School Partnerships
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Through decades of ministry experience in sub-Saharan Africa, we have learned that effectively breaking cycles of poverty requires 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 shanty neighborhoods would be able to learn alongside students from middle-class sections of town.
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Our Partnership
However, there was a significant obstacle to the Lighthouse vision: fatherless children from poorer neighborhoods couldn’t afford the tuition fees necessary 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. Campus development continued with a second classroom building in 2016, followed by the opening of the Wilbroad Chanda Center for Education (named for Lighthouse’s late co-founder) in 2022. This state of the art facility provides the school with a library, computer and science labs, a spacious multipurpose hall, and a fully equipped kitchen. Today, Lighthouse provides a Christ-centered education for over 450 students in Pre-K to Grade 9. The school is recognized and respected for its excellence both by the local community and by 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 our 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. Today, the school serves more than 200 students through Grade 4. By 2027, our goal is to serve 350 students annually in Pre-K through Grade 7.
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“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 of 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). Including our most recent expansion projects in 2024, the school campus now features a beautiful multipurpose hall, a third classroom building, and a two-story library/computer lab.
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To partner with Covenant Mercies and make a gift in support of Hope Community Primary School, use the button below.