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How did the idea for the ZIGS come about?
The idea for ZIGS was inspired by our sense of wanting to do something positive for the people of Zambia and a desire to bring top quality education to the people of Zambia. We want to do something with a wide reaching impact and a Green School in one of the poorest parts of one of the poorest countries in the world meets that goal.
We seek to emulate aspects of the Green School in Bali in our utilisation of green technology and in our focus on sustainable development and education; and the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg's commitment to the empowerment of the next generations of ethical African leaders.
Is ZIGS simply another opportunity for Africa’s elite?
No. The founders of ZIGS have deliberately not chosen to locate within a more highly developed part of Africa as we want our students to work within the communities around them. Whilst we admire the work of the African Leadership Academy and the Green School in Bali and see them as models for out project we are aware that they focus primarily on the wealthy and elite in their intake. This is something we wish to avoid and thus we have developed our 'Robin Hood' philosophy of using a percentage of our income to fund our outreach programme and to empower people beyond the parametres of our institution.
The ZIGS outreach programmes will ensure that all students contribute to the common good of their society and the admissions criteria ensures that entrance to the ZIGS is equitible.
How does ZIGS define an Ethical leader?
An ethical leader is an agent of positive change based upon values that respect the rigths of all human beings and the environment in which they exist.. A leader uses his or her networks, skills, and talents to improve the status quo for the broader community. Leaders exist in all professions and catalyze sweeping, positive change.
What is the legal structure of ZIGS?
ZIGS will be a non-profit public benefit organization (PBO) in Zambia.
ZIGS has an affiliated non-profit organization with charitible status, the Thembinkosi Foundation, located in the United Kingdom. Thembinkosi Foundation was established to support the development of ZIGS and the next generation of Ethical African leaders. All gifts made to the Thembinkosi Foundation by individuals and donors located in the United Kingdom are tax-deductible through Gift Aid.
Why is ZIGS located in Zambia? Why is it located in Southern Province?
Zambia is an ideal location for ZIGS because of its fast growing economic and political stability, comparatively low crime rate, and position at the heart of Africa.
Kazungula is close to the world heritage site, the Victoria Falls, and stands close to the border with Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana on the main highway between northern and southern Africa. It is fast becoming the place to be in Southern Africa. Southern Province is an ideal location for the ZIGS as it is in the heart of the real Africa, vibrant Africa and beautiful Africa.
What makes ZIGS unique?
ZIGS is the only green school in Africa and has an explicit emphasis on developing ethical leaders and social entrepreneurs. ZIGS will offer expertise in university and career placement and a in unique system of work experience based in industries such as agriculture, the arts, and tourism which are so important for the local economy.
Who will be the ZIGS faculty?
The ZIGS faculty will include outstanding teachers from around the world. All members of the teaching staff will be committed to the vision of ZIGS and strive to develop our young people to become outstanding ethical leaders. It is envisaged that at ZIGS some teachers will be teaching on exchange from the other leading secondary schools. ZIGS will seek to establish strong links with some of the most prestigious schools in Europe and North America.
At which universities does the ZIGS intend to place its students?
ZIGS seeks to place each student at a world-class university that strongly matches his or her interests and goals. These universities may be in Africa or outside the continent, but they must provide our graduates with resources – faculty, libraries, laboratories, and technology offerings – that will prepare them to lead in an increasingly competitive global arena. We expect some students to attend universities outside Africa, and we will embrace these decisions. Global exposure and cross-cultural awareness is fundamental to leadership in the twenty-first century. We believe that the experiences students will have gained form attending an authentically African Green School will stand them in good stead for later life and will empower them to make the world a more just place.
How will you find your students?
ZIGS will find its students through a combination of direct outreach and partnership efforts. We will seek to build partnerships with NGOs, ministries of education, feeder schools, and other organizations that work with youth across the region.
How will you select your students?
We will be looking for outstanding students from across Zambia and beyond her borders with demonstrate a commitment to environmental issues, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, passion for Africa, passion for public service, and a strong academic record. The candidate selection will include recommendations from communities/teachers, essays, interviews, entrance exams and an evaluation of academic performance to date.
Who are your main funders?
The Thembinkosi Foundation is actively seeking support from individuals, corporations, and foundations across the world. For information on our supporters is available on the Support Us section of our website and in our downloadable publications. We are an official charity of The Rotary Club of Liverpool Garston and work with several businesses and schools across Merseyside.
What is the curriculum at ZIGS?
