Supporting widows and educating fatherless children and orphans in Africa

In June 2004 African Child Trust presented Chikola High School with library books, sports equipment and chess sets.

ACT sponsor nineteen children in the school. ACT had learnt of the struggle the school was facing with poor resourcing and so we were pleased to be able to help. In building a relationship with this school, ACT is seeking to support the whole community

Chikola High School has 2000 pupils. It has an excellent academic reputation and caters for pupils from Grade 8 to Grade 12. About 70% of pupils receive admission to the university, although only approximately 20% take up their place because of the lack of financial means. The school has also had many successes in inter-school competitions in sport and chess.

These achievements are very creditable considering

how poorly it is resourced:

• The library only has a few very old books

• There is one working computer for the 2000

children in the school

• The science labs and workshops have only

a few items of equipment

Some laboratory equipment required for public exams are not available in the school. The school tries to hire this equipment for the exams, but pupils would only be using them for the first time which makes it difficult for them.

Mrs Lupeta, the school head, is very grateful for the support that African Child Trust has been able to give to the school. She told us that there were 185 fatherless children on the roll who were in critical financial need. Of these numbers, fifty-eight (58) have been unable to pay any school fees and were therefore in danger of being put out of school. Some of the mothers and pupils paid school fees in kind by doing manual work in the school, but they then have to find money to pay for the public exams which many cannot afford.

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