Lusaka — CAMFED Zambia, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has launched a transformative initiative to enhance digital literacy and academic performance among young women from marginalized communities pursuing tertiary education. As part of this, 387 students enrolled in institutions of higher learning across the country have been provided with laptops, demonstrating CAMFED's unwavering commitment to advancing education and supporting the next generation of female leaders. This milestone is part of a broader support package for 894 tertiary students, focused on ensuring equitable access to quality education.
Mushibwe Mellan, a CAMFED supported student pursuing a degree in Primary Education at Chalimbana University, commented: "Before receiving the laptop, I faced significant challenges in my studies. I struggled to access online academic resources, research materials, and e-books, which are essential for university education. Completing assignments was also difficult, as many require digital tools like word processing and spreadsheets. This laptop will transform my learning experience, giving me access to a wide range of academic resources, including online lectures, journals, e-books, and research papers."
The students received their laptops at a ceremony in Lusaka in October, where Mr. Joel Kamoko, Zambia's Permanent Secretary - Education Services in the Ministry of Education was the Guest of Honor. In his speech, Mr. Kamoko said: "As the Ministry of Education, we remain committed to creating an environment where every student, regardless of their background, has the tools and support they need to succeed. We will continue to work closely with partners like CAMFED to ensure that education remains the cornerstone of our nation's progress."
The ceremony follows the global announcement of CAMFED's next phase of its long-standing collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation. Together, the organizations will enable girls to attend and thrive in secondary school and support the successful transition of 62,000 young women across Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Malawi into tertiary studies, employment and entrepreneurship. The strategic partnership will also bolster government partnerships, in order to transform education systems to better serve the needs of all students, especially the most vulnerable girls.
As part of its investment in girls and young women, CAMFED works holistically to break down the barriers that they face to accessing and completing education. Students from marginalized communities encounter many challenges at tertiary level--including the cost of food, essentials, and safe accommodation--so CAMFED steps in with both practical and social support. The provision of laptops is enabling young women to access learning resources, connect with the global academic community, and succeed in an increasingly digital world. Importantly, this initiative ensures that students are not left behind in the digital transformation.
Since the beginning of 2024, 894 students have benefited from CAMFED's tertiary education support program, paving the way for a future filled with skilled professionals, including healthcare providers, entrepreneurs, teachers, social workers, engineers, and more, who will drive positive change in their communities.
