We’re celebrating a major milestone in Family Legacy’s vision to provide dignified, high-quality education to vulnerable children in Zambia: Lusaka West Legacy Academy has officially moved to its new, permanent campus!

John Hasse addresses Lusaka West students and guardians.

After 13 years of operating in rented facilities, Lusaka West now stands proudly on Family Legacy-owned land. This move marks a significant step in our long-term vision to own and outfit our school properties to best serve our students and staff.

The new campus opened with a big celebration, attended by President & CEO John Hasse, Country Director Chikondi Phiri, senior leaders, and a proud community.

“As we open the doors today, we promise to honor your investment by providing excellent education that prepares our students not just academically, but practically for life’s opportunities,” Hasse said. 

The Lusaka West acreage pre-construction. The school currently consists of modular buildings, with ample room for growth.

The new campus sits on a spacious 15-acre site and features:

• 17 classrooms and 7 operational spaces
• A modern administration center
• A new ablution block with 25 toilets and showers
• Solar panels and water tanks to support uninterrupted learning
• A brand new trades pavilion (coming soon!)

The school currently serves 449 students and is supported by 28 dedicated staff members.

“This means a lot to us as staff,” Headteacher Mackson Mambalakata said. “We are now in a dignified workspace, and we remain grateful to management for making this possible.”

Lusaka West students walk together to tour the new campus.

Owned buildings like Lusaka West allow us to improve infrastructure when and where we need to. Students are looking forward to the benefits this new campus offers. 

“We have plenty of toilets, and the girls even have showers.” Arnold, a Lusaka West student, said. “I’m looking forward to more developments like a play park and the trades section.”

Others are eager about the potential that lies in the added acreage.

“At the old school, playing football was a challenge,” Joshua, another Lusaka West student, said. “Now, we have enough space for sports and other activities.” 

Lusaka West Legacy Academy is now the 16th of our 18 schools to operate on Family Legacy-owned land. This latest owned Legacy Academy follows Kalikiliki (opened January 2024) and Kanyama and Misisi (opened January 2025). Our transition from rental properties is one more way we are stewarding our resources while improving our students’ learning environment.

We are grateful to our generous community for fueling this transition and to God’s faithfulness to bless our students long-term.

The post Room to Dream: Lusaka West’s New Campus appeared first on Family Legacy Missions International.

A Homage to the Hill Wellness Center

The scenes initially appear to mimic a medical drama on television, but this one is void of props, million-dollar cameras and actors with makeup. This is real life without the aid of scripts, cuts and filters. This is a story of real events, in real-time, about the real successes of true heroes. 

“Brad… this is serious. We have never seen anything like this before.” Rumors of a pending global pandemic involving a virus were looming, but a call like this made it all the more real. “Do what you can to ensure the safety of the children’s village and put things in place to provide care for those who may get sick. This was a familiar voice that for years had been one of optimism and encouragement, but this time, an unmistakable tone of concern and uncertainty seemed to color the bright rooms of the Wellness Center with an uninviting shade of gray. After an awkward moment of silence, the only thing that could be muttered as a response was, “Thank you for this information Lloyd, we will do what we can. Keep me updated on any developments.”

Fifteen months after that call, the precautions and protocols put in place to mitigate a possible crisis proved to be a difference-maker at the Hill Wellness center. Having largely avoided the first two waves of the sweeping Coronavirus, Zambia was hit hard by the third wave, which spread quickly and infected more people than the previous waves together in a matter of days. The first two waves of the virus drastically slowed down most of Family Legacy’s programs, but the third one was more devastating, affecting both staff members and children in the programs. Family Legacy’s flagship program, Camp Life, was called off for the second year running, and a frantic attempt to get sponsorships for hundreds of children secured. The pending pandemic had finally arrived in full force within Zambian borders,  the gates of Legacy Academy schools’, and in the Tree of Life Children’s Village. 

The staff at the Hill Wellness Center were ready for this outbreak and worked long hours to ensure children were tested and treated.

 At a time when most people were staying home and employing all preventive measures against catching the virus, the staff at the wellness center were on the frontlines, risking their health to be a helping hand to those in need. Beyond caring for the children, the Hill Wellness Center prioritized providing testing and care for guardians and caretakers. This proved successful with curbed infection rates and wholesome recoveries that made an impression on a national scale. 

