We are delighted to introduce our two latest graduates, Gift and Memory, who celebrated their recent achievements at University of Zambia (UNZA) and Evelyn Hone College respectively. Well done, both of you! Chris Merk reports.
Graduation Day in Zambia is a very special occasion, with a great celebration as an important milestone for the students. It is a great achievement, especially for those who only dreamed of such a day. The graduates have to pay for the graduation, hire or buy their gown and hat, wear their best clothes and shoes (sometimes borrowed!) and the girls have their hair and make-up done—helped by family and friends, and in this case also by FCTrelief.
Gift Shabasimbi with mother, family and teachers
Gift Shabasimbi
Gift Shabasimbi worked for us as a maths teacher for six months while waiting to start Uni six years ago. He had been giving extra tuitions to private pupils when we met him and proved to be a very good teacher during his time at FCTrelief. When he started university, he still needed some financial support from us because his bursary was only for his studies. He did a year’s engineering before changing his course to medicine. In May he graduated—at the end of his first four years as is the case in Zambia, after which the junior doctors then specialise for the remaining two years.
Gift is on a rotation to various clinics and hospitals to get more practical experience before his finals. Gift did a rotation this year at the Chilenje clinic where our first graduate, Dr. Winnice Nyirenda now works and she was happy to accompany him during these months. These are our ‘first two FCT doctors,’ with two more halfway through their second and third years respectively.
Gift Shabasimbi with courage for the future
Memory Banda
Our first Pharmacy student, Memory Banda, qualified last December at Evelyn Hone College with very good results. It is a challenging three-year course and she worked hard, determined to do well and we are proud of her! She has one last exam to take to get her pharmacy licence. This should have been in February, but due to the serious cholera outbreak at the beginning of the year, the exam was postponed until this coming September. Without the licence, she cannot start working, although Memory is job-hunting and hopes to finally get her first job as soon as possible.
The studies are a long process for most students and even those with good qualifications have to push hard to start their careers. Some also have the burden of student loans to repay. Memory’s graduation day was a milestone for her—a dream made possible with the support from FCTrelief. A dream come true which she truly deserves. We wish her every success for the future.
Memory Banda at Evelyn Hone College
Mary and Getrude
Two of our Grade 12 school leavers, Mary and Getrude, came to ask us for support to do a nursing course at the Makeni School of Nursing where our two third-year nurses, Priscilla and Esnart are studying. After seeing these two nurses in their uniforms and hearing about their course, it became Mary and Getrude’s dream to follow in their footsteps.
Thanks to their good results, the girls were accepted at the college, where they board and learn to be independent. As they did not get bursaries, they will be partly sponsored by a generous group of friends from England as well as getting a loan from FCTrelief. Without support it would have been impossible for these girls to do nursing as their families cannot help them. But once qualified Mary and Getrude will be able to support themselves and have a worthwhile career as nurses, which are much needed in Zambia. The new nurses started in early July and we wish them all the best for their training and exams. We know they will do their best. They are so very grateful for this wonderful chance. Another dream coming true!
From left to right: Gertrude, Priscilla, Mary, Esnart
A big thank you
A big thank you to all those who support these young people to attain their goals, so that when they are qualified, they have a future and become a blessing for their families and for Zambia.
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