Feeding children was how ALMs first came to fruition. Now over 10 years later, on the new campus, a new kitchen was completed to help support the feeding of all the students who attend AF4K. Donations from various sources have allowed for the building to go ahead. Further expansion into a Dining Hall continues and any donations that can be spared from teaching and feeding the children are going towards this expansion.

In 2020, the success that is ALMs needed to expand its facilities. It needed additional and larger classrooms with better ventilation and a sporting field due to the ever increasing number of students. A four classroom block on the four hectare block of land purchased in 2013 was the solution.

Graeme Blair and his wife Merryl were the original supporters of Joyce and the ALMs Mission. On the first anniversary of Graeme’s death, some of his friends commenced fundraising to build this much needed four classroom block as a Memorial. This was to be the first purpose built facility with classrooms, offices, store rooms and a staff room / conference area with kitchen facilities.

Stage One

Heavy items such as foundation concrete blocks, cement and sand had to be moved onsite before the wet season commenced in late October. Initial donations were sent in order for this to happen and the foundation slab could be laid. In doing so, this important work was able to continue throughout the wet season and not delay the school of its ever increasing needs.

Unfortunately, progress was hampered when the single bore hole failed. The old truck was then put to work, transporting water purchased from a bore hole a few kilometres away.

Stage Two

As of 2013, ALMs manufacture small concrete bricks on the four hectare block of land the new classrooms were being built on. These bricks were used to build the walls of the classrooms. When there was breaks in the rain that is! Plastering then followed which also included laying of electrical conduits.

Stage Three

The roof was delayed four weeks. The ground needed to dry out in order to allow for heavy trucks to come in with the steel trusses and sheeting.

Once those trucks were in though, work commenced at full pace and the roof was completed in under two weeks! This was closely followed by a terazzo floor, painting of the rooms and installation of the windows and doors.

As the finish line drew closer and closer, the students and staff were getting very excited!

Stage Four

After the COVID lockdown finished, Stage Four began. This included completing the painting, electrical and plumbing work, as well as fitting out the classrooms, offices and a small kitchen.

Completed

In October 2021, the four classroom block was completed and a special Opening Ceremony was held.

The old truck had done it all. She’d carried kids, concrete bricks not to mention timber and steel. During the building of the four classroom block though, she worked harder than ever before carrying water and lots of it.

The slab for the four classroom block needed to be laid before the wet season commenced in late October. If the slab wasn’t down, construction would have been delayed by five months. In this time critical moment, the old bore hole failed and it would take months to get a new one drilled. So the old truck would spend her days transporting water from another bore hole a few kilometres away. Then she sadly met her end.

The time pressure ever increasing, more donations were sent and a ‘new’ secondhand truck was purchased! This new truck is slightly larger than the previous one but still light and agile enough to be used on the poor roads, especially during the wet season.

Any support you can provide to keep our new truck running would be greatly appreciated! DONATE NOW by typing “Truck” in “Your Reference”.

What does three years of drought highlight to an ever expanding school / the world generally? Water supply and storage needs to be increased.

With the ever increasing number of students and staff at ALMs, the new four classroom block needed to up its water game. A generous donor funded the supply of a new tank and pump.

A 10,000 litre holding tank (supported by two 5,000 litre header tanks) doubled the storage capacity for ALMs.

This is only the beginning. ALMs’ needs do not end there. New bore holes are planned but water storage capacity does need to be increased further. We plan on installing eaves and rain water tanks to every suitable building as well as an integrated water supply system. This will connect the rain water tanks, bore hole and two heater tanks.

Please help us in our mission and DONATE NOW by typing “Water” in “Your Reference”.

In Zambia, drought often means no electricity as it is reliant on Hydro Electricity. So those three years of drought did some further highlighting to ALMs.

ALMs aims to be self sufficient. Although this is not yet possible, by having electricity so much more can be done.

Water pumps work meaning clean drinking water is available as well as water for the livestock and crops. Concrete brick making can continue to make bricks for the school as well as fundraising. Lights, fans and computer systems work.

Through further donations a new 75KW generator was purchased. In September 2020, a concrete and steel power shed was commissioned to keep it secure.