Ngoma Starts 2009 with a new KnowledgeBeat Volunteer, Increased Enrollment and High Scores

Returning to the village is always something I enjoy. One left turn and the city of Lusaka fades away quickly, metal junkyards give way to shifting shades of green. Driving into the bush is like heading out to sea and I have to remind myself that the beautiful surroundings can turn dangerous in an instant. The drive to Ngoma takes six to seven hours. About half of that time is spent trudging slowly over a dirt road, riddled with potholes and worsened by the relentless rains of the wet season.

During this particular trip, I was lucky to have company. Bay Area realtor and avid adventurer, Katy Dinner, traveled to Zambia for two weeks to volunteer for KnowledgeBeat and to explore rural Africa. During her first week in the village, Katy spearheaded a video project for KnowledgeBeat – gathering testimonials and success stories from the community, teachers and students.

The Zambian school system is divided into three terms beginning in January. Students go to school for three months and then have one month off, so there is no school in April, August and December. As January is the start of the new school year, I returned to Ngoma especially eager to find two pieces of information: 2009 enrollment numbers and test scores from 2008. Both numbers assist KnowledgeBeat in evaluating success thus far.

The 2009 enrollment numbers had increased by 50 students. With word of KnowledgeBeat’s success spreading, Ngoma now has students from urban areas as far as Lusaka. Test scores have also improved. While 2008 results continue to trickle in, it is clear that Ngoma is one the leading schools in the district.