Our academic core is an internationally recognized IGCSE and A-level academic curriculum. Around this is built our unique curriculum in Environment and Sustainable Development, Ethical Leadership, Social Enterprise, and African Studies.
Where will ZIGS students come from?
Approximately 80% of our student body will come from within Zambia, with preference given to applicants from the Kazungula and Livingstone districts, and 20% from outside of her borders. ZIGS aims for regional balance (with students from Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, gender balance. Students from abroad will be welcome within our community and may include children from the African diaspora and exchange students from sister schools around the world.
How is ZIGS different from other initiatives that aim to develop leaders for Africa?
ZIGS has a focus on the youth across Zambia, the 'real Africa' and the region, while most high-powered leadership initiatives in Africa are working with adults and/or are based in large urban areas.
ZIGS is the only institution in Africa taking such a long-term, approach to developing Ethical African leaders in a rural environment with a focus on the environment and agriculture.
We are bringing best practice in ethical leadership, social enterprise, sustainable development and African studies to our students and teaching it in a unique manner that will truly prepare students for a lifetime of leadership on the continent.
ZIGS will aim to assemble a broad network of individuals, including alumni, mentors, guest speakers, and corporate partners from all over the world. The ZIGS network will form the support structure for our young leaders and thereby enhance their chances of success.
How will ZIGS be financially sustainable?
ZIGS’s operating model allows it to be financially sustainable after the third year of operations. Financial sustainability is crucial to our goal of building an African educational institution that lasts for centuries. We achieve sustainability by charging competitive boarding school fees for those students with financial means and by leading a number of fee-based summer and holiday programs on our campus.
It is fundamentally important ZIGS is financially secre so that the school is not dependent upon charitible donations for its survival.
How will you ensure your students come back to Zambia if they attend university overseas?
While students are at ZIGS we will instill in them a passion for the environment and for Africa (via our African studies curriculum) and an awareness of the amazing opportunities to have impact on the continent. They will be exposed to inspirational mentors and role models - Zambians and other Africans who have studied overseas and have come back to lead extremely fulfilling careers - so our students recognize that they don’t need to leave Zambia to have successful careers. Finally, ZIGSstudents will be encouraged to think like entrepreneurs. We believe Africa is an entrepreneur’s paradise and that green technologies are the future of our planet.
We will not leave it to overseas institutions to place our graduates in careers, because few institutions have deep networks across Africa. Instead, we will actively facilitate connections between our graduates and organizations across the continent through our deep pan-African network. ZIS will bring alumni together frequently during college and beyond, keeping them connected to the mission and values of the school.
How will you deal with language differences at ZIGS?
ZIGS’s primary language of instruction is English. Each student is also required to learn another language that is broadly spoken on the African continent during their time at the ZIGS part of ther African studies programme of study. Zambia is a country of 72 tribes living in peace and harmony so diversity will be celebrated in our community.
How, specifically, will you develop ethical leaders at ZIGS?
We will develop ethical leadership skills through role modelling and extensive opportunities for community work. Students will study and consider leadership from a variety of perspectives through case studies and texts on the subject. They will have frequent contact with role models who visit campus regularly as guest speakers and a personal mentor who is a “leadership coach.” And they will have extensive practice, most notably with the Social Enterprise Project, in which each student must design and implement a project that has a lasting positive impact on the environment in an African context.
Why will ZIGS charge fees?
We are not the only organisation committed to the building of schools in the region but we are one of a few organisations committed to ensuring the sustainability of the schools we build. We aim to ensure that our project is self sufficient and sustainable through the building and running of our own school(s). This ensures that the fruits our work is not squandered by corrupt government or local officials, as is sadly so often the case in the developing world. We at Thembinkosi Foundation ensure that our employees are accountable for the quality of education that they provide and that sustainable support is provided to our staff.
The charging of fees for the majority of students attending ZIGS should ensure financial sustainabilty within the first three years of operation. Evidence suggests that private schooling not only benefits the middle classes in the developing world but benefit all. Furthermore, the fees paid by the parents of our wealthier students will go towards subsidising the education of the poorest students in the school and towards financing our outreach work with community partner schools. This 'Robin Hood' pronciple based upon the spirit of ubuntu is key to the philosophy that underpins ZIGS.
Ensuring that day to day self sufficient nature of our community through the keeping of animals, the growing of crops, the use of sustainable bio fuels and the use of solar power. ZIGS will be built on the banks of the Zambezi thus ensuring a sustainable source of water for our agricultural projects.
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