised I would need to be wise with how I spent it. I’d like to think I have the hang of it by now 54

(ignoring the occasional missed alarms and desperate sprints to the library). I’ve also met some wonderful people who have really made this past year more brilliant than I could have expected. I think one of the most important things I’ve learnt from this past year is that you lose nothing from putting yourself out there. Don’t be afraid to get to know new people. They could be exactly what you need when the days get tough. All in all, the year has been amazing. Still doesn’t beat a year in Baobab Boarding hostel though.’ Well done to all our class of 2020 who after graduating with Baobab’s first ever ‘drive-in graduation’ have gone to many corners of the globe for further studies, despite the extraordinary challenges they faced. We are proud of you – fly the Baobab flag high and proud as you venture into your adult lives.

Bonginkhosi Moyo

Jodie du Plooy, class of 2008 Congratulations to Baobab alumnus Jodie Du Plooy, on receiving the prestigious Dux award from International College of Hotel Management in Adelaide Australia, for her Masters in International Hotel Management. ICHM was named Australia’s Best Hotel and Hospitality School in 2019. We also extend our heartfelt congratulations on her recent marriage!

Laura Dingle, class of 2010 Many congratulations to Baobab College alumnus Dr. Laura Dingle, who completed her PhD in biochemistry from Rhodes University this year. Laura has been working on cancer research and the novel role for some of the key proteins in mRNA processing, it’s involvement with cancers or potential use for treatment. Her PhD is titled “Elucidation of a novel role for HSP70/HSP90 organising protein (Hop) in mRNA processing”. We shall follow Laura’s career with great interest as we, as a school, continue to support cancer patients in Zambia.

Taonga Banda, class of 2016 Taonga is an undergraduate in Mechanical Engineering at Coventry University, UK. Currently on her work placement year, Taonga is now at Microsoft where she is engaged as Sales Excellence Intern Manager. Alongside her professional development, Taonga has always had an interest in charity and specifically underprivileged children and girls. Through ‘Good In Humanity’, she received funding from Coventry University to help girls through school in Zambia. She is also working on Microsoft’s ‘DigiGirlz’ scheme to give access to work in digital media for underprivileged girls in the UK. Congratulations Taonga on all your achievements, we wish you every success and will follow your career with great interest.

Jessica Van Blerk, class of 2006 While catching up with Jessie this year, we found out how well she has been doing in her career. She is now the lead creative and marketing manager for Digiprint and Xerox, here in Lusaka. She also recently married in October 2020! The beautiful bride is pictured here with her father, our very own Chair of the Trustees – Jumbo van Blerk, who looks as proud of Jessie as we all are.