St. Odilia School for the Visually Impaired is in a rural community called Mporokoso in northern Zambia.
First opened on Catholic church property in 1962, it was originally meant to be a primary school only. However, in later years, it began running secondary grades as well.
The school’s mission is to provide high-quality education to children who are visually impaired, and children born with albinism. There are currently 495 students, 25 teachers, and three support staff.
It is run by the Sisters of the Child Jesus, whose mission is to render services to their own people through humility and simplicity, in line with Christ’s simple lifestyle.
Because they’re a school with specialized programming, students travel from a wide radius to attend St. Odilia. They therefore must live on campus in dormitories and receive all their meals and snacks at the school.
What is albinism?
Children with albinism were born without pigment in their hair, skin, or eyes. It is often accompanied with visual impairment. Although albinism is better understood now in wider Zambian society, children are still considered vulnerable because of historic prejudices and misapprehensions about people with the condition.
Children with albinism are also vulnerable to skin conditions and often use both topical and oral medication. They need vitamin-rich diets to boost their skin and eye health, as well as to accommodate their medication.
What’s the Chalice connection?
Chalice’s Meru sponsor site is in the rural villages and urban slum environments of Meru County, Kenya. Chalice has partnered with the Good Shepherd Sisters to run our sponsorship program here since 1999. Michogomone has a vibrant farming program supported by Chalice through our African School Farms and Food Security Project. The staff love that their vegetable garden enhances their school meals. The farm together with parents’ contribution supports the school feeding program. Parents contribute food and labor in the school farm to ensure that the children have enough food while at school.
What is the big challenge?
Chalice has been sponsoring St. Odilia students through our Kawambwa sponsor site since 2011.
We also support their school farm through our African School Farms and Food Security Project. The staff love that their vegetable garden enhances their school meals. Chalice nutrition funds support their school lunches, as well.
Chalice has also installed solar power in the school and provided them with a bus to safely transport children off campus.
How you can help
The Kawambwa sponsor site has therefore partnered with Chalice to construct a new 210 m2 single-level block for St. Odilia’s. The concrete building will contain three classrooms with two small offices in between.
The proposed new construction consists of clean, spacious, and airy classrooms for children with weather resistant roofs and ceilings; good flooring; proper doors and windows; appropriate paintings and finishes; clean and functional classrooms; and good lighting
