Empowering communities through quality education

Olive Tree Learning Centre is situated in Ngwenya, an impoverished district on the outskirts of Livingstone, Zambia. Ngwenya is an informal settlement of small mud and clay brick homes.

This community sprang up in the middle of a rock quarry, which presents the community with  an important source of hard won, although meagre, income. Breaking rocks into roading and construction aggregate by hand is the main source of income that provides basic shelter, food, clothing, education and care for sick relatives. A typical two roomed dwelling may house up to twelve extended family members and in many cases there they may be only one breadwinner. It is here, amidst this community under siege from poverty and disease that we decided to begin to build a pre-school. The aim of OTLC was to bring relief to the most stressed families by providing a safe, quality, learning environment for the most vulnerable children aged three to fourteen years old. Some of our pupils are undernourished, so they, as well as the preschool children,  receive a nutritious lunch to help them to grow and develop.

OTLC has become an integrated part of the community built in partnership with our sponsors, local NGOs, and visiting volunteers. Our aim is to add a school grade every year.  OTLC has grown into a primary school extending up to grade seven. We are now in the process of adding our first year of high school, grade eight, dependent on Ministry of Education approval.  Our school enrolment is now about 380 children.