Elizabeth, Secondary Student, Zambia
My name is Elizabeth, I grew up with my grandma in Mpika District, Zambia. She took me in when I was two years old because my parents were not always able to support me. I’ve faced a lot of challenges growing up—the greatest challenge being a lack of money. Sometimes we can’t eat. If there’s no food in the house, I have to leave for school on an empty stomach.
Another big challenge is the distance to my secondary school. Because in our village there are no secondary schools, most of my friends at school and I walk a long way to the school.
CAMFED started supporting me when I was in Grade 10, and now I’m in Grade 11. When I found out that I would receive CAMFED support, it was a relief for me and my parents. My parents were very happy because they knew we were going to be helped by someone. My mom and I felt great.
I received a full uniform, books, soap, and every term I am given menstrual pads. A small pack of menstrual pads cost between 20 and 70 Kwacha ($0.76-$2.64 USD), so when CAMFED gives us pads it makes a big difference. The money that was spent on pads for me, we can use to buy food instead. Now, I never face a challenge when it comes to menstrual products because CAMFED always gives me what I need.
At school I have received additional support from the CAMFED Teacher Mentor, Madam Lulamba.* She’s a good woman. She motivates us and teaches us how to take care of ourselves and stay healthy.
My Teacher Mentor, Madam Lulamba (left) has been a great source of support. (Credit: CAMFED)
Elizabeth, she has opened up to me in the last few years, confiding in me and the other Teacher Mentors. We've counseled her and really tried to help her.Madam Lulamba, Teacher Mentor
A Learner Guide** who comes to our school is also very friendly. We feel free to speak to her about the challenges we face at home. She makes us feel like she’s our mother—if there’s something that we need, she makes sure it is given to us. When I was in Grade 8, I attended My Better World sessions run by the Learner Guide. These sessions were good and we learned a lot of things that changed our lives and motivated us.
My friends and I support each other, motivate each other and share secrets. Sharing the difficulties we have at home is a relief to us. (Credit: CAMFED)
I get very good grades now, and I motivate my three younger siblings to try their best in class. I am a role model to them all. It feels great to get good grades. English is my favorite subject, because English can help me pass in many subjects. All our subjects in secondary school are taught in English except for my mother language, Bemba.
In the future, I would like to study Medicine. If that’s not possible, I would like to study agriculture because I’m very interested in it. Like most families around here, we depend on farming to make a living. I find livestock, like chickens and pigs interesting. I like looking at them to see their behavior and understand how they react towards people.
Many farmers — including my mom — have been affected by the changing weather here in Zambia. We have had very little rain and hot conditions, and then windy and cold conditions, so earning money from farming is hard.
I often help out on my grandma’s farm. If I don’t study Medicine, I would like to study agriculture at university so I can succeed in farming. (Credit: CAMFED)
My hopes for the future are to finish school with good grades and go to a respected university.
The CAMFED Association—the network of young women educated with CAMFED support— has really helped me a lot, so when I graduate from school I would like to join. They really motivate us students to focus on school and are very good role models.
*Teacher Mentors are government trained school teachers who participate in additional psychosocial support and mentoring training through CAMFED, to help vulnerable students thrive in school.
**Learner Guides are young women in the CAMFED Association—once themselves supported by CAMFED—who return to their local school as mentors and role models, and deliver a life skills and wellbeing program called My Better World.
As a Teacher Mentor in rural Zambia for more than 12 years, I’m so happy when I see girls coming to school and being educated. Girls' education is so important, so that girls can be independent.
With CAMFED’s support, I completed secondary school, and now I’m on track to achieve my goal of becoming an independent woman.
I’m Head Girl at my school, Junior MP for my district, an aspiring neuroscientist and powerful education advocate — inspiring girls with my passion for science.
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