School Education for Aids-Orphans in Zambia

A short information on the WISEKIDS-project of “Hans Buettner – Chaabwe Foerderverein” (HBCF) in Germany and our partners in Zambia:

After the death of Hans Büttner in 2004, member of the German Parliament since 1990, his family (his wife Gerda, his daughter Vera and his son Olaf) and friends in Ingolstadt founded an association to support school education for aids-orphans in Zambia. This was in remembrance of his outstanding engagement for African affairs and special interest in Zambia where he had been living and working from 1979 to 1981. The name “Chaabwe” comes from Luke Chaabwe Natala, a former teacher in Southern Province of Zambia, who made a strong effort in educating children in the rural areas. His daughter, Winnie Natala Chibesakunda, founded the partner association in Lusaka. Both names symbolize a close partnership. 

700 000 Aids-Orphans in Zambia
Abou 15 percent of the 12 million inhabitants of Zambia are infected by HIV/Aids. As a result around 98 000 people die per year. More than 700 000 children remain as aids-orphans who either live with relatives, in so called children households or as street kids in the cities. Poverty in Zambia is a big problem – one third of the population live from one Dollar or less a day. Poverty keeps many children away from any education.

School Education as a Chance
WISEKIDS in Germany and Zambia finances school education for children and youths who became aids- orphans (in double, single or vulnerable status) and cooperates with Secondary Schools. WISEKIDS pays school fees for the most indigent pupils so that they are able to continue their education and make their finals. Zambia urgently needs teachers, medical doctors, engineers and other qualified specialists, because many professionals are sick or die much too early from aids. Education for young people is a chance for Zambia.

School Education is expensive
Children usually start school with six or seven, but often they can not attend school because of poverty. From 1st to 7th grade they go to primary school, from 8th to 9th grade to basic school or from 8th to 12th grade to secondary school. Primary school is without school fees but there are costs for school uniform, booklets, transport. School fees are demanded at high schools. Many of them are boarding schools with additional costs for boarding, altogether about 300 € per year. Day scholars pay about half the amount. Actually almost no one can pay school fees for aids-orphans, there are too many in each family.

116 Scholarships in 2010
In May 2006 the German association and the Zambian partner association started their activities with contacting teachers and pupils in Zambian secondary schools. We work together with boarding schools because we think they know best who is in need. They suggest pupils among those whose school fees are not paid anymore. Members of our partner association HBCAA verify in very personal interviews the situation of every pupil. In 2007 we supported 63 pupils and 93 in 2008.  In 2009 we supported already 103 scholars. 2010 we give out 116 scholarships.
 
The support of our association is quite unique in Zambia, because we give scholarships to poor orphaned pupils for the rest of their school years they have to attend. That means that we only take as many scholars into our support programme as we can guarantee to pay for their whole school time. Many supporters in Zambia pay only for one school term (3 months!) and let the children alone afterwards. We want to give security and confidence – that means, we help them to help themselves one day.

Our Partnerschools
Momentarily we work together with seven boarding schools in Zambia:
Kasisi Girls´ Secondary School in Kasisi near to Lusaka;
Chongwe Secondary School in Chongwe 40 km east of Lusaka;
Kafue Secondary School for boys, 40 km south of Lusaka;
St. Joseph´s Secondary School for girls at Chivuna, southeast of Mazabuka;
Rusangu Secondary School for boys and girls at Rusangu, south of Monze;
Canisius Secondary School for boys at Chikuni, east of Chisekesi;
Monze Secondary School for boys and girls at Monze.

We will intensify our contact with the schools in Chongwe and Monze which urgently need support for dormitories for girls. Therefore we collect additional donations.


How Can You Help – Every Euro goes to Aids-Orphans
For about 30 Euro per month a pupil can attend a boarding school in Zambia and we can even buy most necessary things like soap, tooth paste, clothes, shoes and so on. For supporting day scholars we need about half of the money.

We are in close contact with our partner schools and our scholars and we know most of them personally. Members of the Zambian partner association visit schools regularly and talk to teachers and pupils about their needs. Members of the German support association visit Zambia about once a year to hold close connections to our partners and scholars.

All the member fees of the association and all the donations to the association in Germany go in full amount to the school fees and necessary supplies for our scholars.
Please help us to help aids-orphans to attend school in Zambia.

Our Banking Account
Hans Büttner – Chaabwe Förderverein Deutschland e.V.
Schulbildung für Aidswaisen in Sambia

Kontonummer: 5 36 5 46 5
Bankleitzahl: 721 500 00
Sparkasse Ingolstadt
IBAN: DE56 7215 0000 0005 3654 65
SWIFT-BIC.: BYLADEM1 ING
www.sparkasse-ingolstadt.de