Zambia, May 2019

On Saturday the 25th May 2019 we travelled to Kasisi situated in the North Western Province of Zambia.

We are based in the capital, Lusaka so this was a very long trip, taking us 16 hours to drive there. I shared the driving with Ronald who is employed by CCZ (Council of Churches in Zambia) but he is now an integral part of our team, fully involving himself in the fitting of the lights as well.

The distance was 1200km, we arrived at our lodge at 11.30pm very tired!! The next day we drove to Kasisi School and fitted lights into 3 classrooms and a head teachers office. There were 550 pupils at this school, it was in the middle of nowhere and to get there we had to drive through sand roads which was fun - good job we had a 4 wheel drive vehicle!! We also gave out school dresses donated to us by Liz Toomer on behalf of the Sue Ryder Charity. They were given to the poorest children who were wearing little more than rags. Read more...

Reports On Lights For Learning Projects in Zambia

The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) managed to send two staff Allan Nyangu and Justina Zulu Mutemwa for a Lights for Learning workshop which took place in April, 9th to 13th April 2018. So I as Justina Zulu Mutemwa participated in the training.

Justina's Report

Justina's Report

...the objective of the activity was to go and fix solar lights at the three schools which are Kabamba Primary school Teta Primary and Kankumba Primary school in rural areas.

Allan's Report

Allan's Report

...the team went to Chongwe Eastern part of Zambia for the second project at Kakumba primary school. The description was to install solar in three (3) classroom and one (1) staff rooms...

Click on the image to view the report

LFL Meet KK

Lights For Learning's Roger Mugridge and Margaret Cremin meet former Zambian President, Kenneth Kaunda.  Mr Kuanda served as the first President of Zambia from 1964 to 1991.

Return to Zambia

Lights For Learning are going back to Zambia later this month for two and a half weeks when we will be teaching the trainers how to install the lights in 3 schools.  We shall then return to the workshop and teach them how to make portable phone chargers and portable lighting systems - these will then be sold to raise funds to keep the workshop going.

LFL make the cover of CCZ Newsletter

Read what the benefactors of LFL lights are saying about us...

"In its quest to supplement Government efforts in the provision of quality education and human dignity among school going children in Zambia, the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has partnered with a UK based Charity organisation called Lights for Learning (LFL)..."

Read the full newsletter article here CCZ Newsletter, First Quarter, 2018

Zambia: Kingsley Mwenda Centre Workshop

The re-wiring and painting is complete and we are now about to collect the kit that was left here after a previous trip.

We already have 2 people asking to be trainers and overseers when we are not here.

Now that all of this work has been completed we are heading off to the Choma area to inspect 3 or 4 schools that have been put forward to have our lighting systems fitted. We need to check they meet Lights For Learning criteria.

Lights For Learning Land in Lusaka To Set Up A Workshop

The Outside of the Training Centre

Representatives of Lights For Learning landed in Lusaka, Zambia on Thursday 4th January to be met by three members of CCZ (Council of Churches in Zambia).

They were taken to The Kingsley Mwenda Centre on the outskirts of the city where the accommodation and the building that is to become our training centre is located.

The building itself exceeded our expectations although inside it is still full as it is being used as a storage area.

Inside it is still full as it is being used as a storage area

Return to Zambia

Lights For Learning are returning to Zambia for most of January 2018 to work towards opening another workshop.  Reports and pictures to follow.

Pizz School, Monze

A team from Lights For Learning travelled over very difficult roads to Pizz School in Monze, four hours North of Lusaka.  568 children, all orphans or protected children who have been removed from their families, will benefit from the lights.

The daily market nearby has an 80% illiteracy rate, unable to even sign their names.  A week after the lights had been fitted 100 people had signed up for lessons.

Crowdys Hill School's Lights For Learning Workshop

On the 15th April all Year 9 pupils took part in a workshop with Lights for Learning.  Lights for learning is a charity based in Cricklade that builds solar lighting to support those in the disadvantaged parts of the world. The aim of the day was to raise awareness and compare life in Zambia to their own.   In addition to this they could produce something to help the children in Zambia.  The pupils made solar light units from scratch.  These lights are to go out to Kamwi Primary School to enable learning to take place when light reduces.

