Improving Education and Empowering Women
Our primary project has been the construction of Linda Community School: a pre school, primary school and secondary school for vulnerable children in Livingstone, Zambia which now has over 900 children. We built this school to open access to education for them.
We have improved and built further classrooms to enhance other existing schools.
We supply teaching and learning materials and equipment to improve the quality of education at the schools we support.
Our projects help to relieve poverty, sickness and distress amongst children.
We helped establish and support Tiyese ('Let's Try') Craft Initiative, a successful women's empowerment group.
100% OF YOUR DONATIONS WILL GO TO SUPPORTING OUR PROJECTS IN ZAMBIA
Unlike many other charities the Trust has no employees, premises or other major expenses.
The operating costs are predominantly covered by the trustees and many professional services are donated.
A CHARITY SUPPORTING EDUCATION IN ZAMBIA
A range of other videos are available on our YouTube channel
OUR IMPACTFUL PROJECTS
Education - Building Futures
1. Linda Community School
This is a school in a disadvantaged area of Livingstone for children who are all chosen by the community, having been assessed as the most vulnerable who require access to education. Many are orphans. If this school did not exist many of the children would not attend school at all. Originally housed in an overcrowded and dilapidated old community centre, it was a primary school when we became involved with it in 2017 and began construction of purpose-built facilities on a new site. Having completed the seven classrooms, ablution blocks and cooking facility needed for a primary school, with the agreement of the Zambian government the school was expanded to a secondary school (with the government deploying a dozen subject teachers to the secondary grades). Another five classrooms were built, taking the total to twelve, as well as a science lab, computer room, two offices and a third ablution block, together with two insakas (traditional style open air huts, one of which won us the runner up prize for the Engineering Outreach Award from the Worshipful Company of Engineers in 2023). The three ablution blocks contain toilets for both boys and girls, as well as showers for the older girls, and use water from the bore hole and water tower with 5,000 litre tower that we installed. A computer room has recently been built and the internet (solar powered) has been introduced to the school. A pre-school facility was built in 2025. Having begun with 470 primary school children when Zambezi Sunrise Trust began its support, the school now has over 900 pre-school, primary and secondary pupils – catering for the full age range of the Zambian school system. Our first graduating class (2025) has seen pupils accepted into university – a far cry from their prospects when the school was first built. Every child has been provided with a desk and has access to a flush toilet (meeting government aspirations) and textbook provision is much better than that in other local schools (with children and teachers receiving books in each subject).
To end the school’s reliance on the intermittent mains water supply, and to lower utility bills, a bore hole was drilled and hand pump installed. This was later supplemented by the construction of a water tower and 5,000 litre water tank with submersible pump. This now provides the school’s drinking water, water for cooking, as well as water to irrigate the vegetable garden which supplements the school’s feeding programme. Together with True Thabo (an American non-profit organisation) we jointly presented a water purifier system to the new site to ensure that the pupils and staff have access to pure water. As part of our establishment of a library resource for the school, Zambezi Sunrise for several years paid the annual subscription that secured periodic grants of reading books from Lusaka from Book Aid International.
We were delighted when the school received its Examination Centre status, allowing pupils to sit exams under the auspices of their own school. In 2024 our first Grade 12 (the senior year in the Zambian system) graduated and several children have been accepted by universities – including children who originally had little prospect of completing a secondary (or even primary) education. Zambezi Sunrise Trust are delighted to have established links for Linda with several schools in the United Kingdom who have each enjoyed a relationship centred on ongoing letter exchanges and video links. Their support has seen books, desks and uniforms provided to the school, as well as contributing to the construction of the school. We are very grateful to The Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation (Durham School and The Chorister School) as well as Hesleden Primary School in County Durham, Cramlington Village Primary School, Dr Thomlinson C of E Middle School, Seaton Sluice Middle School and Stobhillgate First School in Northumberland, as well as Sleights Primary School, Castleton and Glaisdale Primay Schools in North Yorkshire, and New End Primary School in London, for their support.
