In their own words: How students benefit from a newly constructed school in Zambia
Published: Nov 7, 2019 Reading time: 3 minutes
During a ceremony at the end of May, People in Need had the privilege to hand over the newly rebuilt Nang’umba Primary School to Zambian authorities. The project, which was part of PIN’s Let’s Build a School in Africa program, included the construction of two new classrooms, two sanitation facilities and the delivery of 50 new desks and two blackboards. During the ceremony, PIN Zambia spoke with two students from Mushukula village in Mabuto community – Pumulo Inambao, 14, (on the left of the cover photo) and Ndala Chibwala, 16 – to hear their thoughts on life, school and the new facilities.
How big is your family?
Pumulo Inambao: “I stay with my parents and have four siblings, two older brothers and two younger brothers.”
Ndala Chibwala: “We are nine in my family – my mother and father, one elder sister, two younger sisters and three younger brothers.”
What was it like to attend Nang’umba Primary School before its reconstruction?
Ndala Chibwala: “It was very difficult for all the pupils to come to class in the morning due to a limited number of desks and seats, which is no longer an issue.”
How do you like your new classroom?
Pumulo Inambao: “I like the class very much. It is very nice to even look at.”
Ndala Chibwala: “It is very beautiful; I like it very much.”
Has the new classroom influenced your attendance?
Pumulo Inambao: “Yes, it is really motivating me to come every day.”
Ndala Chibwala: “Yes.”
Why?
Pumulo Inambao: “Previously, if you came late, you would sit on the floor. But now, we all have a chance to sit at a desk. We used to come very early just so that we could sit at a desk. In most cases, we came an hour earlier than the normal time. Only like this were we guaranteed a seat.”
Ndala Chibwala: “A lot of pupils come to school because they feel the learning environment is beautiful. It’s now encouraging to come to school. Since PIN built the classroom, my classmates and I have been coming in the morning. It is better to learn in the morning when it is still cool; and in the afternoon, we study to prepare for our exams.”
How else have the new classrooms affected your learning?
Pumulo Inambao: “I am now assured of a comfortable learning space and I am enjoying coming to school and studying.”
Ndala Chibwala: “We now have a big board in my classroom that can fit all the notes. Because of this, we really enjoy writing.”
What do you wish most in the world?
Pumulo Inambao: “I want to live a comfortable life and be able to support my parents.”
Ndala Chibwala: “I want to contribute to the development of my country; for example, I want to treat sick people in the hospitals.”
What do you wish to become when you grow up?
Pumulo Inambao: “I want to be a nurse.”
Ndala Chibwala: “I want to be a doctor.”
What is the biggest issue in your everyday life and how do you address it?
Pumulo Inambao: “It has been difficult to go to school because my parents cannot afford all required school expenses. When I am not at school, I often have to support my mother by selling bananas so that we can afford to pay some of the school expenses."
Ndala Chibwala: “My parents hardly manage to pay my school fees. They have been trying to earn money for my school fees by selling fish but (due to drought) there are no fish this year.”