The task was met with positivity and enthusiasm by all and despite the fiddly, physical challenges for some, everyone made at least 2 light units, some made 7.  The students were supported by school staff, the team from Lights for Learning and representatives of the Cirencester Rotary Club who very kindly donated £1000 to fund the project.

The lights will be fitted in the school by the local Zambian team who have been trained by Lights for Learning.  Doug Staff from Crowdys Hill School will be escorting the lights to Zambia and will work with the team to install them.  Each light will be accompanied by a postcard from the year 9 pupils and a booklet about themselves.  We are hopeful that the pupils of Kamwi Primary School will write back to us with information about their life.

Crowdys Hill School pupils help light the way for children in Zambia

PUPILS from Crowdys Hill School were a shining example when they made lights to help children in Zambia.

The Year 9 students at the school, in Jefferies Avenue, took part in the projection in partnership with Lights for Learning.

The charity, based in Cricklade, builds solar-powered lighting to support those in disadvantaged parts of the world.

And at the event on Wednesday, the youngsters made 94 lights which will now be donated to the Kamwi School, in Zambia.

Read more...

Another Installation With Swindon Town Football Club

SWINDON Town Football in the Community Trust have just returned from their fifth successful visit to Livingstone in Zambia...

...Through the charity ‘Lights for Learning’, the group from Swindon fitted a local school with a lighting system which will enable them to offer additional teaching lessons to the pupils and their parents.

Read more on this article from the Swindon Advertiser

Zambia Anglicans light up rural primary school

Here's an article by Bellah Zulu, for the Anglican Communion News Service after the Lights For Learning trip to Zambia this year.

The Anglican Church in Zambia has brought hope to a rural primary school after it linked the school up with an international charity to install solar powered lighting systems in its classrooms...

To help overcome the lighting challenges in most of rural Zambia, Lights for Learning have developed a solution to the “lack of lighting after dark, so that life can carry on undisturbed.”

Read more

Zambian Youth Trained by Lights For Learning

Fr Chikoya, who is Anglican Church's priest-in-charge, speaks during the graduation of 10 youths trained in assembling and installing solar-powered lights.

The youth were trained by Lights for Learning, a UK-based organisation, that is assembling and installing solar lights in rural schools and clinics worldwide.

Read more >

Swindon Town FC In The Community - Zambia Preview: Lights for Learning

With the Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust trip to Zambia just around the corner, over the coming weeks they'll be previewing an insight into what the trip entails, whilst giving everyone involved with their Community Trust the chance to see what life is like in Zambia. Four of the team travelling to Zambia spent a day with Lights For Learning who trained the Community Trust staff to install the solar panel lighting. The Charity has also generously donated the solar panel and lighting so that the Community Trust can enable a village school in Zambia to have lighting for the first time. This is an exciting addition to the trip to Zambia and the lighting will make a huge difference to the children's education within this school. Jon Holloway – STFITC Community Trust Development Manager said, “We would like to sincerely thank Lights For Learning for their continued support of our Zambia project and once again this is a prime example of how partnership working can make such a difference to more peoples lives.

Read more...

COMMUNITY CORNER: Trust prepare for Zambia trip

The countdown has begun to Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust’s fourth visit to Zambia.

This year’s trip to Livingstone will take place in May and has had a fantastic boost with news that the Trust have been successful in securing funding from npower and the Football League Trust to develop and further enhance the existing partnership.

With the generous support of Cricklade-based charity Lights for Learning, the newly-trained staff will install solar panel lighting to a village school in the Zambian bush, enabling them to have village lighting for the first time.

This addition to the trip will mean that the school will be able to stay open during the hours of darkness helping the children to get an education.

Original article

Zambian High Commissioner is guest of honour

SWINDON Town Football in the Community Trust hosted the Zambian High Commissioner at the Robins’ clash with Yeovil last weekend as part of the ongoing relationship between the club and the African country.

STFC FiTC, local special needs school Crowdys Hill, Swindon residents born and raised in Zambia and the Lights For Learning charity are all working together to strengthen ties with the African state, which is amongst the poorest in the world.

...read full article.