Continuing EBZEF Benefit

Beth’s family turned intense personal grief into a positive, nurturing program for the girls and the community of Lumwana West. At the same time, the program encourages volunteerism of high school and university students and others in the northwest, promoting international understanding, compassion and a sense of sharing for those who participate in this program to sustain Beth’s vision.

Future Vision

The goal of EBZEF is not to expand to other villages in Zambia, but rather to complete what we have begun as responsibly as we can. Our focus is on the depth and quality of our project, on our relationship with Beth’s Girls and their community of Lumwana West, and on sustaining the work that Beth began in her tenure as a Peace Corps volunteer. Perhaps, if EBZEF succeeds together with our Zambian partners, our village project can become a model for other small non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who want to make a difference in the lives of disenfranchised African women.

As we look to the future, we have a clear vision of what we can accomplish:

  • Develop leaders in Lumwana West from EBZEF scholarship recipients
  • Attain a sustainable scholarship program in ten years
  • Support qualified scholarship recipients through post-secondary education
  • Enable “Beth’s Girls” to develop a higher standard of living and literacy in their homes, in their community, and in their country.

Four-phase program run by dedicated volunteers.

Phase I

The primary phase provides scholarship to all interested girls from the Lumwana West area for grades 8-12. This phase has been highly successful, increasing from four girls in school before the scholarship to 93 girls in 2008. It is 100% funded by private donations. EBZEF encourages Beth’s Girls high school graduates to consider tertiary education. On the advice of PCV Jessica Schneider, EBZEF now also provides books and tutoring to help Beth’s Girls pass their exams.

As a result of her excellent academic/teaching performance at the University of Malawi, and with support from EBZEF, Mary Lundeba is completing her PhD in fisheries management at Penn State University on a full graduate fellowship. Prudence Masanyinga, EBZEF’s first high school graduate, continued as an EBZEF scholarship recipient to complete a two-year Certificate program in Community Development Studies at Chalimbana Government Training Institute in December 2007. She is currently engaged in an Advanced Diploma Program in Rural and Urban Management and hopes one day to return to the village to encourage other Beth’s Girls to pursue an education.

Phase II

At the informed suggestion of PCV Jessica Schnieider, EBZEF funded a two-year project to build a community library/learning center in 2006 to serve Beth’s Girls as well as to improve literacy in the village and the surrounding area. PCV Bob Wilder, working with The Peace Corps Partnership Program, oversaw construction of the library as a local community effort. PCV Jessica Hillsley continues PCPP oversight of the project. Books for Africa donated 18,000-20,000 books for the library. Collaborating with World Vision US and World Vision Zambia, books were shipped to Lumwana West in March 2008, funded by donations from the Caritas Foundation and individual donors. A separate fund-raising project will include solar technology, lights, and computers for the Memorial Library to extend the study day and to open communication with the world at large.

The library/learning center in Phase II is intended to increase the ratio of girls succeeding in school and to improve the quality of life in Lumwana West by extending the school day and increasing access for all to books and education. Tutoring in the library should ensure a higher rate of success in passing exams, serve as a supportive community learning center, and provide access to books and the outside world through internet access. With a solar power system, all members of the community can extend the time for learning after the day’s work is done.

Phase III

To achieve high school (grades 10-12) accreditation for the Lumwana West Basic School (grades 1-9), the community must have a science and math laboratory, as well as more classrooms and teachers’ living quarters. A secondary school in the village is important for Beth’s Girls so that they do not have to board at Mwinilunga High School 90 kilometers north of the village. After Phase II is completed, fund-raising for Phase III will begin.

Phase IV

The final phase focuses on sustainability and the creation of an endowment fund. EBZEF’s dream is that Beth’s Girls will one day take over the administration of the scholarship fund for the continuing education and benefit of Lumwana West women.