DOERS OF GOOD: I Am Zambia

"Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects." – The Dali Lama

This is a story about two moms, their mission trips to Zambia with Mothers Without Borders, and the realization that more needed to be done to help stop the generational poverty they witnessed. I Am Zambia was co-founded by Diane Terry and Heidi Kiene who, during their visits to Lusaka, Zambia in south-central Africa, learned that adolescent girls are among the most vulnerable groups in Zambia. As females, they are often denied education and can be forced into child marriage, exploitation, and trafficking.

These two brave moms knew something more needed to be done, and I Am Zambia was created in 2015. With the ambitious goal of empowering vulnerable youth and young women in and around Lusaka, the 501(c)3 organization strives to educate, provide job training, spearhead community sustainability projects, and much more. 

When CBT Realtor® Karen Emerson met Diane and Heidi, she was in awe of what the women and their supporters have accomplished in such a short time. She knew she had to help where she could.

 "When I found out that women in this region often travel over three hours a day to bring water to the village for their families and that they are regularly denied an education, I knew I wanted to help," Karen explains. "This organization is helping through a multitude of efforts, but just teaching self-care to women in the village is a huge start."

 In the short time since its beginning, the non-profit has built a nationally accredited girls' business/entrepreneurship school focusing on job-skills and vocational training under the direction of the Zambian Ministry of Education TEVETA (Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority) program. Their first graduating class of 2022 had 55 students enrolled in four disciplines: food production, fashion and design, cosmetology, and computers/technology. 

Since 2017, IAZ has opened a rural primary school emphasizing literacy for young Zambians, built a medical clinic that serves 17 villages and 25,000 people, opened a restaurant so the girls can continue their learning, built a 3-classroom block, started garden projects, and installed water projects to serve the clinic, the school, and over a thousand people in the surrounding area. They see themselves as a holistic organization, meaning that, although education is their primary focus, ensuring clean water and basic medical care are available helps with their educational endeavors. Everyone learns better when their basic needs are met.

When asked how they've accomplished so much in such a short time, co-founder Heidi explains, "Our U.S.-based administrative staff are all non-salaried volunteers. This allows our donation dollars to go directly to the programs in Zambia. A donation to our program is an investment in an organization that provides not only hope, but successful outcomes for some of the most vulnerable folks on the planet."

Karen loves sharing the message and encourages donations. "Such a small amount of money can change the lives of so many," she says.

To find out more about I Am Zambia and how you can help, please visit iamzambia.org.

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Join us in celebrating our Doers of Good by getting involved in one of the programs we have featured over the last year or tell us in the comments below about what lights your fire when it comes to making our communities better.