We are delighted to have facilitated regular links between the school and schools in the United Kingdom: such links benefit the children in each country, with letter exchanges and video links taking place. Large scale uniform donations have been made by schools in the U.K., and a book donation from one provided the foundation of the school library.
During the course of our construction of the school it has received some notable visitors. Our first Classroom was opened by the Deputy High Commissioner of the United Kingdom. The U.K. High Commissioner visited and spoke at the 2019 opening of the Grade 4 classroom by the Secretary-Genearl of the Commonwealth, Baroness Scotland. This classroom was sponsored by the delegates to that year's Commonwealth Law Conference and many distinguished lawyers from throughout the Commonwealth visited the school. We are delighted that successive Mayors of Livingstone have regularly visited the school to support our opening events.
2. Nekacheya Primary School
This inspirational school proves what can be done with dedicated staff and eager students despite limited resources. ‘Nekacheya’ is a Tonga word that means ‘although small.’ Opened in 2008 with a single child (hence the name), it has grown to 300. Provision is made for them from pre-school through to Grade 7 (approximately aged 12/13). The focus is on literacy and numeracy and in that context the Zambian curriculum is followed with a view to ensuring the children pass their exams to qualify for a secondary school. Nekacheya’s recent public examination results have been excellent, and the school recently received its examination centre status.
Zambezi Sunrise Trust has invested heavily in books at this school. We are particularly proud to be able to say that we understand that Nekacheya was the only school in the region in which in five-year groups every child had their own textbook in each of the core subjects. This is in complete contrast to the ‘normal’ situation in which only a teacher usually has access to a textbook and the pupils must spend an inordinate amount of time copying the content from a blackboard. This has greatly facilitated the ability of teachers to improve the learning of pupils. Literacy has also been enhanced by the provision of class sets of reading books. Further, Zambezi Sunrise for several years paid the annual subscription that secured the school access to donations of hundreds of reading books from Book Aid International.
Zambezi Sunrise has provided computers and been instrumental in the setting up of an IT room at the school. These not only assist with learning – one of our trustees has helped move the administration of the school from a handwritten system onto the computers which will greatly increase the efficiency of the school administration going forward. In 2023 the school was able to move the four senior Grades to a new site with improved facilities. Zambezi Sunrise Trust was delighted to assist with this by funding a 3,000 litre water tank as well as assisting with the administration involved in drilling a bore hole. The water tank compliments our funding assistance with the completion of an ablution block containing toilets for boys and girls, as well as a shower for older girls. We are pleased to say that with the provision of further whiteboards every class in the school now has a whiteboard – at both the old and new sites – something that cuts down on the dust in classrooms.
Zambezi Sunrise have also been able to assist the school away from the classroom. Our trustees have brought musical instruments donated by supporters in the UK and the school now has an active band. Moreover, the boy’s football team now have shirts featuring the school colours. The girl’s netball and volleyball teams now play in tops donated by our supporters at Durham School in the UK. Zambezi Sunrise have been delighted to cooperate with our friends at Sonskyn in Belgium who have also supported Nekacheya for several years. We have also been able to coordinate support from ex volunteer teachers from around the world to further help the school after their return home.We are also very pleased to have facilitated a school twinning between Nekacheya and Shotley Bridge Primary School in England. As well as exchanging letters and artwork with Nekacheya, Shotley Bridge has fundraised and transformed the book provision there, as well as provide a photocopier. One of our trustees has taught at Nekacheya for a total of five months over three a three-year period.
3. Njokomalomo Basic School
This is a very remote rural school situated near the Zambezi in Western Province / Barotseland. Many children walk long distances to this school which has few resources. Since becoming involved with it in 2020 we have built three boarding huts (with our partners Sonskyn building another four) as well as a new classroom using traditional materials. This classroom replaced one that was on the verge of collapse. Uniform and sports kit donations have been made, and we have paid the subscription and transport fees to secure hundreds of reading books from Book Aid International in distant Lusaka (something we have also done for Linda Community School and Nekacheya).
