Project Z

What is ‘Project Z’…?

Two Countries. Two Buildings.  One Vision.

Project Z is a school building project in Zambia which came about through a church building project here in St. Albans.  Making good use of our money and our labour, teams from Christ Church have travelled to Zambia to help build the school and were touched by the lives by those who live there.

Project Z is ongoing with a fourth group going out during summer 2012.  It is a life changing project… for those who go out and for the people we’re building for.

How Did ‘Project Z’ Come to Exist…?

Christ Church needed a new building to continue to reach out to local community as our original building was burned down.  Following a fundraising and pledge day, we felt blessed by what we’d raised and in turn we wanted to bless others less fortunate.  We felt that we wanted not just to donate money to a project but to be involved, ideally in building project of some kind, to mirror what we were doing.

Meanwhile… in Zambia, a lady called Dorothy had been praying for a miracle: funding for a new community school.

With the essential help of Mission Direct, the two projects came together.

Dorothy’s School…

In Zambia, whilst schooling is free, resources such uniforms and books are not.  This makes education far beyond the financial reach of most Zambians, especially the poor.  A few years ago, God told Dorothy start a new school so Dorothy went to her council but there was nowhere available to run one.

Undeterred, Dorothy started a school in her own home, but that quickly became too small.  Dorothy’s church decided to help build a new room squeezed into Dorothy’s garden and her neighbours helped with donating bricks and mortar. It was basic and didn’t have the required facilities to match its success and so it was threatened with closure.

The Building Trips…

In August 2010 and October 2010 teams of 14 and 10 people respectively from Christ Church went to Lusaka in Zambia to help build the school and to find out more about Zambian life and culture.  The trips were organised and led by Mission Direct, (www.missiondirect.org.uk) included volunteers aged 9 to 74 (some of which were not Christ Church members). A further trip of 15 Christ Church members visited in July/August 2011.

The first trip took the first school building from foundations to ceiling height; a second trip painted and decorated the school building and built a toilet block too! The third trip built a second building up to ceiling height as well.

Each trip also visited some inspirational projects:

• ‘Fountain of Hope’, a street kids’ project, for 8-18 years old boys.
• Home-based care visits to those who are unwell with AIDS & TB.
• ‘House of Moses’, an orphanage for abandoned, babies and toddlers.

Many relationships were formed, profoundly affecting all those went and many of these are ongoing.

Forthcoming Trip…

A further trip is planned Summer 2012.  More coming on this website soon but for further information please contact enquiries@ccstalbans.org.uk

Telling the Story…

Many local people and schools are interested in what’s been happening and the Project Z MiCo (‘mission community’) is hoping to tap into this interest, reaching out to those with a conscience to help the world's poorest.  There's also a 'Project Z' blog below... enjoy!

CONTACT :   Peter Cooper       01727 842882