Field Stories From Zambia

A Young Woman Achieves Her Dream

“I am Kanyama Ronah. I thank KnowledgeBeat for the help that they are giving me. They have provided everything concerning school and even more, they have helped me to believe in myself. My hope is to achieve my goals so that I can help my family and my community. This is my story"

Ronah was born in 1990 to a family of eight. Her family lives in Masasabi settlement of Itezhi Tezhi District. Ronah’s father is a peasant farmer, and he was not able to support her in school.

“I stayed with my uncle from grade five up to grade seven. After writing my final grade seven examinations, my uncle died. I traveled back to Masasabi to live with my father. I tried by all means to go back to school, but there was no money. I completely lost hope. I got pregnant. After three years I had a second child. Life was so hard for me, and I knew my children would also want to go to school, but who would support them? “

Ronah finally decided to go back to school before her children were old enough to be in school themselves. She asked all of her relatives to help, and started in grade nine at Masasabi Basic School. Ronah’s hope was to pass her final examinations.

“In September 2010, in the third term, we attended the Girls’ Empowerment camp with KnowledgeBeat. There I learned many things. We were taught how to overcome challenges and how to achieve our goals. We also learned how to take care of ourselves when we are at school. I was glad to know how to discover role models. At the same time we were told to work hard so as to qualify for the KnowledgeBeat scholarship.”

“KnowledgeBeat taught me that having a child isn’t the end of my growth, it is just a temporary obstacle. No man can take away my knowledge; no man can take away my mind. I have to be aware of challenges that I will experience while getting my education. I know I will achieve my goals without fail.”

Taking Community Members and Mothers Back to School

Mrs. Florence H. Mainza, Masasabi, 28, participated in KnowledgeBeat Girls Empowerment Camp and HIV/AIDS Camp as a KnowledgeBeat facilitator.

“My mother passed away when I was in grade three, then I went to go live with my father. He died when I was in grade 7. I passed my exams and was accepted into Njase Girls Secondary School. Unfortunately there was no one to pay for my fees. I had to go to a closer secondary school that was very poor. I became sick due to the food and the living conditions. I dropped out of school. Soon, a boy proposed to me and I accepted, I didn’t know anything else, he was my first boyfriend.”

Florence became pregnant and married at the young age of 17. She did not finish her education and moved in with her husband in Masasabi. Her husband became a teacher at Masasabi school where she stayed at home as a house wife and became a mother of three children.

One day, Florence's husband came home and told her about KnowledgeBeat community initiatives and the involvement that is needed. She decided to learn about the programs, and joined a committee to help support KnowledgeCamps. After her experience, she decided to go back to school.

“We used to not be able to go back to school once a girl became pregnant. Now we can and we have KnowledgeBeat to help us achieve our goals. This organization has changed our community, KnowledgeBeat has encouraged me to go back to school.”

An Emerging Leader

Wainga Ng’andu participated in an HIV/AIDS Awareness Camp and the KnowledgeBeat-sponsored Ngoma Science Fair.

“My father died in 2007 and my mother could not afford to take care of me, so I live with my uncle. I really liked the Science Fair that KnowledgeBeat held in Ngoma, and so I worked hard to get good grades. I also learned a lot from the HIV/AIDS camp, like how to choose your partner wisely and to resist peer pressure. I now tell all my friends about how to be safe.”

Wainga was selected for a KnowledgeBeat scholarship in 2011 after filling out an application and gathering exam results and references. His favorite subjects in school are science and geography, and he likes to browse the internet in his free time to learn new things. When he completes high school, Wainga hopes to attend the University of Zambia in order to study meteorology, so that he can become a weather forecaster.

“This scholarship has changed my life. I am very lucky for this assistance, and I know I cannot waste the opportunity the KnowledgeBeat has given to me.”