EDUCATION

The Daughters of the Redeemer have focused on empowerment of boys and girls in both Government and Catholic private schools such as Mpelembe Secondary School owned by the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) and Ibenga Girls Secondary School owned by Catholic Diocese of Ndola.

Sr Estella Kasonde with pupils in class at Ibenga Girls Secondary School
Prefects from Mpelembe Secondary School

The sisters manage and run schools in order to be more effective and sustainable in mission development. The sisters work towards increasing the literacy levels among needy children through provision of quality basic education in partnership with the communities in Zambia.

Some sisters are also lecturing in higher learning institutions in Mass Communication and Education at the University of Zambia and the Zambia Catholic University.

The Daughters of the Redeemer manage the following schools, namely: –

Our Lady’s School

St Rita Phiri, Teacher Elina Mwanza and Sr Florence Mpundu with pupils

Our Lady’s School is a private school located 500 meters off Zambezi Road in Foxdale Township in Lusaka approximately 7km away from the city centre.

The school started as a nursery school on 21st January 1991 in Olympia at the sisters’ convent in a garage as the classroom. The school now runs three sections; the nursery (Baby class, middle class to reception), Primary (1-7) and Secondary (8-12) and has over 400 pupils.

Lukamantano School

Sr Getrude Daka with pupils

Lukamantano School is a government school in Chilanga District managed by the Daughters of the Redeemer. It was opened in 1993. It now has a total number of 510 pupils.  The school has nursery, primary and junior secondary sections. The government provides for teachers in the school. The sisters are working in accounts, administration and teaching.

Redeemer Primary and Secondary School

Sr Brenda Nachula and Sr Josephine Chibwe with members of staff

Redeemer Primary and Secondary Shool is found on the outskirts of Lusaka in Chongwe District. It is situated along the old Palabana Road. The majority of the local people living around this area are vulnerable.

Initially the area had no school and the nearest school was 5km away. This served as a big challenge to the children who had to walk a long distance to get to the school, as the parents couldn’t afford to provide transport for them. Due to this, the Sisters came up with the idea to build a primary school that would carter for the local people in the area.

Redeemer Primary School was opened in May 2012 and has over 300 pupils. At the moment the school has classes from pre-school to Grade 11.

Chabota Nursery School

Sr Emelda Moomba with Shoshani Simfukwe

Chabota Nursery School was opened in March 2018 with 6 children and 1 teacher. It has since grown to 65 pupils and 3 teachers. The aim of the school is to offer quality holistic education to the children in Chabota area of Chibombo District. The school initiates an excellent academic foundation and Christian values in the children at an early age so as to produce morally upright and God fearing citizen

Twalumba Christ the Redeemer School

The Sisters with parents during a stakeholders meeting

Twalumba Christ the Redeemer School in Chibombo District was started in 2018 with 45 pupils who were learning under a tree. In 2019, the sisters built a school and now it has 215 pupils. The school has changed the mind-set of the people in the area who have since appreciated the importance of education and contribution of the Catholic Church.

The pupils are taught Christian values and this is helping them to be formed holistically. There is less absenteeism because the school is near to most of the villages unlike in the past where the pupils used to walk 4 hours to get to the nearest school.

Patricia Gilardi Nursery School

Sr Margaret Banda with the girls

This is a home in Central Business District of Luanshya to about 19 girls who are orphans. It comprises of a dwelling house and nursery school.