With reading levels in Zambia being very low, Friends of Monze is working closely with our partners Zambia Women and Girls Foundation to raise standards in our schools. We are helped in that 6 of their trustees have a background in education, with 2, James Kadene and Fred Mwiiya being retired directors of Education, and willing to oversee the introduction of this new scheme to our schools

The world opens up to children who can read! Literate mothers have fewer, healthier children who will become literate themselves, just as a literate farmer is more likely to be successful than one unable to read or write.

We are determined that the children in our schools will benefit from the best education we can give and believe that the Happy Readers program which is a graded reading scheme which includes teachers handbooks, colourful posters is the best on offer. The scheme is bright and attractive and culturally appropriate covering issues including gender, agriculture, climate change and positive African values of kindness and hard work. Teachers are given training in introducing the scheme and feedback is positive

In 2021 we introduced the scheme to 4 schools and in 2022 to another 5 schools, adding a 6th school in 2023. The project is being closely monitored by the Reading Standard Officer at the Monze District Education Board together with 2 of the board of Zambia Women and Girls Foundation We are seeing children making progress and enjoying reading sessions.

Each set of books works out at £1,050 plus money for training and monitoring, and schools are reporting that they need many more books if the children are to show significant progress. We are working hard to raise money to enable this to happen and are grateful for any donation you may be able to make.