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For the last six years Alliance for Children Everywhere has partnered with local churches in Zambia Central Africa to provide elementary education, grades one through seven, to orphans and vulnerable children who would not otherwise be able to get an education. Current enrollment in Faith Works Schools is just under 3,000 students. Over the years we have consistently graduated 7th grade students with achievement levels significantly higher than graduates of government schools. However, since we have not been able to offer secondary education, to continue his education beyond grade seven, a child must enroll in a government school. Unfortunately, most are unable to pay the $200 annual fee, so unless we can sponsor them, they just don't go on. A few months ago one of our board members was able to get an interview with Mrs. Helen DeVos, whose husband is one of the co-founders of Amway. She asked for funding to build a first class middle school, grades 7, 8 and 9, for three hundred orphans and vulnerable children who had graduated from Faith Works. The school would also have a library open to the residents of the community. She presented Mrs. DeVos with a three year budget for building and operations with a price tag of $856,000. "We'll give you half," Mrs. DeVos promised, "if you can match it with the other half!" Mrs. DeVos even agreed to send her half before it was matched so we could open in temporary facilities. We were able to open the first 8th grade class in February 2007. (Grade 7 will continue to be held within our partner churches until next year.) With this exceptionally generous gift in hand we are halfway there. Now we need the other half, which we anticipate will be given by many different people in many different amounts. Will you help us? This is an opportunity to create Godly, educated leaders for Zambian's next generation. Will you help us with a generous gift for this critically important matching fund? Ask a Zambian child what they want and they will tell you, "I want to go to school." Primary Education in ZambiaSince 1999 Alliance for Children Everywhere has been operating church-based primary schools, called Faith Works, for orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia. Without Faith Works these children would not be able to attend school. Their parents or guardians cannot afford the cost of the books, uniform or shoes that are required for them to go to a government (public) school. And even if they could, there are not enough spaces in the schools for all the children. Grade 7 National ExaminationThe chance to go beyond the 7th grade hinges on just one exam. Almost half of students will fail and, unless their families can pay for private schooling, that will be the end of their education. Faith Works maintains an exceptionally high pass rate. In 2005, 128 Faith Works students sat for the exam and 100 passed. In 2006, 101 students took the exam and 85 passed, giving us an 84% pass rate, compared to the government school pass rate of 50-60%. Government Middle SchoolAlthough students are required to pay approximately $200 in annual fees, public schools in Zambia continue to operate under severe funding restraints. Supplies are sparse, classes are large and are held for only four hours each day. There are no libraries in the schools (the only free library in all of Lusaka is the Islamic library), and there are no computers. Seventy-five percent of young people never get beyond the seventh grade. Announcing A Quality Christian School for Grades 7, 8 and 9We are consistently graduating 7th grade students with achievement levels higher than graduates of government schools, but we want to ALL of them to pass this crucial test. By adding 7th grade to the middle school and giving a full day of accelerated learning, there will be a better chance for every 7th grade student to be academically qualified to continue. Faith Works Middle School
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Please help their dreams become their realities—give to the matching fund now.
