I've never seen such dedication from teachers!

This week’s email comes from Lweendo Maanya, our Logistics and Community Relations Lead.

In 2017, Impact Network first engaged the parents in various communities where DEBS allocated us schools to partner with. This was part of our Expansion project, that we began in partnership with American Institutes for Research. Since 2018, Impact Network has worked and supported two grades in the 30 schools, which are spread across Sinda, Katete, Petauke, and Lusangazi Districts. Impact Network has followed the same 2 cohort of students from grade 1, meaning that in2023, we supported grade 6 and grade 7 learners. This year, we are looking forward to supporting the grade 7 students in their final primary school year in 2024!

In this regard, we went back to the communities to share with them the changes that we anticipate beginning 2024 and beyond. The meetings allowed us and the parents to look back at the good relations and collaborations that we have shared and see how far we have come. This provided an opportunity to parents to give feedback on our programing, as well as general sense regarding what Impact’s existence in these schools has meant to them.

A parent from Kayowozi said, “Impact Network is really doing a great job. Our children are able to read and write!”

A mother from Kanthangwira, expressed happiness saying that the levels of education have greatly, improved in our area, at the time education was a luxury, Impact Network came in to provide quality education for free. She said, this has really helped us parents to appreciate the importance of education.

A father from Mtsanya said, the organisation has excellent and organized programs that have not just supported the classroom learning, but even outside the classroom.

Similarly, Headman Simpha, from Mtsanya, narrated how child safety is prioritized in our schools, and described working with our child protection team in order to help keep vulnerable students safe.

A parent from Chitwelele thanked Impact teachers for always being available to teach, making follow ups to students who missed class or had stopped and dropped out of school. She remembers how teachers would go around checking on learners and providing homework package lessons to our children during the COVID-19 outbreak. She said, “This really kept our children in check. In my entire life have never seen such dedication from teachers. This commitment should continue and be spread to other grade levels.”

By the close of 2023, I had reached 26 of the 30 expansion project schools and engaged with 900 parents! This was a very exciting experience to hear from parents of our pupils about the impact we have made in their lives.

Thank you, Lweendo! And thank you for your hard work in engaging the communities, families and caregivers of our students.