Scotch College

The Kapumfi Project

Zambia is an impoverished African nation with a population of approximately 11 million. The unemployment rate is over 50%, life expectancy is only 37 years and child mortality is a shocking 20%.

World Vision Chief Executive Tim Costello speaks about Scotch's collaboration with World Vision to make poverty history	Tim Costello and Principal Dr Donaldson present a sign symbolising Scotch's involvement in the Kapumfi project

On Monday, 1 August the School hosted Tim Costello (World Vision Chief Executive), Paul Newnham and Amanda Warrick from World Vision and launched the Kapumfi Community School Project. This Group spent time in both the Junior and Senior Schools. At the Senior School assembly Tim Costello delivered an inspiring address, outlining the inequity that exists in the world and the fact that we all have a social responsibility to extinguish poverty wherever we can. He reinforced the objects of the recent Live 8 project and encouraged everyone to ‘Make Poverty History’. He threw his support behind the Scotch Community in its endeavour to make a real difference by assisting the children and families of Kapumfi. Prefects Andrew Bubb and Andrew Pyman then outlined the Kapumfi project to the School. Below is an excerpt of their address …

‘The project we have committed to will involve the raising of substantial funds over a three-year period commencing immediately. The overall target during the next three years is over $150,000, with $53,064 to be raised by Family Day, another $50 000 to be raised during 2006 and another $50,000 to be raised during 2007. This money will be used to construct the Kapumfi Community School in northern Zambia. The immediate target is $26 928, which will signal that building can commence with the construction and furnishing of the school building and the teachers’ quarters in the Project’s first full year. The second and third years of the Project will provide new toilets, a clean water supply and an additional classroom block, provided the funds are raised.

‘While a target of $50,000 to be raised in each of the next three years may seem ambitious we believe that it can be done. This project will involve the whole Scotch Family:

• All staff have already been invited to contribute to this year’s target by arranging a salary deduction
• All parents of current Scotch students will receive a letter asking for a $50 donation
• Through the next edition of Great Scot, Old Boys and other members of the Scotch Family will be given the opportunity to contribute
• Scotch groups and auxiliaries will be asked to fundraise on behalf of this Project, including some fundraising on Family Day on 8 October ‘Students were asked to make a personal commitment to contribute.

Forgo the next CD, avoid the tuckshop for a week or two and put the money where it will make a real difference. Students will be regularly informed about the project. We will do our best to make sure you are kept fully informed on the progress of this Project, not just in how the fundraising is going, but also how the new school for the kids of Kapumfi is taking shape. In assemblies and on a special noticeboard you will be updated and informed. Maybe in the near future some Scotch students and staff will be able to go to Zambia and actually see the Kapumfi Community School in action.

‘In accordance with helping the community, the local population will participate in the construction by moulding bricks and loading and off-loading sand and crushed stone. They will also bring water to the construction site. World Vision will hire qualified builders and plumbers from within the community at subsidised rates.’

The prefects then challenged the boys by stating that ‘Scotch has a long tradition of achievements by its former students, but I doubt that anything quite this ambitious has been attempted by the boys of former days. When this school is built at Kapumfi, it would be fantastic if each and every one of us could say, “I made a difference; I contributed.”

‘Although the Principal and the rest of the Staff fully support this Project, we want the boys of this school during 2005–07 to own this as their Project, to get enthused, to get motivated and to get into action.’ I am sure the whole Scotch Family will be motivated by this wonderful cause and ‘rally to the call’. A loose giving form is included with this mail-out of Great Scot.

TIM SHEARER
Executive Director, OSCA

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Zambia: The facts

Unemployment is high at 50%

• Zambia is one of the poorest countries in Africa
• Population below the poverty line: 86%
• Average daily income per person: AU$1.45
• Infant mortality (under 1 year old): 88 deaths per 1000 births
• Average life expectancy has reduced from 58 to 37 years in the last 30 years

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