School Partnerships
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Through Covenant Mercies’ indigenous partnerships and years of ministry experience in Sub-Saharan Africa, we have learned that effectively breaking cycles of poverty means a significant and intentional investment in the education of our children. Yet in the program areas where we serve, many local schools can be overcrowded, understaffed, and inadequately equipped to serve the needs of the population– especially those who are most vulnerable in the community. That is why Covenant Mercies has developed two school partnerships: in Kiburara, Uganda, and Ndola, Zambia.
Lighthouse Christian School
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The Vision
In 2005, Wilbroad and Zicky Chanda established Lighthouse Christian School with the vision to provide a quality Christian education for children growing up in Ndola, Zambia. Lighthouse classrooms would break down social stigmas by providing equal opportunity learning and Christ-centered teaching. Children from the local slum neighborhoods would be able to learn alongside students from middle-class sections of town.
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Our Partnership
There was a significant obstacle to the Lighthouse vision: fatherless children from poorer neighborhoods couldn’t afford the tuition fees to keep Lighthouse’s doors open. So in 2006, Covenant Mercies partnered with Lighthouse Christian School. Through the Orphan Sponsorship Program, children living in Ndola’s shanty villages now have the opportunity to receive a Lighthouse education.
Growth and Expansion
As the school grew over the years, the need for a well-equipped educational facility became increasingly urgent. Covenant Mercies funded construction of a new and expanded campus, which opened in January 2012. In April of 2020, we broke ground on a new building on campus that once completed will provide the school with a library, computer and science labs, and a multipurpose hall. Today, Lighthouse provides a Christ-centered education for 300 students in Pre-K to 7th Grade. The school is recognized and respected for its excellence in both the community and Zambia’s Ministry of Education.
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You can read an interview with the founders of Lighthouse on the Covenant Mercies Blog.
To partner with Covenant Mercies and make a gift in support of Lighthouse Christian School, use the button below.
Hope Community Primary School
Kiburara, Uganda
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On March 4th, 2019, Covenant Mercies broke ground on a new school in Kiburara, Uganda. Located in a rural, remote area of Western Uganda, Kiburara is home to the largest number of children in the Sponsorship Program. On February 3, 2020, Hope Community Primary School opened its doors to over 90 Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grade 1 students for the start of the Ugandan school year. One grade will be added each subsequent year, until the school continuously serves approximately 300 students annually in Pre-K through to Grade 7.
Campus Concept Design
“I live in Kiburara… I thank God to see that they are building for us a school here where our children will [be] taught well and also learn how to love and serve God. I thank God so much for the mighty thing he has done for us. I thank the leaders who take care of our children… May the good Lord continue leading you.”
-Annet Mushabe, guardian of four sponsored children
Phase One construction for Hope Community Primary School included two classroom buildings (consisting of three classrooms each), an administrative building, a kitchen, a recreation field, latrines, and faculty housing (as required by Ugandan law). Future construction phases will include additional classroom buildings and a multi-purpose room, which will provide assembly space for the students, and a source of sustainable local revenue through weekend community rentals.
Newly constructed classroom at Hope Community Primary School
To partner with Covenant Mercies and make a gift in support of Hope Community Primary School, use the button below.