PATRIZIA & MARKS Technical Secondary School Kazembe, Sambia

In Kazembe, in northern Zambia, the educational journey for many young people ends as early as the seventh grade. Secondary schools are scarce, overcrowded, or simply unreachable due to daily walks of up to 20 kilometers.

Together with our supporter Leroy Marks and the local education network of the Salesians of Don Bosco, the PATRIZIA Foundation is providing a concrete response to this educational emergency with the PATRIZIA & MARKS Technical Secondary School. This initiative is creating not only classrooms, but also the foundation for a generation that will strengthen its future and its region through its own efforts. Through this commitment, around 400 boys and girls gain access each year to a qualified secondary education that combines academic learning with practical technical training. In this way, Kazembe is gaining more than just new classrooms. Together, our partners and supporters are laying the groundwork for a generation of young people who can shape their own future and contribute to the development of their region.

The challenge: When the path of education ends early

The Luapula region is among the least developed areas in Zambia:

Poverty as a barrier: Approximately 81% of the population must survive on less than 25 cents per day.
Young population: Around two-thirds of the population are under the age of 25.
Education gap: Only 17% of adults hold a secondary school diploma.
Lack of qualification: Less than 10% of secondary schools offer technical training, which makes entering the job market significantly more difficult.
Risk of dropout: A lack of prospects leads many young people – especially girls – to abandon their education prematurely.

„In a region where education is often an unattainable luxury, we are creating a place of new beginnings. With this school, we want to provide the children of Zambia with the tools to turn their dreams into reality through their own strength.”

Leroy Marks
Sponsor of the PATRIZIA & MARKS Technical Secondary School Kazembe

Our Measures: A modern school building for the future

A learning center that combines theory and practice is being built on an area of over 2 hectares:

Infrastructure: Construction of ten classrooms, science laboratories, and specialized workshops.
Specialized Facilities: Establishment of an IT computer room, a library, and a music and art room.
Inclusion: Barrier-free access via ramps and modern sanitary facilities for both girls and boys.
Vocational Training: Professional qualification programs in IT, electrical engineering, carpentry, masonry and plastering, plumbing, as well as Design & Technology.

Our Impact: Helping People Help Themselves

Like all our projects, we are committed to a duration of at least 25 years. This allows us to achieve a long-term, sustainable impact:

For Youth: Acquiring practical skills (IT, trades) for a direct transition into employment or university studies.
For the Community: Building a local pool of skilled workers to strengthen the regional economy.
Sustainability: The Zambian Ministry of Education provides certified teachers and integrates the school into the national system.

Every brick we lay in Kazembe is a foundation for a child’s dream. In doing so, we are not just giving these young people a building, but the most valuable tool for a self-determined life: education.