SCALEAFRICA ANNOUNCES BUILDING FUTURES COMMITMENT TO ACTION AT 2013 CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE

At the Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, SCALEAfrica announced a Commitment to Action to design and build a pilot community school in rural Saweta, Zambia. Phase One opened in January 2016, making Vinza Community School the first sustainably-designed, technology-based primary school in Zambia. SCALEAfrica intends the project to act as a scalable model for future rural school development in the region. Phase 2 construction is slated to commence in May 2016.

The purpose of SCALEAfrica’s new BUILDING FUTURES initiative is to actively demonstrate that effective “design” and “content” are inseparable necessities in community school development. Through well-designed learning environments and 21st century resources, Zambian students can be educated out of a life of poverty and armed with applicable knowledge and tools for survival. 

VINZA COMMUNITY SCHOOL FACT SHEET

WHAT:

• Previously operating in a grass shed structure built by the local community 
• To be the first sustainably-designed, technology based primary school in Zambia
• Educate 320 students annually, from Nursery – 7th Grade
• Train 10 new teachers in tablet-based curriculum delivery and 21st teaching methods
• Provide 35 new construction jobs in the community
• Integrate Girls Leadership, Arts-based Education, and WASH programs on campus

HOW:

• Built using local labor/suppliers, locally-sourced and renewable materials
• Employing passive and technology-driven strategies for lighting, ventilation, solar power
• Green buildings act as a learning tool and reinforcement of the school community’s role in conservation
• Tablet-based teaching with pre-loaded Zambian National Curriculum for effective, interactive learning
• Creating a holistic approach for education, life skills, creativity and girls’ leadership development
• Integrating lessons on health, hygiene, and prevention of HIV/AIDS and malaria

WHY: 

• Access to effective education is a human right
• Educational “context” and “content” are inseparable necessities in community school development
• With well-designed learning environments and 21st century resources, Zambian students can be educated out of a life of poverty and armed with applicable knowledge and tools to thrive
• Educated children will grow to solve global problems and create change in their own communities

ABOUT THE CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE (CGI):

Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI members have made more than 2,300 commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 400 million people in over 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $73.5 billion.



CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.