Lewis Katota, a student getting the vaccine jab
The rise of Covid cases in Zambia continues, with Copperbelt Province being one of the areas hardest-hit. Although official infection numbers are far lower than we have experienced in the UK, there is general recognition that data gaps mean the figures are much higher than officially reported. Hospitals and medical services are already very hard-pressed and risk being overwhelmed.
In April, the Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine became available in Zambia for health workers only. Due to low uptake, the vaccines were made available to the public. This meant that some MfA staff and students got their first dose with the second dose guaranteed before vaccines ran out. The Chinese government is set to donate the Sinopharm vaccine, which has been approved by the World Health Organization. MfA will continue to encourage all staff and students to be vaccinated. Vaccine hesitancy is widespread, fake news suggesting that vaccination is more dangerous than Covid-19 is rampant.
Please pray that your staff and students all accept the vaccine just as soon as it becomes available.
Graduates with Madam Mwansa Pikiti Lombe, the accountant, on Graduation day
‘THIS COLLEGE IS A SHINING BEACON’: GRADUATION CEREMONY
Mechanics for Africa College held its 18th graduation ceremony on the 10th of April. It was a successful and joyful celebration despite the fact that Covid-19 restrictions meant that none of our graduates’ families could attend the ceremony.
46 young people received diplomas. It was such a joy to see 2 years of investment in the lives of MfA students pay off. None of this would be possible without your active support. That you SO much.
About 60% of the graduates had jobs by the time of graduation. The Covid pandemic has meant that many companies were not able to hire all our graduates. However, almost all are not in permanent employment and have been kept on as interns, which is great because they have continued to gain valuable work experience for when employment opportunities open up.
Each year, we invite a Guest of Honour. This year’s guest visit was organized by Kangwa Puta, one of our Zambian trustees.
This year’s Guest of Honour was Vincent Sampa, the Director of Finance for Copperbelt Province, where MfA is. During his speech, Mr. Sampa said, “Mechanics for Africa is a shining beacon. You do not just learn how to maintain vehicles. Graduates of Mechanics for Africa have a reputation for honesty, integrity and service that marks them out as special people. The mission you have to train underprivileged youth in our communities keys in perfectly with Zambia’s pro-poor policies targeted at young people. Youth recognition and empowerment are at the heart of what we do. We want to ensure that we have an upcoming generation that is prepared to take up leadership positions in all spheres. This is very important to all of us in government.” Our Guest of Honour also had words of encouragement for our UK supporters: “As Director of Finance for the Copperbelt Province I have the closest interest in ensuring that we are able to play our part in the great project of improving our God-blessed nation of Zambia… I know that much of the financial support for this college comes from individual sponsors in the United Kingdom. I thank your supporters because they are enabling us to demonstrate just how successful we can be when we work together to make this world a better place.”
DISTANCE LEARNING AND PACKED LUNCH
On the 15th of June, the government announced that all colleges should close immediately and switch to online learning. This is because of concern over the rise in Covid cases and deaths in Zambia. The truth is that many colleges, including MfA are not able to offer online teaching presently. The vast majority of our students do not have computers and the technical infrastructure is inadequate. MfA’s teachers have worked hard to prepare notes and weekly assignments, which have been printed out as pamphlets. Students learn independently and hand in their assignments weekly at the gate.
Assignments are helping lecturers to assess students’ progress. Challenging? Yes, but students are generally very thankful that they can continue learning. Exam results following last year’s disruption suggest that most students have been able to keep up their studies.
Students collecting course material
For some students, closing the college means missing their only meal for the day. MfA has continued to provide packed lunch to students who need it. They show up each day to receive their balanced meal. With economic hardships that everyone is facing and a partial lockdown, this meal is even more critical for some students to continue having when the college is closed. All of us at MfA would lie to thank Graeme Potts and his UK Company Eden Motors who have covered the costs of our midday meals for a number of years and continue their support through the pandemic.
MEET CHIPO MULENGA
Chipo Mulenga is a 23-year-old student at MfA. He grew up with his mother and sisters. He has never known his father as he abandoned the family when Chipo was very young. Growing up in poverty and being raised by a single mother has not made Chipo’s life journey easy. Food and basic necessities have always been scarce in his household. His mother brewed illegal local beer/spirits, which was her source of income throughout Chipo’s childhood. This meant that his home was often a place of drunkenness around his mother’s ‘business premises’.
Chipo went to a community school because his mother could not afford the fees for him to attend a government school. He managed to complete high school but could not go on to college due to the lack of money. Being creative and skillful, he began to use his gift of fixing phones as a way of raising money. He repaired phones, which helped him have some money to contribute to the wellbeing of his family and from this. Finding that he enjoyed practical work, he developed an interest in fixing cars and decided he is like to become a motor mechanic.
As he continued to raise money to support his family, he managed to get another contract job to work at a construction site, mixing a concrete mixer. It did not pay much so although but he managed to raise some money from both the things he was doing it was not enough to cover college fees. Chipo met a friend who explained that although Mechanics for Africa charged fees, they were at a level he might be able to afford. Chipo liked what he heard so he made his way to us applied, raised enough money to cover his initial fees at MfA and is now an important member of our student family.
Chipo continues to work hard and says he appreciates the opportunity to be in an institution that provides more than mechanical knowledge, but life skills and even food. He appreciates the lunch provided at MfA as this means there is one less mouth to feed at home. Chipo’s mother no longer brews beer/spirits. Instead, she picks and sells scrap metal.
During the college closure, Chipo is doing piecework on the college campus to raise money towards his fees for Term 3. Chipo continues to work hard and appreciate the opportunity to be with MfA. His recent Mid-term test results indicate that he is doing well in all his courses. It is our prayer that he continues to trust God and to grow in faith so that he can improve his own life, the lives of his family members, and Zambian society at large.
Delayed Exam Results
The second-year students sat their delayed end of year 1 exams in April 2021. These would usually have taken place last December. The results were published in June. Despite the tough year that 2020 was, 86% of the students passed all eight courses. Those that did not pass will have an opportunity to re-sit in December 2021. Well done to lecturers and students for their hard work and creativity to triumph over the disruptions of 2020!
Student Life and Pastoral Support
This is Chisompola Champalama. Students call him Mr. Chiso. He joined MfA in April, after Pastor Rodwell decided to enroll as a student at MfA. Chiso holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Northrise University and a Certificate in Discipleship and Mission
Training from Foundations for Cross Cultural Education (FCE). Chiso is leading Chapel, Service Learning and Spiritual Guidance classes. He is also running group sessions for first year students with a focus on how to manage and adjust to college life. In addition, Chiso offers one-to-one counsel and guidance to students. His focus since joining MfA has been to build relationships with students.
Learning to serve others
In May 2021, MfA introduced Service-Learning as part of life-skills training. Through this programme, students have been learning to serve others. Living in poverty can sometimes make people focus on themselves and feel they cannot influence the world around them. Service Learning is challenging students to see beyond their plight and reach out to others in the communities around MfA. We are very excited about the growth taking place in our students as give their time and labor to others. Here, students are cleaning at Hope Fellowship- a local orphanage near Mechanics for Africa College. Plans are underway to link this with the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Students serving at Hope Fellowship Center
Prayer points
Pray for the availability of vaccines in Zambia and that staff and students will be willing to be vaccinated
Praise for a good end of Year 1 results for the 2020 intake
The staff team at MfA to disciple students as the Lord would want us to
Students that are still struggling to pay their fees. The disruption of Covid makes this more difficult than ever
Successful distance learning for the remainder of Term 2