In 1997, a 19-year-old English girl, Cecily Eastwood, was teaching at Lechwe School in Kitwe and volunteering with CINDI (Children in Distress) at a homework club for orphans during her gap year between school and university. Tragically, she was killed in a traffic accident before the year ended.
Cecily’s parents, Basil and Alison Eastwood, requested donations at her funeral to help the orphans she had been working with. They were amazed to receive over £6,500 (ZMK 48,750,000) from friends, family and strangers who were moved by the story in the paper. The following year they visited Zambia and learned that CINDI had used the money to put the orphans into school for one year, but did not have funds to continue their schooling. The Eastwoods decided to establish Cecily’s Fund in their daughter’s memory, to keep these children, and others like them, in school. They continued working with CINDI until 2007.
Cecily’s Fund works in close partnership with the Ministry of Education and with Zambian organisations; Hodi (who took over Cecily’s Fund’s Kitwe education programme in 2007), CHEP (Copperbelt Health Education Project) and, in Lusaka, Bwafwano. Together they are now supporting well over 9,500 children through school and college and are helping to increase young peoples’ awareness of HIV. Earlier this year, Cecily’s Fund signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education to formalise their partnership and to help facilitate the work of its non-government partner organisations at individual school, district and national level.
Cecily’s Fund’s partners work with school-based committees to identify the most vulnerable children and provide them with shoes, uniforms, books and pens, and help with fees. With CHEP, they train 50 young people whom they have supported through school as peer health educators, and support them to teach Kitwe school children how to stay safe from HIV. They also support some of their school graduates and former peer health educators to train as teachers.
The children they support have faced much trauma and disruption from the illness or death of their parents. Many are living with elderly grandparents or chronically ill parents, or have no adults to care for them. Cecily’s Fund and its partners work with specially nominated “contact teachers” (the role is usually assumed by Guidance and Counselling teachers) to monitor their children’s progress in school and provide extra support if needed. They are also developing links with government and other non-government organisations who can help children’s households with issues such as housing and nutrition.
The majority of their supported children are in Kitwe, but since 2002 Cecily’s Fund has supported Bwafwano Community School in the Chazanga suburb of Lusaka. Bwafwano was set up in 1996 by local nurse, Beatrice Chola. Initially it focused on providing home based care for neighbours suffering from tuberculosis and other chronic illnesses. It now offers the community a range of services including a clinic, a legal advice centre, a vocational training centre and a school. Cecily’s Fund pays for teachers’ salaries, educational materials and a daily meal for all 756 children in the school, which runs from pre-school up to grade 4.
Once children are academically and emotionally ready, Cecily’s Fund and Bwafwano support them to move on to local government schools; paying for uniforms, materials and helping with fees. They also work with contact teachers to monitor progress and give guidance and support. Despite the challenges they face, 100 of the 162 Bwafwano children at government schools passed grade 8 entrance exams this year, many with results among the best at their school. Bwafwano’s Education Officer, Bambala Kataso explains; “Our focus at Bwafwano is that orphans and vulnerable children reach grade 12 and fulfill their dreams.”
For more information about Cecily’s Fund, please visit www.cecilysfund.org
that is true charity work
Shud even these people leave on Rupiah’s pronuancement that westerner and donors shud pact and go?
Watch your powers, mister!!
…..while our leaders are busy filling their pockets with stolen cash from the little resources we have. What a shame.
Guys, who attend Mukonch High School in Mukonchi kabwe? We made good lawyers, Doctors and Scientists. We need brains from that School to develop Zambia.
#3 What a hell were you doing in my neighborhood in Mukonchi? I was there and later went to Mkushi. Actually were I hail from, (kwa mboloma) then Unza and now in diaspora. Visited Zed last year but awe sure ni savage muchalo chesu. Kupukunyafye umutwe.
# 4, thats that Great. I was at Mukonchi school arround 1997. Mukonchi is my all time home. It used to be a food basket for Zambia and tobacco board of Zambia supplied tobbaco world over. But today our people cant even afford their meals. I grow up in mubofwe, I used to come Kwa Mboloma. I was at UNZA arround 2005 doing law. We must go and develop our place than be in the dispora. Lets go man?
This is good work well done. It is a pity that our selfish leaders have chosen to care only for their children.
But they should know that one day they will die and leave their children alone. Who will care for them if they cant do the same to these poor orphans?
We leave every thing in the hands of GOD.
Thumps up for the voluntary work this young lady was involved in and a big up to her parents for initiating a fund that has seen close to 10k kids get some form of education. To the late Cecily and the many foreign and local voluntary workers working in Zed I salute you for buying out time to help our venerable Mothers and Children. A refreshing story indeed, unlike the usual political bickering that is given more coverage!
A 19 year old teacher? What is this, some Kaunda $hit?
Indeed Cecily’s Fund is making a difference in the lives of Zambian children.
I have passed through Cecily’s Fund’s programe which has helped me a lot, as i am now journalist…
Cecily’s Fund Ni Zeee but DONTCH KUBEBA balia aba Tabafyaya ama donors!
All of us zambians living out the country can learn something and do some charity for zambia
#19, Cecily went to Lechwe School as a Gap student and her role was that of a teaching assistant. She helped in foreign languages (French and German), I believe, as well as coaching netball. She also volunteered at CINDI orphanage during her time there. She was indeed a remarkable young woman, and I am impressed that her family is using her legacy to bring change into the lives of needy children.
As noble as this maybe, we should not leave our children at the hands of charity organisations especially those from outside. You don’t see British children in need being looked after by German or American charities. The irresponsibility of our leaders is giving rise to all sorts of charity organisations around the world and Africa is treated like a giant welfare state when in fact this should not be the case. You can not neglect children’s needs while spending loads on by-elections. How much money did Rupiah Banda’s wife spend on her trip to Mpulungu? Simple maths..helicopter + entourage + cars + money distributed to women e.t.c. What this girls parents spent was only £6 500 but it will go down in her country as having helped take care of children neglected by their own leaders.
i remember her… she actually taught me during my time at lechwe school… she is trully missed…
she had a very caring heart… hope her work continues
Thank you for all the positive comments about Cecily and the work of the charity set up in her name. We would be delighted to hear directly from anyone who has benefited from the support of Cecily’s Fund and its partners, via our website.
Oh I remember her. The picture I get is of her singing “lady in red”. She really was amazing.