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Makangala Community School — Building Brighter Futures Every Day

In 2017, supporters of Brighter Futures Zambia (BFZ) came together to fundraise through our campaign “School With No Roof.” Thanks to that amazing effort, we were able to complete the build of a preschool in the rural village of Miyoba, known today as Makangala Community School. When the school opened in 2019, it marked the beginning of something much bigger than a classroom — it became a community hub, and focal point for development.

 

BFZ exists to provide vulnerable children and young people in Zambia with the education and holistic support they need to live happier, healthier, safer lives and reach their potential. What makes our work effective is that we partner with and not for communities and Makangala School is a perfect example of that partnership in action.

The idea for the school didn’t come from us; it came from the community itself. Local families saw the need and worked with BFZ to make it happen. Their leadership and engagement have been central to the school’s success.

In 2025, Makangala Community School reached a major milestone when it was officially recognised by the Zambian Ministry of Education. This approval now allows the school to receive some government funding, and we’re delighted that two government teachers now work alongside two BFZ-funded teachers in the classrooms. From its beginnings as a preschool, the school now serves 145 children from preschool through Grade 3.

 

The school is much more than a classroom building. It serves as a community hub where wellbeing programmes run, volunteer training takes place, and local meetings are held. Health workers use the school as a base to reach children they might otherwise miss with vaccinations and essential treatments. We are fundraising to run eye health clinics later this year, for both children and the wider community.

Out in the school garden, BFZ worked with the community and local experts to plant fruit trees, which are flourishing thanks to the borehole and volunteers’ care. Work is underway on a solar water pump which will further help food production, sanitation, and cooking on site.

          

Another milestone for the children has been the arrival of a playground, sustainably built using local materials. For many children, it’s their first experience of structured play — and the joy it brings says everything about the value of this space.

Every child attending Makangala receives two nutritious meals each school day — an essential part of helping children learn and thrive. A community health team recently visited the school to deliver polio vaccines, and vitamin A; they also weighed every child. The results were truly inspiring: not a single child was found to be underweight. By comparison, UNICEF data shows that about 12% of children under five in Zambia are underweight and 35% of children under 5 are shorter than they should be.

 

All of this progress is thanks to the ongoing generosity of our supporters — people like you who believe in community-led solutions and the power of education.

However, the challenge to keep every child fed as numbers continue to grow remains real. Your support today can help ensure that every child at Makangala continues to receive the meals they need to thrive and learn. If you would like to help fund the school meal programme or become a regular donor, please visit our webpage to learn more.

Together, we are building brighter futures.

 

Photos from Young Peoples Celebration Day, December 2025.

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Story 3: Makangala Pre-School

“Access to education is at the heart of our charity and is the key to ensuring children have a brighter future.” 

In April 2019, we officially opened the Makangala Pre-School. The school has been a great success and now provides vital early education to 80 children. This would not have been possible without your donations and without the support of everyone in Zambia who provided time and materials.  

When we started working with the Buntolo women’s groups in Monze, they impressed upon us the profound impact education has on a child’s future.  

Many of the area’s orphaned children couldn’t access primary school until as late as 8 or 9 years old. To address this, some of the caregivers were running make-shift pre-schools for as many as 70 children under the shade of a tree.  

We were asked by the community to work together to build a pre-school, so that’s what we set out to do. After much planning, discussions with the local department of education board and a huge amount of effort from all involved, the Makangala Pre-School officially opened in April 2019.  

The children are taught by qualified early years teachers, who have accommodation provided on the Pre-School’s grounds.  

We have exciting plans to build on the success of the Pre-School, including landscaping the grounds and purchasing play equipment.  

As the Pre-School has become a focus for the community, we also hope to develop a kitchen garden, where the community can grow food for the children.

10 Years, 10 Weeks, £10K!

To mark our 10 -year anniversary, members of our trustee board and other supporters have embarked on an ambitious challenge to walk/ cycle/ swim or even kayak the length of Zambia and raise £10,000 to continue to expand our life changing work. This week the team have clocked up an impressive 206kms to virtually enter Zambia’s Southern Province and arrive at the town of Simamba. 

If you would like to support their efforts and help us reach our target you can donate here. 

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