4. Support for other schools
In 2022 during the Covid lockdowns we stepped in to help Dream Elementary School in the Highlands area of Livingstone. By ensuring that a part-built classroom block was completed we were able to ensure that the school’s plans for expansion were able to continue. Textbooks have also been supplied to the school.
At Simoonga Combined School water purifiers were supplied in conjunction with True Thabo (an American NGO), while desks have been provided to De Santo Centre for the Deaf and assistance given to Baobuyu Learning Centre to reconnect their electricity supply after a lightning strike.
5.Linda Sunrise Pre-school.
On our first birthday, May 8th 2017, the first children began morning classes at Linda Sunrise Preschool. Beginning with eight children, it grew to over 30: some of whom would not otherwise attend school. It used the same Linda Sunrise facilities as Homework Club and Tiyesa Craft Club, thus ensuring that they were utilised all day for the benefit of the community. Preschool was supported with teaching materials and also benefitted from uniforms, teacher support and learning materials donated by our supporters. We were pleased to support this school until 2023. Our preschool support is now focussed on the class for this age range at nearby Linda Community School.
Community - Supporting Local Women and Families
We support a range of community activities, including having established a homework club at Linda Community School. We also helped set up, and continue to support, a women’s craft group, as well as a local musician, Clement. In addition, we have distributed numerous donations throughout the community, including handmade clothing, teddy bears, blankets and bras. We provide food on home visits to families experiencing severe hunger.
1. Tiyese (“Let’s Try”) Craft Initiative
This group of ladies was established by Zambezi Sunrise Trust in the Linda compound area of Livingstone. They originally used the Linda Sunrise structures, before moving to bigger and more secure accommodation that we had built at nearby Linda Community School. They meet several days a week to get together, share their experience and talent and make a variety of craft items. The money they raise through the sale of their handmade bags, aprons, tablecloths, clothes and rugs supplements their incomes and assists in providing regular meals and education for their children. A portion of the profit from each item sold is put back into the group’s funds to buy more materials and ensure its sustainability.
As well as assistance with establishing the group, Zambezi Sunrise has donated three pedal powered sewing machines, together with craft tools and items sourced from our supporters. Tiyese have now achieved official government registration and have opened a group bank account – the first time the ladies have had access to such a facility. Having successfully made the 670 delegate bags for the 2019 Commonwealth Law Conference, the ladies have also sold items that have gone around the world – to visiting volunteers and to Zambezi Sunrise donors who have made requests.
In 2024 the group were honoured to be invited to help represent Livingstone when President Hichilema visited the city for International Women's Day. He visited their stall in the presentation tent, met leader Josephine and received a Tiyese tie.
During the Coronavirus pandemic their skills were recognised by the government, and they received orders from the Ministry of Health for 2,500 face masks for frontline workers. Similar orders were received from WWF, as well as ourselves for the schools we support.
Items made by Tiyesa can be found in the gift shop of the Livingstone Museum as well as at Booma Women Cooperative, Kubu Cafe, Off the Wagon, and the Protea Hotel in Livingstone.
2. Homework Club
The Linda area of Livingstone is blighted by poverty and has many children who do not attend school at all. This project grew out of the efforts of a local teacher who had established a ‘homework club’ in the evenings in the yard of his home for the benefit of children from the compound. Joanne, one of our trustees, was introduced to them in early 2016 when the children were sitting on the ground outdoors without shelter from the sun or rain. For a modest sum she was able to arrange the construction of a structure, benches and a blackboard so that classes could take place when it rained (and out of the heat of the sun). These are major factors to be taken account of, especially in the rainy season. 2017 saw the consolidation of that first structure – a metal roof (with matting underneath to deaden the drumming sound of the rain), a raised dry floor and low walls to prevent flooding. Electricity was introduced so that learning could take place after dark. Textbooks have been provided to support the teaching.
We are delighted to say that ‘Homework Club’ has been enthusiastically embraced by many IVHQ and Travel Active volunteers in Livingstone who attend to assist the children at least once a week. Largely through their fundraising efforts, in 2018 the facilities were improved (with a second structure), as they were in 2019 and 2020 (with improved toilet and storage provision).
