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Great strides made for Gender Equality project in 2022

By News

African Impact Foundation ended 2022 on a positive note as we celebrated the graduation of the second group of our Gender Equality, LETS project, which consisted of 57 members. 

Some of our community partners from the District Health Board in Livingstone were in attendance.

Livingstone’s Mahati Maghandi Health Centre chairperson, Catherine Njamba, commended the project run by African Impact Foundation during the graduation ceremony and highlighted the importance of including men in matters of reproductive health. 

The participants expressed gratitude for the knowledge they attained from the workshops. They are very excited to share it in their communities.

We are so happy with the strides made with the Gender Equality program in 2022 through partnership and collaboration with LETS

We have had two groups of participants graduate since August 2022 and expect to launch the third group by January 2023.

Our mutual goal with LETS is to empower individuals to make informed decisions about family planning, health, and well-being and uplift communities through education. 

We want to ensure that women and girls are educated about reproductive health and have the necessary resources to prevent unplanned pregnancies. 

Through this, we hope to disrupt the cycle of poverty and increase their quality of life.

Find out more about our Gender Equality Program, here

Disrupt the cycle of poverty with African Impact Foundation 

Girl Group

Youth empowerment celebrations

By News

It has been a fulfilling year for the foundation in terms of Youth empowerment. We  championed the rights of youths in Livingstone, to access education and life skills, through youth peer to peer community education.

In February 2022 we launched our Youth Insaka project in three schools around Livingstone. This project aims to connect young people to share challenges, discuss solutions and support each other.

Through this project, we reached about 120 individuals, navigating various topics that border on improving their lives.

By December 2022, the project expanded to three additional schools.

With 24 trained youth ambassadors, we are equipping over 300 young people with the necessary tools to make informed decisions regarding their wellbeing – enabling them to grow into confident young leaders.

We closed the year off with an end of year party in December which included fun activities and a general recap of what the youths learned throughout the year. We also awarded outstanding performing individuals in the program and celebrated their hard work and determination. African Impact Foundation looks forward to more growth in the new year.

Find out more about our Youth Insaka Program, here

Disrupt the cycle of poverty with African Impact Foundation 

Farewell to Sheila Hamuchemba

By News

In June 2022, we introduced to you Sheila Hamuchemba, who joined our Skills Development Internship, under the Youth Insaka project.

The time now has come to bid her farewell and good luck as she embarks on a new and exciting journey to University.

This is a bittersweet moment for the African Impact Foundation as Sheila  has made a phenomenal contribution throughout her internship. Sheila is a great inspiration to many young people in the program.

"Being a Youth Insaka mentor over the past nine months taught me so much. During my time with the Foundation, my facilitation skills improved tremendously. I am thrilled to be going to university and look forward to starting my career. The most amazing part of my departure is that I carry so much knowledge, power, authority and self-determination with me. All these are qualities that were imparted to me by the African Impact Foundation team over the years. My departure does not mean that it is the end, for I will always keep the Youth Insaka children and foundation at heart." - Sheila Hambucha

Sheila’s journey with us  started as a Sponsor a Child beneficiary, and progressed to her  training fellow youth ambassadors, and Youth Insaka beneficiaries. She has now moved on as one of our Sponsor a Future beneficiaries.

We are happy to see Sheila pursue her career in the field of Economics at the University of Zambia.

We wish her all the best.

Find out more about sponsoring a future, here

Disrupt the cycle of poverty with African Impact Foundation 

Youth Community Centre – Message from our Director

By News

Hi, I’m Michelle Procter, the Executive Director at the African Impact Foundation. I’m in Livingstone and wanted to share news from the ground.

It’s hot and dusty, and so far, it’s been an emotional few days. I’ve seen the challenges young people face to get an education and navigate many challenges through their teenage years.

Right now, substance abuse and early pregnancy are big concerns for many parents and teachers, as well as classroom space to learn and do well in exams. Many children only have 3-4 hours at school each day as classrooms are shared throughout the day, so lots of spare time and peer pressure to be influenced into risky behaviours.

It’s been so heart-warming and heartbreaking all at the same time!

What hit me, even more, was the determination and drive of many young people I met to overcome these challenges, especially students on sponsorship programmes. Girls truly want a good education, to build confidence, and to avoid pregnancy so they can become young women with more choices and dreams for their future. The boys I met are driven to finish grade 12, explore career options and learn how to navigate the many challenges that come their way, including substance abuse.