The Hill Wellness Center exists to serve, and everyone who has experienced their care will testify to the wonderful service they provide. The vibrant and unified culture that defines this team is hard to miss as widened smiles, laughter and confidence seem baked into the walls. This is a team of heroes; worthy of admiration and applause. 

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A Library Designed to Build Staff Members

Decision-making, problem-solving, team management and the provision of direction are just a few things that are required of leaders. To be an effective leader, the acquisition of information and ideas are of utmost necessity. John Adams, the second president of the United States of America, made commentary on the necessity of reading by saying, “How can any man judge unless his mind has been opened and enlarged by reading?” A century and a half later, the 33rd president of the USA, Harry S. Truman said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” It appears that the most successful leaders both past and present attribute a great part of their success to an unquenchable quest for knowledge. Good leaders are learners who read. 

In a thoughtful attempt to produce distinguished leaders, the staff development team at Family Legacy has launched a leadership library to invest in the growth of staff members. 

“This year one of the goals for the Staff Development and Training department was to open a Leadership Library at the Ibex office. The Leadership Library was launched in the hope that it would grow our staff personally and professionally. Staff can check out titles and read independently or for those titles that we have more than one copy of, they can check out a set of books and do a book study with their colleagues. Currently, the Leadership Library has 33 different titles. The titles range in topics from how to be a better manager, growing as a Christian and classroom management. Our plan is to continue adding new titles to the Leadership Library each year.” —Heather Henry, Staff Development and Training Program Manager

Those who give themselves to this initiative have the potential to be leaders with an informed conviction toward Truth and fruitfulness.

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Workshops Designed to Equip Effective Preaching

Spiritual formation is one of the most important focuses in Family Legacy’s mission to enable children in Zambia to reach their God-given potential. When Jesus Christ draws children to Himself and helps them to believe in Him as their only Lord and Savior, nothing could be more significant. Therefore, investing in the spiritual development of pastors, evangelists and discipleship workers is crucial for spreading the Gospel. It is

 paramount for these kinds of people to have an accurate, clear, concise and comprehensive understanding of Biblical truths as well as to have the best tools to read the Bible in context and with the right application.

“We host workshops for our discipleship staff to equip them with tools that will make them more effective, but we have also made use of an opportunity to include local Zambian pastors who want to be trained on howto be more effective in ministry. We put together a hermeneutics workshop to help them master the art of preaching and having greater wisdom in how to read and teach directly from the Bible.” – Danny Lightner, Director of Integrated Programs, Former VP of Discipleship.

Hermeneutics is basically defined as the science of interpreting the Bible. As Family Legacy’s mission continues to make disciples of children, much prayer must be made for those who are charged with shepherding their souls.

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Ngombe’s Legacy Academy School Culture Produces Success

Engaged students, passionate teachers and high academic performances. These are attributes that are rightly accredited to Ngombe Legacy Academy, which has consistently received annual awards for their success over the last few years. Residents in the community of Ngombe are paying attention and recognize that this 

school stands out as one that produces outstanding students. So, what is it that makes this school so successful?

“We have been serious about developing a relational culture among teachers, children and general workers. Creating this kind of environment makes teaching and learning that much more enjoyable. Children excitedly attend school because of the relationships that have been formed with their peers and teachers. This extends to their guardians with who we have also built good relationships.”

Hellen Ngulube is the headteacher at Ngombe Legacy Academy and the mastermind behind the development of this school’s culture. Being one of only two educated people from the rural villages she was raised in, a passion for children and teaching has been a significant part of her for decades. Her long experience being an educator has taught her what children need most and how to get the best out of them. 

“One of the most important things for me is to teach children how to read well. If they can do this, they can learn almost anything. For that reason, we have also developed a reading culture to promote greater levels of literacy. We are very intentional about making sure that each child is able to read and that every teacher (including myself) is involved in the process.”

Leading by example, Hellen is often found in classrooms doing the actual teaching herself. She is devoted to being a part of the lives of her teachers and students, fully believing that sincere relationships are the foundation upon which real success takes place.

