Information in English
School Education for Aids-Orphans in Zambia – A SHORT INFORMATION ABOUT WISEKIDS
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, a friend of the Büttner family made efforts to find friends and partners for WISEKIDS in Zambia.
More than 600 000 Aids-Orphans in Zambia
About 1.1 million of the now 18 million inhabitants of Zambia are infected by HIV/Aids. As a result thousands of people die per year. More than 600 000 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 – at least 50 % of the population live from two Dollars or less a day. Poverty keeps many children away from any education.
School Education as a Chance
WISEKIDS in Germany finances school education for children and youths who became aids- orphans (in double, single or vulnerable status) and cooperates with secondary and vocational training 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 in crafts and agriculture. 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 secondary schools. Many of them are boarding schools with additional costs for boarding, altogether about 400 € to 500 € per year. Actually almost no one can pay school fees for aids-orphans or very poor youngsters, there are too many in each family.
Wisekids pays for about 85 scholarships per year
In May 2006 WISEKIDS started its 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. During the yearly visit members of WISEKIDS together with partners and friends in Zambia verify in very personal interviews the situation of every pupil.
Because of the Corona/Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021 Wisekids members and friends could not travel to Zambia. Visits to our partner schools were not possible. But we had good contacts via internet, mail and whatsapp. Next year we hope to see all our pupils and partners again.
Since 2007 (until 2021) we gave out 1441 yearly scholarships and meanwhile more than 600 scholars finished school after 12th grade or at VTC Chikupi. Altogether Wisekids spent around 430 000 € for school education. Since 2007 Wisekids invested about 172 300 € for special projects at Monze, Chongwe and Chikupi.
The support of our association is quite unique in Zambia, because we give scholarships to poor and orphaned pupils mostly for the rest of their school years they have to attend. That means that we only take as many scholars into our support program as we possibly can guarantee to pay for their whole school time. Many supporters in Zambia pay only for one school term (3 months!) and let the pupils alone afterwards. We want to give security and confidence – that means, we help them to help themselves one day.
Our Partnerschools 2020 and 2021
Momentarily we work together very intensely with three schools in Zambia:
Chongwe Secondary School in Chongwe 40 km east of Lusaka; in 2020 and 2021 we support 25 girls per year; additionally we gave money (about 45 500 €) for two hostels for girls at the school campus to give them safety and shelter. In 2021 we will finance a third hostel with another 35 000 €. Then altogether 180 girls will have safe places and much better chances for education.
Monze Boarding Secondary School, Monze, ca. 150 km south Lusaka; scholarships for 35 pupils per year; since 2012 we gave money for a large school garden project with keeping chicken and milk cows; we financed the renewing of water supply for boys and girls; these extras in Monze are mainly financed through donations of Reuchlin Gymnasium Ingolstadt.
Chikupi Vocational Training Center, south between Lusaka and Kafue; 20 students in 2020 and 26 students in 2021 got scholarships; since 2017 we also finance the teacher´s salary for tailoring (TCD) and her qualification for level 1 teaching. In 2020 we started financing 2 hostels for 32 female and 32 male students with costs around 90 000 €. This is financed by a donation of "Aufbauwerk Junger Christen" who want to support vocational education.
Rusangu Secondary School, south of Monze; 5 pupils; Wisekids support ends in 2021; we want to concentrate our further help at Monze, Chongwe and Chikupi. Thanks to Rusangu for trustful cooperation in the past.
How Can You Help – Every Euro goes to Orphaned and Poor Pupils at our Partner Schools
For about 40 to 50 Euros per month a pupil can attend a state or church carried boarding school in Zambia and with extra funding we can sometimes buy most necessary things like soap, tooth paste, clothes, school uniforms, shoes and so on.
We are in close contact with our partner schools and our scholars and we know usually all of them personally. A German delegation visits Zambia every year to hold close connections to our scholars, to our partner schools and school boards.
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 and very poor pupils to attend school in Zambia.
Our Banking Account:
WISEKIDS - Hans Büttner Chaabwe Förderverein Deutschland e.V.
IBAN: DE56 7215 0000 0005 3654 65
SWIFT-BIC.: BYLADEM1 ING