Shifwankula Primary School is located on the edge of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. As the only primary school in the area, it provides education for some 4,600 young people. Shifwankula is challenged every day by inadequate classroom space, few desks for students, and limited toilet facilities. Because of these challenges, the teachers run three shifts of school each day. Students receive only three hours of classroom time per day and are often forced to sit on the floor.
- President-Mushala-from-the-Lusaka,-Zambia-Stake-with-other-officials-cut-the-ribbon-to-officially-open-the-new-classrooms-(Lusaka,-Zambia.-Wednesday,-May-10,-2023).
- New-classrooms-funded-by-the-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints-at-Shifwankula-Primary-School,-in-Lusaka,-Zambia-(Wednesday,-May-10,-2023).-
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Recently, a donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped to ease conditions at Shifwankula Primary School and remove some of its education barriers. The donation funded nine new classrooms and also paid for the refurbishment of the 18 existing classrooms. In addition, 500 new school desks were donated and eight new flushing latrines were installed.
At the handover ceremony, held in May, President Blessings Mushala, a regional leader of The Church of Jesus Christ, described the anticipated impact of the donation.
“What does this mean for our children?
“It means that 500 students who previously sat on the ground will now be able to learn comfortably at a school desk. It means that students who previously were only able to learn for three hours a day will now enjoy more contact time with their teachers and have a greater chance at academic success. It means the quality of education in Shifwankula will be elevated.”
Students-of-Shifwankula-Primary-School-listen-to-speakers-at-the-ribbon-cutting-for-the-new-classrooms.--(Lusaka,-Zambia,-Wednesday,-May-10,-2023).-
Students of Shifwankula Primary School listen to speakers at the ribbon cutting for the new classrooms. (Lusaka, Zambia, Wednesday, May 10, 2023). 2023 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The project was made possible by a contribution of over $257,000 USD (more than 5 million Zambian Kwacha) by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Donations are collected from members of the church worldwide.
President Mushala said that the church was “honoured to work alongside the Zambian Ministry of Education and the noble educators here at Shifwankula Primary School” and added that, “just as Jesus Christ uplifted and healed wherever he went, so we strive to do the same…our donation is our way of saying that we love you as Jesus Christ does.”