In 2023 Homework Club moved to purpose-built classrooms with better desk provision that we had built at nearby Linda Community School. It is still supported by IVHQ and other volunteers who regularly give up their spare time to help the children once or twice a week.
3. Kupagwa Ni Lilato (‘Made With Love’) Craft Group
Kupagwa Ni Lilato was established with help from Zambezi Sunrise in the Highlands area of Livingstone. Again, the ladies of this group met to share their experience for the benefit of all of them. They concentrated on making different items from those produced by Tiyese so that the two groups complimented each other and did not compete for the same sales. Some great skills were developed before relocation and other personal factors sadly led to the end of the group.
4. Mpekala Women’s Programme
Founded by the irrepressible Sister Immaculata, this programme has branches in several remote rural villages in the Sekute area beyond Livingstone. They are served by very poor roads and are almost inaccessible at times during the rainy season. Ladies there have traditionally been dependant on the (environmentally unfriendly) production of charcoal to supplement their family incomes. The programme has helped them diversify through setting up craft clubs. Zambezi Sunrise have been able to assist the latter through the provision of hand powered sewing machines to three village groups. We have also been able to provide examples of craft items made by supporters in the UK for them to examine – and have done the same in reverse.
5. Zambezi Empowerment Initiative
This group, in a remote area next to the Zambezi river in rural Barotseland/Western Province, was set up with our assistance in early 2020. Situated near Njoko Mission, the ladies in the surrounding area have great talent in basket making but had no access to a market for their talents. As well as assisting with the foundation of the craft group, we hope to help them obtain sales in Livingstone.
6. Clement
Despite being blind since birth, Clement is an accomplished guitarist who composes his own songs urging support of the disabled and other ‘needy ones’. He sings in English as well as Lozi, Tonga and other Zambian languages. Clement can often be found in Livingstone busking, the only means he has to support his family.
We came across him in 2016 when he visited our Linda Sunrise project to say thank you – one of his children was attending ‘Homework Club’. His method of doing that was to play a few of his songs. We were astounded and, in due course, Clement featured at the end of our website video. “What can we do for the needy ones?” “Help them.”On our return to Zambia in 2017, Zambezi Sunrise arranged the recording of an album of Clement’s songs. This was funded through a special discrete appeal in which supporters were able to sponsor one of the 10 tunes. ‘Blessings’ was duly recorded and launched at a special event in Livingstone attended by others in the Zambezi Sunrise family and the volunteer community. Both he and one of our trustees, Joanne, were interviewed on local radio station Zambezi FM about his story and the album. The sale of ‘Blessings’ has enabled Clement to have some financial security as he provides for his family in Linda compound. One of his children attends Linda Community School – one of the schools that we support. Clement can still sometimes be found entertaining the children and volunteers who support Homework Club.
In 2023 one of our supporters was delighted to buy Clement a new guitar! If anyone would like to purchase a copy of ‘Blessings’ please contact us for details.
7. Distribution
As well as providing foodstuffs and other items purchased in Zambia, Zambezi Sunrise continues distributing books, clothes, sporting equipment and toys that have been donated. They range in scale from large scale uniform donations by schools in the U.K. to single items donated by individuals. Such donations are typically distributed to vulnerable children through schools, hospitals, orphanages or directly to their families.
Our supporter Josie Hind has knitted over 1500 teddy bears for Zambezi Sunrise along with may other items she has made. These knitted bears are named and/or given messages and are distributed to children in Zambia.
Email enquiries are welcomed from those considering such donations. Donations are welcomed on the basis that some items which may not be easily transported to Zambia may be sold to raise funds for the charity.
On occasion, monetary grants are made to address particular needs of schools that are not the focus of our usual support. For example, we were delighted to be able to ensure the electricity system was repaired and the supply restored to Baobuyu Learning Center after it was hit by a lightening strike in early 2018. The school has also benefitted from the distribution of clothes donated by our supporters.