It’s been so heart-warming and heartbreaking all at the same time!

I experienced first-hand how our current workshops help young people make different choices. Our planned Youth Community Centre (formally known as The Girl Impact Centre) will drastically improve these services and give support to thousands of young people and encourage them to work towards a future of prosperity and health. Workshops covering reproductive health, building confidence to make good choices, gender equality, career options, counseling services, and extra tuition will be so valuable.

Recreation spaces and clubs will be important to keep children busy and away from the risks of substance abuse. I visited our plot of land to mark the boundary and discuss the hopes and needs of the Youth Community Centre with our local community advisors. The excitement and need for a youth development space is so real!

I want you to know how transformative your support is for young people here. So many people here in Livingstone thank you from the bottom of their hearts for the opportunities and hope you provide.

Find out more about our Youth Community Centre, here

Disrupt the cycle of poverty with African Impact Foundation 

Memory

Partnering with LETS

By News

The addition of the LETS project to our Girl Impact project will drive the programme to implement a project that will entirely focus on sexual reproductive health rights within our focus communities and targeted groups, where we have already established partnerships.  The overview of the LETS program states that it is a revolutionary education initiative aimed at empowering families in crises worldwide by addressing the universal root cause of poverty and abuse, unplanned and unwanted children born into a household that cannot support them. This is already in line with what has already been implemented on the ground, and the addition of these LETS will be an added advantage to the individuals and the community.

Through the LETS curriculum, we will implement reproductive health and basic health and well-being training to empower women and girls to make more informed choices in these areas. The LETS initiative will introduce workshops solely devoted to sexual reproductive health within our focus communities and targeted groups where we already have partnerships in place.

 

I am convinced that by the end of this programme, I will be able to make more sound decisions on childbearing matters and pass the knowledge to my partner in order to better our living standards as a family.

We are going into our 6th week of LETS with our beneficiaries and there is already a positive impact on participants’ lives.  Participation numbers have risen steadily each passing week, from 6 participants in the first week to 19 participants in the 6th week. This is indicative of progress toward our Gender Equality program. The participants are eager to gain more understanding and information on reproductive health and the tools to prevent unplanned pregnancies.  

 

Memory

Memory shares how the program is impacting her life. 29-year-old Memory grew up in Livingstone and is a dedicated member and participant in the newly introduced LETS program and has also been part of the women’s group programme. 

‘’I had my first child at the age of 17 as a result of early marriage. At the time, I lacked knowledge on so many issues to do with Sexual Reproductive Health and because of this, I had 4 children without the proper child spacing that is required for both mother and child to live a healthy life. Looking after the children has also been financially challenging.

I feel that my life and perspective on Family planning methods have changed greatly ever since I joined the LETS programme, I am now knowledgeable about ways on how to observe changes in my body and monthly cycle in order to prevent unplanned pregnancies. I am also thankful and excited about the fact that the LETS programme is focused on the natural method of family planning because this is a much healthier option for the body. I am convinced that by the end of this programme, I will be able to make more sound decisions on childbearing matters and pass the knowledge to my partner in order to better our living standards as a family. ‘’

Find out more about Girl Impact, here

Disrupt the cycle of poverty with African Impact Foundation 

Training to be a firefighter

By News

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to get an education and thankful for the training I underwent as a firefighter because I have become a much stronger youth and able to withstand the many hardships that life throws at me.  ”

TimothySponsor a Future beneficary

On 16th September 2022, Timothy Graduated with Merit and attained a Certificate in Basic Firefighting in Kabwe, Zambia. He is currently applying for internships in various organizations in order to gain work experience.

Despite the obstacles, Timothy maintained his perseverance and determination to further his education. 

Timothy, 25 years old, was mostly raised by his grandmother in Livingstone and has been on the African Impact Foundation Sponsor a Child program since Grade 6. Timothy has always been determined to perform well academically in order to have a better future and be able to support his family. After completing his Secondary education, Timothy was supported by the Foundation to study Power Electricals, a course offered at the Community Development Centre in Livingstone; however, due to Covid-19 challenges, he could not finish the program.  Despite the obstacles, Timothy maintained his perseverance and determination to further his education. 