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Excel Beyond Hosts Career Seminar for Potential Students

On the verge of the first days of spring, the anticipation of something new begins to build. This is a season of hope, promise and longing: highlighted by a focused charisma toward ambitious imagination. 

Having successfully graduated from high school, 250 teenagers converge at the Legacy Center to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to begin building a career. For the seventh year since its inception, Excel

 Beyond hosted an annual seminar to introduce potential university and trades students to a variety of vocational possibilities. The Ministry of Education, Northrise University, APEX University, Lusaka Trades and Zamcom were invited guests who had the opportunity to impart knowledge on the students and introduce some academic programs their schools have to offer. This was accompanied by several Family Legacy staff members who shared storied of their vocational journeys. 

“This is a good idea because many students pick career paths because of peer pressure and not really because they are passionate about a specific profession. Having a seminar like this is great because they get to hear real success stories from real professionals that will open up their minds to make more informed career decisions.” — Deborah C., Deputy Program Manager of Job Placements, Excel Beyond.

“The most important thing is that you fear God above everything else. That is the most important thing in life, even about a career. Make sure that patience, perseverance and prayer define your lives.” —Chikondi Phiri, Country Director

“I am very grateful because I now have a better understanding of the wisest way to pursue the career I want in medicine. This was informative for me and I will not forget the good advice to always be in prayer and to persevere through the hard and uncertain times.” — Misheck N., Foundation Year Student

The post Preparing For a Dream Career appeared first on Family Legacy Missions International.

On the cusp of a much-anticipated transition, a young man rises early in the morning to ensure that he takes care of his responsibilities. In the next couple of months, he will write his 12th-grade exams and attempt to defy the generational odds of graduating from high school. It’s hard to miss the ambition in his voice accompanied by animated gestures that convey determined confidence. 

“Pray that I attain my goals in life. As a man, I want to be able to take care of my family and do something to help them have a better life.” 

Aware of the opportunities that lay before him, Lupiya focuses on making his dreams a reality through the

 hard work of academic study and developing farming skills. Lupiya is one of the older boys in the Tree of Life Children’s Village and has been given the incredible responsibility of supervising and mentoring some of the younger children in farming. 

“I really feel good that I’ve been entrusted with the responsibility of teaching some of the younger children in the village. It means that I have learned a lot of things that can be passed on to others. I thank God that I’m a leader, and I don’t take that for granted.”

Lupiya is one of the most consistent students seen at the Legacy Farm. Hardly a day passes without seeing him working the vegetable garden or poultry unit. He has a desire to learn and improve himself by availing his time and energy to a variety of tasks that stretch beyond what’s asked of him. 

“I truly believe that I have found something I really want to do for a long time. I can’t wait to purchase my own land and start practicing everything I have been taught here. I have learned so much, from vegetable garden management to learning how to work in a poultry unity. The fact that I have the skills to do it makes this more than just a far-fetched dream but an actual possibility.”

There’s more to Lupiya than meets the eye. He hasn’t always possessed the opportunities he has now and openly speaks about the struggles and losses that form his journey. 

“I will always remember my mom, who worked so hard to provide for my four siblings and I. Life was really tough, but she just kept going. One day, she said she wasn’t feeling well, and before I knew it, she was being rushed to the nearest clinic. She was there for several days before she passed away.”

Not long after his family experienced this tragedy, Lupiya came across Family Legacy and was sponsored to attend one of the Legacy Academy schools before being moved to the Tree of Life Children’s Village. 

“I love that I get to live in this place. I’m going to be leaving a better person than I was when I first arrived here. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been one of the best things for me.”

Being the ambitious person he is, Lupiya is determined to attain success even beyond farming. 

“I love music. I have several hardcover books filled with song lyrics I have written over the years. I look forward to a time when I can have my music recorded for people to hear.”

Young men like Lupiya inspire hope and a reason to believe that the next 50 years of Zambia’s future will be in good hands.

The post Leaving Better Than I Came appeared first on Family Legacy Missions International.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” – Psalm 139:14

At Family Legacy, we leave no stone unturned when ministering to our children. Many times in Zambia, girls in their youth are ashamed of their menstrual cycle. During this time of the month, they would rather miss school than risk being embarrassed if they soil their clothes in front of their peers. At our Legacy Academy Schools, we strive to prevent young girls from falling behind in their studies and feeling defeated because we want every single girl to know they are beautifully and wonderfully made.

