This summer, ten Kingham Hill School pupils – known as Team Zambia – travelled to Africa where the group spent two weeks volunteering with the charity Life Support at its children’s village.
The sixth formers, aged 17 to 18, travelled to Chingola in Zambia to work at Eden Farm, a purpose built village that provides a safe home environment for up to 250 orphaned and vulnerable children.
Earlier this year a primary school was opened at the village, and Team Zambia spent most of their time based here. The pupils dedicated a number of days to painting the largest classroom block. They then put their skills to use by teaching the children a number of subjects as well as sport and craft lessons.
We found the work we were involved in on the farm very rewarding and the Zambian people we met were very warm and friendly – a real joy to be with.
Sports day proved very popular. In fact it was enjoyed by teachers and children so much that they asked for another to be run the following week. Team Zambia’s days were full as the school had nearly 100 school children in its three classes.
In the run-up to their trip to Chingola, Team Zambia worked very hard on a number of fundraising activities, including cake sales, non-uniform day and sponsored triathlons. Thanks to the school community the team were able to raise an impressive £7,500 for Life Support and Eden Farm.
Trip Coordinator, Mr Petra, said: “This is such a worthwhile project for Kingham Hill School to be involved in because it is long term, dramatically serves the local community, and gives disadvantaged children the opportunity to have a stable home environment, an education and a chance of being released from the poverty trap. We found the work we were involved in on the farm very rewarding and the Zambian people we met were very warm and friendly – a real joy to be with.
