A Zambian student no longer has to walk for two hours to get to school after he was given a bicycle as part of a programme aimed at keeping youngsters in education.
Collins Chigabwa, 15, who attends St Canisius Secondary School in Chikuni, used to leave his home at 4.30am each day to make it in time for 6.30am classes.
The early starts meant that he often had to skip breakfast and, given this punishing schedule, he was considered at risk of dropping out of school.
Collins was gifted the bike as part of the JOESA (Jesuit Opportunities in Education Southern Africa) programme, which is supported by Jesuit Missions.
“My dream is to become a doctor and help my community.”
His new mode of transport has cut his travel time by two-thirds; he can now whizz into St Canisius in around 40 minutes. This also means he usually has the chance to grab breakfast at the school.
The combination of reduced, less strenuous travel and the opportunity to have a regular morning meal means Collins is more likely to complete his schooling.
“Thanks to the JOESA projects, I have been performing better at school,” he explained. “My dream is to become a doctor and help my community.”
As well as help with transportation, JOESA provides support through scholarships, counselling, sanitary products, school equipment and medical supplies.
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