Academic work of Sweden has been giving education support to some thousands  girls enabling them to go to school since 2010. The beneficiaries of this support are taking full advantage of the opportunity given to them and are determined to fight their yesterday with a better tomorrow. We take a look at the life of one of the girls under the sponsorship program, Ndano Lubasi.

Ndano lost her parents at the age of 4 and was the only child. She has been raised by her grandmother who sells tomatoes at a market near their home. This elderly lady is also the caretaker of three other grandchildren who lost their parents and they all live together in a two roomed mud-house. She makes sure her grandchildren have at least one meal per day with the little profit she makes after selling tomatoes.

At the age of 7 Ndano was enrolled into grade 1. In 2011 she qualified to go to grade 8 at Namatamaa Basic School in Livingstone. At this point her grandmother was so depressed, due to the fact that she could not meet Ndano’s education needs. Fortunately Ndano was enrolled in the Academic Work education support programme which gave the girl a lot of hope and determination to work extra hard in school.

In 2012 Ndano wrote her junior secondary examinations and attained very good marks and was even named the best female student at her school after which she was selected at David Livingstone Secondary. She is currently in Grade 12 and will be writing her final secondary exams in October.

Ndano has maintained her good performance at school and has been chosen to represent the district at the provincial quiz under mathematics category. Ndano meets with another hardworking girl under the sponsorship program Priscilla Phiri who is in her Grade 9 and is also part of the team representing Livingstone District at the provincial quiz. Priscilla is under the science category.

These two girls are now icons in the sponsorship program and motivate other girls in the program to work hard in school. Ndano and Priscilla’s peers are very proud that among them are two girls that will be representing at district level.