2023 ANNUAL REPORT

Shaping Tomorrow: Laying the Groundwork for Lasting Impact!

2023 was a year of focusing on the steps for future impact. One of our proudest achievements of the year was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, solidifying a groundbreaking partnership with the government. This significant milestone lays the foundation for government teachers to implement our proven education model, the eSchool 360. Through this collaboration, we are furthering our commitment to providing quality education that is accessible to all.

We actively pursued new partnerships with other school networks, aiming to enhance opportunities for our students beyond primary school. Through engagement with both current and new supporters, we secured funding to expand our programs in the years ahead. Finally, we constructed new classrooms and latrines, laying the foundation for the future success of our students. 

In 2023 we reached over 8,000 students, parents and women through our wrap-around services. We remain dedicated to our holistic approach, which extends beyond the classroom to encompass the well-being of girls, families, and the community at large. Additionally, we are committed to environmental stewardship, with programs aimed at fostering sustainability and preserving our planet for future generations.  With your support we have been able to continue to find new opportunities and focus on our mission: to provide every child with a quality education.

In 2023, we strengthened our foundation for the future, and we are thankful to each of you who stood with us!

Reshma Patel
Executive Director

Impact Education: eLearning that works

In 2023, we continued to enhance our eSchool 360 model, focusing on students, teachers, and our communities. We prioritized providing wrap-around services to students through various programs throughout the year, each purposefully designed to impact one of the three key areas: education access, education quality, and student well-being. Highlights of our accomplishments in 2023 include:

• Welcomed our largest cohort of 7th graders yet, totaling 1,075 students across 36 schools, and placing a strong emphasis on preparing them for their end-of-year examinations.

• Signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education in Zambia, creating opportunities for government teachers to implement our proven eSchool 360 education model.

• Continued to enhance our work through initiatives such as hosting parent engagement days, organizing special events with students, measuring employee satisfaction, and improving infrastructure.

Deep dive on Grade 7 exams

We are thrilled to share that in 2023, Impact Network had our largest cohort of 7th graders in history, and an impressive 87% of our students passed their Grade 7 exams, compared to the national average of 63%. This outstanding achievement is the culmination of years of preparation and the dedicated efforts of our team. Throughout the year, we focused on ensuring foundational skills were mastered, learners were prepared for their exams, and teachers had extensive training and support to ensure they were confident in teaching upper-grade content. The exam is scored into four divisions, with Division 1-3 being eligible to attend secondary school. Division 4 is a fail, and students must repeat the grade and retake the test.

• Division 1: Impact Network had 11% of students score in Division 1, the most selective secondary school, matching the government rate. Notably, Impact Network students are also starting off primary school more disadvantaged.

• Division 2:  38% of Impact Network students are eligible to progress to Division 2 day and boarding secondary schools compared to 30% District Wide.

• Division 3:  38% of Impact Network students are eligible to progress to Division 3 day and boarding secondary schools compared to 24% District Wide.

Impact Girls: Strengthening our support for young women

Impact Health: Improving our student wellbeing

In Zambia, significant challenges persist, including reproductive health concerns, child protection issues, cholera outbreaks, and malaria. In response, we:

• Collaborated closely with our Child Protection team to reduce stigma for pregnant students and ensure their participation in grade 7 examinations.

• Reached 2,500 Upper Primary students with our Life Skills & Reproductive Health curriculum.

• Organized community workshops on child protection, involving nearly 1,000 family members.

Impact Earth: Programs to combat climate change

Our Impact Earth initiatives include solar power, rainwater harvesting, tree-planting, and educational upcycling to rethink the use of trash in our school environment. In 2023, we:

• Partnered with Earth Warriors to deliver a comprehensive climate change curriculum to students in Grades 1 through 4.

• Planted nearly 8,000 trees last year, contributing to the fight against deforestation in the regions where we operate.

• Hosted upcycling and student-centered environmental initiatives, including a Go Green Day, culminating in projects that students make out of “trash”.