By 2021, he realized he was passionate about joining the National Fire Service School to become a trained firefighter. He fought hard to apply for a short training course at the Zambia National Service training school in Kabwe, Zambia. The Foundation sponsored Timothy to buy some of his school requirements and pay for his tuition fees. Through his small clothing business, he managed to contribute towards tuition fees.

Find out more about sponsoring a future, here

Disrupt the cycle of poverty with African Impact Foundation 

Our Work Experience Initiative

By News

“I already applied to two universities in Zambia and now waiting for an acceptance letter. I am very grateful to the African impact Foundation for the support which is a rare privilege.”

Sheila HamuchembaSponsor a Child beneficary

Meet Sheila and Noah, former Sponsor child students that are part of our work experience initiative. In May, Sheila and Noah joined our team in Livingstone, Zambia, and began working on the Youth Insaka programme, working closely with our coordinators and learning all about how our projects are planned, implemented, and run.

Exposure to the world of work opens up more opportunities for young people, helps them build relationships with professionals outside their usual family networks, and it allows them to gain hands-on experience. We developed the work experience initiative to provide opportunities to young people in Livingstone, Zambia. Through our work experience initiative, we are offering Sponsor a Child students who have completed grade 12 a chance to gain work experience.  Students participating in this initiative will gain exposure to the different areas of a non-profit organization by working closely with the African Impact Foundation team in Livingstone.

STORY OF SHEILA

Hardworking, determined,  and ambitious. Sheila Hamuchemba is 18 years old and lives with her parents and 4 siblings. She has been under the ‘Sponsor a Child programme’ from grade 1 to 12 and completed school in 2021. She passed grade 12 with flying colours which made her very happy because she made her parents and sponsor proud. A month after completing grade 12 she was called by the African Impact Foundation to facilitate on Youth Insaka programme.

“It has now been three months of working with the team and I have learnt a lot. For instance, I have perfected my facilitation skills, improved my writing skills, and gained vast knowledge of Sexual Reproductive Health related issues and life skills. I have been groomed into a confident young lady who is able to make sound decisions and choose pathways out of poverty. I really enjoy teaching the children and some of them are even my peers. I look forward to more exciting challenges and experiences. My future aspirations are to study Economics. I already applied to two universities in Zambia and now waiting for an acceptance letter. I am very grateful to the African impact Foundation for the support which is a rare privilege.” Sheila Hamuchemba

STORY OF NOAH

Young and vibrant, with the determination to achieve his dreams, 21-year-old Noah Kalipi has proven to be a hard-working young man who is ready to learn new life skills and break the cycle of poverty in his community. He believes in the value of education as a stepping stone to success.

Noah has been on the Sponsor a Child programme since he was in grade 10 in 2018. Coming from a family of 8 children, Noah lost his father in the year 2017 which left his widowed mother with the challenge of paying for his education until 2018 when he got on the programme.

He completed high school in 2020 with good results and applied at Eden University under Clinical Medicine.  In May 2022, Noah was wholeheartedly accepted to join the work experience placement programme with the foundation as he waited to start studying at university. He was placed under the Youth Insaka programme where he helped with the facilitation of Youth-led discussions in which young people learn about issues related to Education, Health, Wellness, and Gender Equality.

Joseph

Find out more about sponsoring a future, here

Disrupt the cycle of poverty with African Impact Foundation 

Victoria Falls

Here’s What You Need To Know About Livingstone, Zambia

By News

“The people are friendly and welcoming and has more than 70 ethnically diverse people with a cultural blend of values, norms, materials, and spiritual traditions.”

Written by: 

Zebulun Chikoma
Writer from Zambia

Zambia is a landlocked country located in the southern part of Africa and one of the developing countries where poverty, education, unemployment, and diseases are still challenges. It’s blessed with beautiful natural resources and peaceful culture.

Zambia is among the most peaceful countries in Africa. The people are friendly and welcoming and has more than 70 ethnically diverse people with a cultural blend of values, norms, materials, and spiritual traditions. The most spoken languages are English, Tonga, Nyanja, Bemba, Lozi, and Luvale.

