Chikumbuso Annual Report 2023

AN NUAL RE P O RT 2022

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

SHORING UP OUR FOUNDATION

LETTERS FROM OUR FOUNDER, LINDA & GENERAL MANAGER, TRUDY Chikumbuso is starting 2024 with the anticipation of a year full of growth as we continue to do for others in our community. And we continue to learn as an organization about how best to serve our community and steward our resources for the long term. We will be making some organizational and programmatic refinements to ensure our organization remains strong and continues into the future.

We know the most important thing is to provide young children with a strong foundation of academics, love, and nutrition. We also have learned that even with the best K-7 education, our students, given the barriers they have to face, require additional support to stay and succeed in school. In keeping with the genesis of our school, to ensure the poor in Ng’ombe are offered a free school where they are fed, safe and loved, we will continue with our focus on a strong and stable K-7 school. We will also offer our older students in grades 8-12 and in college, support to ensure that more students remain in school.

Primary Program: We will continue to offer student-specific sponsorship K-7 in order to ensure our youngest children have holistic, wrap-around, support as they learn. By turbocharging our investment in our elementary school, we will be able to create smaller classes, increase our teacher training and support, and provide children with the care and wrap-around services they need.

Secondary Program: Many of our students in 8 - 12 grades are not sponsored, creating a divide between them and our sponsored students. The ones without the additional support struggle constantly, fending for themselves, getting jobs to pay for food, transportation, books, or fees and eventually dropping out. Instead, Chikumbuso will pivot from one to one sponsorship in secondary school and instead ask all sponsors to give to a pooled fund to provide all our students in 8th - 12th grade with food, school fees, and uniforms. In addition, we will offer them after-school tutoring and library access.

University Program: Finally, when 12th graders graduate AND are accepted to university, we are beyond thrilled. However, college costs have ballooned to a huge proportion of the Chikumbuso budget - and it is no longer financially sustainable to provide funding for all students who want to go to college. As a result, we will be creating a University Program that will offer scholarships to the 5-10 highest performing / hardest working students who embody the Chikumbuso spirit. We will continue the GAP year program as it has a significant impact on graduation rates, and we will also work with community partners to identify scholarships and other programs to support them.

Finally, it is with mixed feelings that I am announcing that I will be moving into a Founders Role in 2025 as Chikumbuso reaches its 20 year mark. I am pleased beyond measure that we have been able, together, to build this beautiful life changing project. I will continue to support our fundraising, provide guidance to our team in Zambia, and sit on our Board.

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In addition, we have added Carol Gruen to our Board, she brings energy and a deep commitment to the organization. We thank Carol Elliot and Elizabeth Wright for their many years of service on our board - happy retirement!

We know these shifts may raise questions - please reach out to me if you have any questions about your donation, our programs, or our future. I am confident that together we are building the next 20 years of opportunity and joy for students in Zambia. There are so many children in our slum just hoping to get the opportunity for an education and a safe place to spend their days - let's start helping them now!

Dear Partners, Warm greetings to you all on behalf of my colleagues here in Zambia. We would like to express our gratitude to you all for the mutual partnership you share with us of uplifting the welfare of the underprivileged children in our community over the years. We look back in amazement at how it has contributed in turning around their bleak futures and given them hope. This is attributed to both your financial and material sacrifice on behalf of Chikumbuso students. As mutual partners, you have enabled us to put students in both colleges and universities over the successive years.

A good number of these beneficiaries of your generosity have completed their education, are now in gainful employment, and many are raising up other children in their families.

Finally, I raise my hands in thanking you for your generous support and love you have shown over the years, and I pray that the partnership may keep on growing from strength to strength. chikumbuso project

In my place, Lisa Veitenhans, our current Director of Finance and Operations, will manage the day to day of Chikumbuso and oversee our program team in Zambia. Lisa became the director of Chikumbuso 10 years ago in Zambia and ran the organization there for 3 years. More recently Lisa has been in charge of Chikumbuso’s finances both in Zambia and here in the States. She lives in Seattle, WA.

SHORING UP OUR FOUNDATION

OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM

"I am so grateful for the doors that have opened for me because of your generosity. Your support has not only impacted my education, but it has also shaped the person I am becoming. I am so thankful for your belief in me and your willingness to help me reach my full potential."