To enhance the educational experience of our female students we launched our Girls Hygiene Initiative that strives to boost young girls’ confidence and help them understand their bodies. With our Girls Hygiene Initiative, we provide of-age girls with reusable sanitary items and training on proper hygiene care. It was a successful launch that provided an overwhelming amount of positive feedback. The girls were so excited and beyond thankful for the kits and the teachers were overjoyed knowing how much this program would drastically help our girls!

“On behalf of us ladies and our girl students, we’d like to say thank you so much! Every day we would have girls who were ashamed to be in school because they were attending. We just want to say thank you so much and may the Almighty God bless you all so much for what you all are doing. You all have truly saved our girls and their confidence will improve greatly!”
– Felisters Mwale, Academic Deputy Program Manager

Each week, staff traveled to a different school to train and educate the girls about their bodies. During the training, they were excited to learn the information but when they realized they would ALL receive their very own kit, high-fives, ear-to-ear smiles, and sonorous cheering filled the room. Their excitement was breathtaking and their gratitude was humbling.

“We want to say thank you for everything you’ve brought for us. A lot of times we would miss school because we didn’t have money to buy pads so we want to say thank you for the kits you’ve brought for us because they will be helping us! ”
– Miracle, Student at Legacy Academy Southwest

“We want to say thank you for all that you have done for us. We have learned and now know a lot about our bodies and will be following what you say”
– Blessing, Student at Legacy Academy East

Within our Girls Hygiene kit we provide every of-age girl with:

•       2 reusable sanitary napkins
•       8 replacement liners
•       1 washcloth
•       1 bar of soap
•       2 pairs of undergarments
•       Training on how to use the kit and proper hygiene care

This is where you come in. Our girls need your help. By donating any of the items above, giving to the purchase of the items above or by teaming up with a local chapter to make the kits, you can help our girls stay in school and also feel confident while doing so!

Email development@familylegacy.com today to find out how you can help. You can also GIVE HERE to help fund the ongoing provision of these kits to over 3,000 girls each year!

This program and the girl’s education are near and dear to our hearts here at Family Legacy, and we are more than grateful for your contribution and your efforts to our Girls Hygiene Initiative!

The post She is Fearfully and Wonderfully Made appeared first on Family Legacy Missions International.

It was the summer of 2003 when Lahema first attended our annual Camp Life program. Family Legacy staff members were up-front leading songs for an excited sea of children. But there she was, a solemn little girl with a blank stare standing at the back of the concrete room void of emotion and unwilling to participate in the activities.

Hugs, smiles, love and heart-warming words made no difference. She continued most of the week in a state alive physically, but void in spirit and emotion.

Later, a teacher explained why Lahema lacked hope. Both of her parents died when she was a young girl, and a few years later at the age of eight, with no one to look after her or protect her, she became a victim of abuse. The Cry of Lahema was seen by no one except her Heavenly Father.

Lahema arrived at camp looking young and thin. Our staff discovered that she was ill, and while she told us she was 16 she looked to be way younger.

Change soon came when Lahema received Jesus Christ as her personal Savior, and for the first time in her life since the loss of her parents, she began to hope. The cry of Lahema had been heard by her Heavenly Father. Smiles and joy replaced the pain and sadness, and vibrant life beamed from her face and heart.

When Family Legacy held Camp Life in 2004, Lahema’s heart was hopeful, and although her health had improved, she was still very ill. In her picture, the light of Christ is shining through her eyes, yet her body still suffered the devastating effects of an incurable disease.

By 2005, Lahema had gained a lot of very healthy weight and started to look like a vibrant and joyful teenager.

The theme for camp that year was “Go Light their World” and become the Light of Jesus to others. Lahema went around her community and prayed for God to heal other sick children and adults. The cry of Lahema had been replaced by the prayers of Lahema!

