Team Impact
Zambia

When HOPE can #changethepresent

byAudrey Hamayanda,Zambia
11.20.2017

191

Levy spent most of his childhood breathing through a tracheal tube. His transformation from a fragile child has been an amazing journey.

“I remember living a restricted life.”

Levy's father died when he was 4. But that was only the beginning of the hardships the little boy faced during childhood. A benign tumor in his throat forced him to breathe through a tube for years. He underwent 10 surgeries in less than 10 years.

His single mother used every dollar from her small business to pay for the treatments.

But because Levy was in CI's sponsorship program, he gained access to health and education benefits. His participation in CI's youth programs and encouragement from his sponsor helped him build the knowledge and confidence to accomplish just about anything — no matter the hurdles.

Forging his future

Levy's dedication to earning good grades, plus his hard-earned leadership skills, merited him one of CI's education scholarships. The scholarship covered his fees from grades 10 through 12, giving him the chance to finish high school.

After high school, Levy again applied for — and won — a CI scholarship to attend college. The fund covered only some of the fees associated with higher education, though, so Levy got a part-time job at CI and moonlighted as a pianist in a band to supplement his income while he completed his studies.

Levy graduated in September with a diploma in information systems and programming. He has his sights set on even more schooling. He wants to "become the world's greatest computer scientist."

The scholarship is important [to those] living in poverty because it is their only way to break out of the boundaries of poverty and attain an education that will help them live their lives."

Educational roadblocks for kids like Levy

Underfunded public schools: This results in a shortage of classrooms, limited or out-of-date supplies and sometimes even unqualified teachers.
Cultural impediments: Older parents or caregivers of orphans might consider school an unnecessary cost.
Burdens outweigh the benefits: In many countries, public schools are free through only primary education. After that, the dropout rate increases significantly.