There is a special town in Zambia that we are going to look at. It’s one of the most visited places in Zambia because of the beauty and the interesting activities that it offers. Anyone who has been there has a special story to tell. Keep reading to learn more exciting stuff. Livingstone is located in the southern part of Zambia and named after the explorer Dr. David Livingstone. It is one of the biggest cities in Zambia, surrounded by nature and many attractions, especially for tourists.

Victoria Falls

Livingstone is the home of the mighty Victoria Falls and one of the seven wonders of the world. When you arrive, you’ll enjoy the spectacular view of the falls. You’ll surely want this to be part of your tour experience. You can fly over Victoria Falls in a helicopter for the best view or bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge for a fun thrill.

Above the Falls lies the Zambezi River which offers a stunning view of the sunset and wildlife. The river is calm and perfect for refreshing and relaxing. Hop on a Zambezi boat cruise to explore the river, see a variety of animals such as elephants, giraffes, and hippos, and watch the beautiful sunset.

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is a great place for a safari. It might be one of the smallest parks in Zambia, but it sure does have such unique species. Wildlife including white rhinos, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, waterbucks, impalas, wildebeest, zebra, bushbuck, warthogs, monkeys, baboons, hippos, and crocodiles are found in the park all year-round. It is the only park that has white rhinos in Zambia!

Game Drive

Livingstone Museum

The Livingstone Museum is the oldest yet the most interesting museum in Zambia. Exploring through the five fascinating galleries covering archeology, ethnography, history, art, and the life of David Livingstone is one experience you do not want to miss.

Visit the Local Community

Get the chance to visit a local village and learn about Zambian culture and lifestyle. You’ll gain insight into the local way of life by participating in their daily routines. Participate in enjoyable activities with children from a community school, such as dancing, singing, and playing. For visitors who wish to understand more about the local culture, this is a great chance. You’ll also have the opportunity to tour local community projects and orphanages

Livingstone Tour

When you arrive in Livingstone, the town and community will be there with open arms to welcome you.

African Impact Foundation is on a mission to equip young people with education and skills to move out of poverty. Our holistic approach gives young people in Southern and Eastern Africa the best chance of real, long-term change to break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their community through four pillars: Gender Equality, Education, Wellness and Livelihoods.

During the 12 years of the African Impact Foundation’s impact, we have seen first-hand how youth face specific challenges, as well as have a window of time to make decisions about their future. Because of this, we want to see young people have access to more opportunities and grow skills to create a prosperous life for themselves, their family, and their community.

Come and visit Livingstone to make this experience part of your life. Take part in exciting and fun activities as you tour around. Enjoy the beautiful natural resources as you connect with the peaceful residents and learn more about their culture.

Interested in interning with us? Email us info@africanimpactfoundation.org

Cape Town

My 6 Month Internship with AIF

By News
Internship

“I had wanted to do an internship in which I could learn about all the different roles within an organisation to help me figure out which direction I want to go in the future.”

Rosie DupontTravel Intern

Written by: Rosie Dupont

(NGO Management Travel Intern, 2021)

I completed a 6-month NGO Management internship with the Foundation from June to November 2021. I was really lucky to travel a lot within this time- my first three months were split with a month each in Cape Town, Kruger and Livingstone in Zambia, before I flew back to Cape Town for the last three months. I met a lot of new people, saw a range of projects on the ground, was responsible for a bunch of different tasks, had an insane amount of adventures, and learnt so much about career options, Southern Africa and the Foundation. To say it was a hectic 6 months is an understatement!

I had wanted to do an internship in which I could learn about all the different roles within an organisation to help me figure out which direction I want to go in the future. As I was hopping around to all the locations where the foundation had projects at the time, I was lucky enough to spend some time with everyone in the AIF team. This was super useful to me as I got to experience the responsibilities of each member of staff and learn how everyone works together.

” I mainly worked with the head office but also had the chance to get involved in on-the-ground projects too.”

I completed a lot of different tasks for the foundation, from researching and writing documents on topics such as streamlining communications and microfinance to supporting the onboarding of a new CRM. I had admin tasks such as data management, grant applications, project development planning, project reporting as well as more creative tasks like social media content creation, and the really special opportunity to interview participants and write blogs about their stories (which you should check out if you haven’t already!). I mainly worked with the head office but also had the chance to get involved in on-the-ground projects too. As I spent a decent chunk of time working with the foundation, the team was able to give me more responsibility in my tasks which I am really grateful for!

