Educational development

The SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM seeks to provide crucial financial assistance to some of the most needy and vulnerable students in the area. The program is specifically geared towards those students who are single- or double-orphans or are otherwise vulnerable due to home-life or extenuating circumstances.

The financial burden of secondary school (grades 10, 11, and 12) makes it extremely difficult for most students to continue past grade 9, with the difficulty only surmounting for those who do not have parents or those to whom they can look for support. In this sense, Choshen Farm is able to fill in the gap, providing the means and encouragement necessary to finish school and seek a brighter future. The scholarship program combines a work-study philosophy with a strong relational-mentorship component. Each scholarship student works on the farm during school holidays (April, August, and December) to earn 40% of his or her financial need and is granted 60% as pure scholarship. Each student is given intensive tutoring during the holiday time and is held accountable for end-of-term test results. Our hands-on involvement with these students has granted us a position of “pseudo-parents” in many of their lives.

Our heart’s desire is to see each one of these young people finish their secondary education and continue on to college and university in order that they might realize their full potential and become active, contributing members of society. The minimal cost of $230 per term (three months) is a small price to pay in shaping the future leaders of Zambia. We currently have 25 students enrolled in our program, with a long waiting list for those who also qualify and would like to participate. Additional funds received by Choshen Farm above and beyond the annual budget items automatically goes into this scholarship program.