In 2006, Lahema was looking healthier. However, near the beginning of Camp Life, something happened that no one anticipated. Lahema’s elderly grandmother who cared for her had gone to the farm to find food and had left Lahema with close friends. A few days later, Lahema started having breathing problems. She somehow found her way to the main hospital in Zambia, but when she arrived, they turned her away because they were closed.

Without any help, Lahema was still having breathing problems the following day. Her orphanage director gave money to the grandmother’s friend to pay for their transportation back to the hospital. But, the grandmother’s friend acted selfishly and pocketed the money.

That same day, Lahema, too weak to stand any longer, surrendered her body and lay down in the dirt. She was crying and praying for help. With neighbors all around, staring and standing idly by, Lahema left this world.

No one on earth was willing to listen to the cry of Lahema, so her Heavenly Father leaned down, gently picked up her suffering body, and took her home into His loving arms. Now she is forever freed from abandonment, safe and secure from all evil, loved so purely and deeply, and never to cry again!

Virtually no one showed up to the funeral for Lahema, apart from her grandmother, no relative, no neighbors, and no friends attended. There were no gravestones, no appealing trees, or green grass—just seemingly tens of thousands of mounds at every turn.

Lahema’s grandmother spoke on how Lahema spent her last days. She said every day Lahema would go out and pray for the sick people like she had been taught the year before at camp. An orphan child sick herself praying for other sick people…how much purer could a child be? And when she was the one who needed prayer and attention, no one cared to help her. Lahema, who was counting down the months until Camp Life, missed it by just one week! However, she was ushered into the most glorious camp anyone of us could ever imagine!

After the funeral, a staff member took food to Lahema’s grandmother’s house and sat on the dirt floor with about ten of the older ladies who were still crying. In the midst of their sadness, staff was able to share the gospel.

On the same day, Lahema’s body was placed in the earth, ten elderly ladies prayed and accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, including the woman who had pocketed the money. Lahema’s life and her passing into the next life were already making a difference. God was already doing what only He could do—reverse death to life, use the young to impact the old, and give love to those who had refused it.

Because of Lahema’s profound impact on the lives of those she touched in our ministry, the dream of the Tree of Life Children’s Village started. In Lahema’s memory, a house was built to provide 15 children with the love and care she, unfortunately, did not receive and so desperately needed. The initial vision was to build a total of 25 homes to rescue a total of 300 children from the cruelty surrounding them, in addition to a full-scale medical clinic.

To date, the Tree of Life Children’s Village now brings healing and restoration to more than 615 children with 66 houses built to carry on the legacies of those with hearts of gold, much like Lahema.

The post In Lahema’s Memory the Tree of Life was Born appeared first on Family Legacy Missions International.

The Tree of Life children’s Village has begun developing its very own farm. This initiative is an extension of a newly developed trades program designed to teach children skills to help them flourish.

“My foremost desire for the farm is that it will point everyone who sees it to God and bring Him glory, honor and praise. My prayer has always been to disciple people by introducing them to the Lord through His creation. I believe this is why the Lord moved me to Zambia. It is my passion in life.”

Jim Evans, the director of this farming project, has been living in Zambia for several years, previously being at the helm of the Excel Beyond program. Elaborating further on his vision for the farm, Jim continues:

“My secondary desire is that the farm would become self-sustaining and income-generating in a significant way. I would love to use the farm to partner with students who have left Family Legacy to start their own business by purchasing our excess produce and selling it in the market. I would also love to eventually expand the impact of the farm by producing, processing and supplying all the food consumed in our schools. In the end, I hope this Farm will become a Testimony of how good our God is and how far He will take us when we trust Him wholeheartedly.”

A project like this sounds exciting but what makes it unique and worth pursuing?

“The farm can generate income that can help offset financial shortfalls at the TOL and can be expanded to the Legacy Academy Schools with time. The farm can help children learn the value of work and develop a good work ethic. This initiative will teach skills that they can take with them when they leave the TOL to help feed their families and earn a livelihood. It gives great opportunity to teach biblical truths and conduct discipleship in a way that a person can see and understand.”

The excitement around this project is undeniable. And for many, it has become a needed lease of refreshed innovation and focus. Children can already be seen taking an interest and being involved in preparing and harvesting vegetable gardens; excited to be learning skills they won’t easily forget.

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