HomeMikumbila School
New classroom at Mikumbila 2010
Temporary Classroom at Mikumbila
Location: Mikumbila, Central Province, Zambia
Description: Two new classrooms for community school and office block
Key Features: Improved hexagonal classroom design, Parry roof tiles and stabilised soils blocks, all made on site
When Built: 2009-10 – 8 month project
Training: Builder Philliman Phiri, 15 building trainees passed their trades test
Cost: £26,000
Funder: COINS Foundation, various grant-making foundations and Build IT International Supporters
Result: School capacity doubled and role already increasing to 291. Ministry has allocated desks.
In February 2009, whilst building a school in nearby St. Agness, Build IT International were approached by Mikumbila Community School, in Central Province, Zambia, with a proposal to build a two classroom block to help them cater for the growing number of children. The school comprised of a building two classroom building to accommodate the children up to grade 7, with an extra temporary building. In the temporary structure grades 6 and 7 were taught in two sessions and poor facilties restricted extra curricular activities being to be offered to the children. The children had no furniture, and, therefore, sat on stones on the floor, balancing their notebooks on their laps, affecting their concentration and their handwriting.
- School capacity has doubled and the attendance role has increased to 291. This has increased from 268 in 2009 and 204 in 2008
- The School grade has changed. The school was previously ungraded but as a direct result of the building work, the school now has a grade 3 status. The building structure and number of children at the school has allowed for this change to take place
- The government have given more funding to the school, and we hope that the amount will rise in the future. The funding paid for materials for literacy for grade 1, 3-7, story books, teacher’s pack for grade 1 literacy and a sentence maker. The government are providing three teachers to work at the school, allowing for smaller class sizes and less classes merging to be taught
- Fifteen building trainees passed their test and now have a recognised qualification. Build IT International are delighted that the 13 ex-trainees have decided to continue working together and formed their own co-operative. Spokesperson Abigail Zulu told us that they have secured orders for 10,000 soil blocks. Build IT International has agreed to rent the co-operative a press to help them fulfil the orders
Melody Chimese and Mikumbila School - 20 April 2010
Melody Chimese grew up in the Luapula Province, Mansa District of Zambia. After training to be a teacher, Melody started to work in 1990 at a local basic school near her home. She stayed at the school for 17 years before moving to Mikumlia school in 2009, following the encouragement of the diocese, who support [...]
Where are they now? Abigail Zulu and the Mikumbila Women's Cooperative - 17 March 2010
The 13 ex trainees from Mikumbila have formed their own co-operative…
Where are they now? Moment Jambi from Mikumbila - 17 March 2010
Moment worked on his family small-holding until he was given the opportunity to learn new skills with Build IT.
Marvelous Mikumbila - 20 January 2010
After six months hard work from the local community, contractors and trainees, the new school is 80% complete
Training For Success - 14 November 2009
Today the first 20 trainees from our new 2009 training programme, all successfully passed their trades test in bricklaying.
Mikumbila project launched, two classrooms and 10 builders! - 7 August 2009
Aiming to train 10 locals in building skills this project started in July and should finish in time to open the two new classrooms in February 2010.