Meet the Team
Supporting Organisations
Dream Livingstone Zambia - Our Zambian Partner NGO
Dream Livingstone Zambia is a registered non-governmental, non-profit making and non-denominational organisation (Zambia registration number 78627). It was created to help the Livingstone community to become a better place to live through the support of education, as well as relieving the effects of poverty and HIV/AIDS (in particular with regard to the many orphans there). Its projects aim to be sustainable and to help the community become self-reliant. As well as supporting vulnerable children in schools and facilitating income generating projects, Dream Livingstone is presently building a school / skills training centre, that we have been pleased to help support.
School support
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Cramlington Village Primary School
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Dr Thomlinson Church of England Middle School
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Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation: Durham School and The Chorister School
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Glaisdale, Castleton and Lealholm Primary Schools
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Sleights Church of England Primary School
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Stobhillgate First School
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Hesleden Primary School
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Seaton Sluice Middle School
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Shotley Bridge Primary School
The Zambezi Sunrise Trust is always delighted to talk to schools about ways that they may support our work helping other schools in Zambia. We have received such help from schools in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and Holland. If your school is within northern England, or the London area, we are very happy to come into your school and deliver a talk on our work and those schools that we help. We have facilitated school twinning arrangements between schools in Zambia and schools in England. For more information on these mutually beneficial contacts, please email us at johncgillette@hotmail.com.
Other supporters and partners
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Brigitte Kitchens
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Free Haven Community Initiative
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In-Situ Executive Linguistic Coaching Service
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IVHQ
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Lonely Tower Film and Media
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MAD Foundation
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M W Denton Chartered Accountant
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Okodwela
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Sonskyn
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True Thabo
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Wealth of Advice
Get Involved
Donations
Donations can be made online through our People’s Fundraising page. Donations can be given from the UK and abroad. If you are a UK taxpayer, please tick the Gift Aid box which will enable us to collect a further 25% on your donation from the government at no further cost to you.
We use People’s Fundraising as, with minimal or no charges (depending on the type of card used), we feel it is the fundraising platform that ensures the maximum of your donation reaches us (as well as automatically claiming any applicable Gift Aid if you want them to). Donations by cheque, bank transfer or in cash don’t attract any charges at all: 100% of your donation will be received and go towards supporting our projects.
If you would like to send a cheque, it should be made out to ‘The Zambezi Sunrise Trust’ and sent to Kelloe Hall South, Town Kelloe, County Durham, England, United Kingdom DH6 4PR.
Regular Contributions
If you would like to set up a direct debit via your bank please email us at johncgillette@hotmail.com and we will send you the relevant information. Alternatively, regular donating can be set up via the Zambezi Sunrise Trust page on People’s Fundraising.
Regular donating helps us forecast what we can achieve and to set budgets.
Organising Your Own Events
We are constantly delighted by the support and initiative that people have shown in supporting us. Whether it is hosting a dress, jumble or cake sale, a garage sale, a tour, a play, a coffee morning, an evening event, selling items that you have made, doing a skydive, running a half marathon or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to support us we are extremely grateful for your contribution. If you would like to fundraise for us by completing a challenge, please consider creating a page using People’s Fundraising which will enable us to potentially raise an extra 25% on the donations you attract by means of Gift Aid if your donors are UK taxpayers.
Volunteering
If you would like to volunteer your time to help us organise, or run, an event please contact us at johncgillette@hotmail.com.
Online Shopping
Did you know that whenever you buy anything online – from your weekly shop to your annual holiday – you could be raising free donations for Zambezi Sunrise Trust with easyfundraising? Our supporters have raised nearly £5,000 for us, FOR FREE, just by doing their normal online shopping! There are over 8,000 shops and sites on board ready to make a donation – including eBay, Argos, John Lewis, ASOS, Booking.com and M&S – and it won’t cost you a penny extra to help us raise funds.
All you need to do is:
1. Go to https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/zambezisunrisetrt and join for free.
2. Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first to find the site you want and start shopping.
3. After you’ve checked out, the retailer will make a donation to Zambezi Sunrise Trust at no extra cost to you whatsoever!
There are no catches or hidden charges, and Zambezi Sunrise Trust will be really grateful for your donations.
Thank you for your support.