Help orphans break cycles of poverty.
Expanding vocational training and university opportunities in Zambia will help orphaned and vulnerable children become future leaders who lead with Jesus at the center of their lives.
The Need for Lifesong Trade Academy
Every day in Zambia, 1.2 million orphans struggle to break free from cycles of poverty, teen pregnancy, unemployment, and exploitation. They face impossible decisions like, should I pay for food or schooling, should I steal from a stranger or starve, or should I return to my abuser or be kicked out forever?
These are decisions no child or caregiver should ever have to make.
Education has a significant impact on breaking these cycles. Today, we serve over 1,500 children between three schools. Our primary focus is to help them know Jesus, and our schools are academically among the top in the region. Through safe homes and discipleship programs for high school students, we enable these kids to continue their education, paving the path for many to become the first graduates in their families.
However, without marketable skills, our students could still struggle to find reliable employment. Currently, the unemployment rate in Zambia among young adults is 50%.
As the children we serve transition into adulthood, we continue to walk alongside them and provide college scholarships and vocational training.
Breaking Cycles Through Vocational Education
Though we have four small trade school classrooms, the demand for vocational education is quickly outgrowing the space we have available. This limits opportunities to provide graduates with the skills they need to successfully transition into adulthood.
That’s why we are expanding Lifesong Trade Academy and partnering with Northrise University to provide our graduates with the opportunity to pursue a vocation or a university degree. With vocational training, orphaned young adults can secure a job that will allow them to save money and provide for themselves and their families.
IN ZAMBIA
1.2 Million
orphans struggle to break generational cycles
50%
of young adults are unemployed
only 8.8%
of secondary students attend college or university
only 5%
of secondary students attend college or university
75
of Lifesong students
pursue vocational training after graduating
41%
of Lifesong graduates are employed after completing vocational training
up to 50%
wage increase can be earned after receiving a vocational certificate
1,000+
students reached per year in the next 10 years through gap year programs, trade academy and university
“Vocational training programs provide career pathways that offer not just skills but also emotional and spiritual healing.”
—Teddy, Lifesong Zambia Education Advocate
At Lifesong Trade Academy, our team plans to offer tuition-free training in:
- Auto Mechanics
- Electrical
- Food Production
- Masonry
- Fashion & Design
(Tailoring & Design) - ICT
(Information & Communication Technologies)
These vocations show great promise in leading to living-wage jobs. Over 15 other degrees will be offered through Northrise University, and all students attending Lifesong Trade Academy and Northrise University will receive career support and guidance when searching for a job.
When you give, you are not only helping orphaned young adults and many others break generational cycles of poverty, teen pregnancy, unemployment, and exploitation, but you are showing them God cares deeply about them and their hopes and dreams.