Behind every child you are educating is a team of teachers, and behind every team of teachers is a principal.  Meet Mr. Manda, Principal at African Vision of Hope School in Kabulonga, Zambia and find out how far your education dollars are going.

Mr. Manda faces similar challenges to those of principals here in the USA. He has to deal with over-enrollment, large class sizes, discipline, and the challenges that come with managing a school of over 800 kids. That is where most of the similarities stop. 

He began his journey with African Vision of Hope in 2011 as an English teacher for the upperclassmen. He was then promoted to principal. “During my time with African Vision of Hope my greatest problem has been turning away students who come seeking a place in school. Our class sizes are becoming larger even though our space stays the same, and we face a shortage of classrooms and desks. Every week I have to turn away 10 to 15 children who are begging for a place in school.” 

This is a burden that Mr. Manda faces every day. Another challenge is that many of his students’ parents do not put a high value on education. “Many of our students come from the streets or places where they are considered as tools. Their parents or guardians do not value education and make them stop schooling because they want to marry them off or make them work in the street. Most of these children come from homes where there are no role models.”

This is where people like Mr. Manda and his teachers come in. They are able to minister to these children by meeting their basic needs. “We provide every student with an education, meals, clean water, sanitation, medical care, and spiritual mentoring. We share the love of God with them and show them they are worthy. As their teachers, we are committed to helping the children realize that they are not the products of their situation. They can change their lives and be productive.”

Mr. Manda is so proud of his staff for stepping in and caring for their students like they were their own children. Each of the teachers and staff truly care about the well-being of their students and want to see them succeed, because they have been in their shoes. They do not consider working for African Vision of Hope as their job, it is their mission and ministry.

There are so many children waiting for their chance to be educated, many passing through Mr. Manda’s door every day. You can make this possible.

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