Isaac Shamasefu, Graduate, NRDC Water Engineering p. 4

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Sh o r i n g Up Ou r Foundation Teacher Workshops

Teachers attended three on site workshops and several government sponsored meetings to enhance their skills and proficiency. As a result our students continue to perform well and reading levels have improved in all grades.

Feeding Program

We served over 60,000 nutritional meals to students and staff. Many students come to school hungry and an early meal helps them focus on learning. Artisans from our microenterprise give back by serving.

After School Activities

Students participated in an intercity chess club; two of our girls scored 1st and 2nd place. Scouts spent a weekend at Chikumbuso land in Chongwe camping. Extra tutoring put struggling students on par with peers.

Smaller Classroom Sizes

Classes thrived with reduced class sizes. 100% of Grade 7 Students passed exams with high marks. We split our grades held back during the COVID pandemic so teachers could spend extra time with those still struggling.

Grade 8 students gave back by spending time at our land, cleaning and working to put up fencing. College students served our grandmothers by cleaning homes, cooking meals, and doing yard work.

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Giving Back

SHORING UP OUR FOUNDATION

GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY MICRO ENTERPRISE Our micro enterprise program is often the life of the center. It is where young women, young men, and widows come together to share, sing and most of all earn money.

This program has really helped these young adults know the importance of being self reliant through savings, buying land and sending their kids to school.

GRANDMOTHERS Our 16 Grandmothers are central to Chikumbuso’s ministry as we care for women in need. Our sponsorship program ensures that they are fed, have their medical costs paid for and often their rent. Not to mention they just love to come and hang out at Chikumbuso.

SAFE HAVEN Our safe haven is a place where you see a child transformed in so many ways. Even in their ability to communicate with others.

You can't really tell who is an orphan and who is not. They are encouraged, they aspire to different things, and early on start focusing on how to apply academics to their future.

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HOW TO GET INVOLVED EDUCATION FUND & SPONSORSHIP Change the life of a child through sponsorship. Each child takes home a bag of mealie meal, oil, sugar and soap. A child who brings home food will be encouraged to stay in school and finish their education.

Students in Grades 8-12 are supported through our Secondary Education Fund where our goal is to ensure every student has food at home.

TERTIARY EDUCATION FUND Students that perform well on Grade 12 exams can apply for a scholarship to continue on to college or a trade school.

Exam results come out in March and during the interim year our Gap Year program offers a ciriculum of life skills, job interview training, and guest speakers that inspire students to excel in whatever profession they choose.

GENERAL DONATIONS

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General donations are key to supporting underfunded parts of programs such as transportation, repairs and/or replacement of equipment, and supplies. General donations supply part of the funding to our feeding program, tailoring program, school celebrations, and outreach beyond the Chikumbuso Center.

SHORING UP OUR FOUNDATION

O UR C E NT E R

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• Sadly we lost a good friend, Maureen Tembo. Fiftysix donors raised almost $9000 for her memorial fund • New rocket stove and cookware donated by Chariho Rotary • Goat raising project started supported by Rotary of the Stoningtons • Bikes distributed thanks to Jane & Steve Weyerhauser-Johnson • Expanded local orders for branded products including Royal Zambezi Lodge, Chongwe Hospital, & US Embassy • 92 students attended tertiary programs • 188 students sponsored for school and monthly food packages • Staff retreat to Chaminuka Lodge • Installed new lights and fans in all classrooms • Received many visitors and new supporters of Chikumbuso

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Happenings around Chikumbuso in 2023...

SHORING UP OUR FOUNDATION

C H I K UMB USO - ZAMB IA

"It is through Chikumbuso I managed to keep my late mom when she was very sick by paying her medical bills and her daily things until she died. Not to mention Webster's education path until he has completed his university studies."

-Florence Chileshe, Artisan

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Chikumbuso Project serves the vulnerable with funding from Friends of Chikumbuso, a 501(c)3 based in North Stonington, CT, USA and with help from donors from all over the world. Our 2022 independent audit performed by Doherty, Beals and Banks PC is available on request.

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F I NANC IAL P IC T URE

"I came to Chikumbuso to learn how to sew and use the machines. I started working making different things like bags, clothes and adding leather handles to bags. The money I make helps me buy books and school items for my sisters."

-Moses Kavuma, Artisan

ANNUAL REPORT 2023 Remember those who have died, Remember where we came from, and Remember to do for others.