Although I thoroughly enjoyed my tasks, it wasn’t all work! I had so many amazing experiences, from long days driving around in the Kruger National Park and seeing elephants just outside our gates at breakfast, to visiting the home of a project participant in Limpopo and meeting his family (and chickens!) and visiting a Sangoma in the local village. In Livingstone I chose my own fabric and got a dress tailored for me in a local market and spent a day admiring Victoria falls and sitting in the sun dipping my toes in the Zambezi river. I spent lazy evenings on sunset sarafi cruises with limitless drinks (!) and had an early morning start to go on a horse-back riding safari day. I spent some quality time with my lovely coworkers in Cape Town- from spending an afternoon at a vineyard with Yonela or nights out in town with Sarah and Sash, to a weekend with Michelle and her family or singing at Claudette’s dress-up karaoke party! There were multiple hikes in the beautiful mountains in Cape Town, endless days and sunsets at the beach, swimming with penguins, watching whales at breakfast, motorbiking around wine country… I’m telling you, this continent is something else!

Victoria Falls

But I would say the magic in my experience really simmers down to one thing which sits at the heart of Southern Africa- the braai. After all the travelling, adventures, hard work and long days, you will find any and all people sharing stories, drinks and food around a bonfire. I had braais with coworkers, volunteers, new friends, strangers, locals and travellers, in friends’ gardens, at airbnbs, in the bush, at a hostel… There is always a braai to be had!

Out of all the fun and work and adventures, I think one of the things that stood out most for me over my internship was how amazing my team was. Every single person I met was accommodating, passionate, and keen to work with me. The time I spent there was incredibly meaningful as the team was so flexible and happy to adjust my internship to fit what I wanted to get out of it.

My internship both inspired and humbled me and I’m so grateful for the experience. Sending a massive thank you to African Impact Foundation team and everyone I met along the way!

Find out more about our our internship here

Girl Group

16 Days of Activism

By News
Womens Group Livingstone

“According to UN Women, 46% of Zambian women will experience physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence during their lifetime. However, gender-based violence can also take emotional or financial expressions, none of which are usually highlighted.”

UN WomenUnited Nations

Written by: Franciska Reinholds

(Head Office Virtual Intern, 2021)

Today, December 10, marks the end of this year’s international campaign against gender-based violence. 16 days of activism recognizes that one of the biggest obstacles to achieving gender equality is the daily violence girls and women are facing worldwide. According to UN Women, 46% of Zambian women will experience physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence during their lifetime. However, gender-based violence can also take emotional or financial expressions, none of which are usually highlighted.

The Girl Impact program functions on six pillars. When combined, they become a holistic strategy to fighting gender inequality. At the centre are the girls. Many are initially exposed as a teenager and enter a long and vicious cycle which is often perpetuated by poverty. An important first step to break that cycle is to support girls’ education. Additionally, classes are held to discuss various topics related to their health, such as the issue of early pregnancy. However, sessions also target self-confidence to teach the girls the skill of speaking up for themselves and others.

“By raising awareness about inequalities and questioning gender stereotypes, boys become allies for the cause. “

Another beneficiary of the Girl Impact Program are the women’s groups. Oftentimes women in Zambia have little – if any – resources of their own, financially or socially. Therefore, a heavy focus is on creating income generating opportunities for women. Along the way, sessions also tackle many of the social issues facing their local communities. As a result, the women become resilient leaders, which allows them to be good role models for the girls around them.

The boys are the third and final beneficiary. As brothers, future husbands and fathers, it’s critical to involve them. By raising awareness about inequalities and questioning gender stereotypes, boys become allies for the cause. Through their decision-making, boys – as they grow into young men – can contribute to the safety of girls, both in public and private spaces.

Boys Club

With these six pillars (education, health, early pregnancy, self-confidence, income generation and safety) the Girl Impact Program uplifts girls, boys and women to prevent and address the different forms of gender-based violence. December 10 marks the end of 16 days of activism. But it is also International Human Rights Day. A good reminder that violence against girls and women is not feminist issue, but a human rights issue. As such, we need to fight it collectively.

Find out more about our Girl Impact Program, here

Disrupt the cycle of poverty with African Impact Foundation