February 17th 2014
What happens when entrepreneurial, visionary, God-inspired, authentic leadership is adequately resourced and encouraged to dream? Incredible things happen. Miracles, actually.
Four years ago there was no high school in Kanengo--an impoverished village area, 5 miles outside of Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. Out of the thousands of children in the area, only a handful would ever have the opportunity to further their education beyond the 7th grade. The very brightest might land a scholarship to a government school--the other 99% destined to a life of abject poverty.
That was four years ago.
Now there is a high school in Kanengo. Started by two former UrbanPromise International Fellows who spent a year studying with UrbanPromise--Peter Gamula and John Jimu--the ChristCares high school is on a meteoric rise. 40 students the first year, 80 in year two, one 120 in year three...and 160 students in year four.
"The demand is insatiable," confessed John, principal of the school. "The challenge is keeping pace with all the requests we get from the community."
With growth comes the need for increased space. Having already grown out of the first building, a second school block is being constructed, with two more classrooms added to accommodate the teens. A campus of learning is emerging out of the dust.
"Next year we'll be graduating our first class of students," continues Jimu. "Many will have the opportunity to attend college because of this school. This opportunity is changing the community in a positive way."
What happens when entrepreneurial, visionary, God-inspired leadership is resourced and encouraged to dream? Lives are changed. Communities flourish. Countries are transformed.