The first thing you’ll notice when you interact with Jamison, a 15 year old 7th grader at Chilima Full Primary School, is the joy that you feel as soon as he smiles! It is clear that he has a natural gift of spreading hope, love, and happiness – something that his future students will appreciate one day.
Yes, Jamison dreams of being a teacher and helping others learn, a goal that drives him to stay on top of his studies and attend school regularly. Living in the nearby village of Salumbati with his parents and two siblings, he walks about 30 minutes to and from school so he can continue his education. While he is at school, his parents are busy working on their farm, and his dad also runs a small shop. They are hard workers with the hope that education will give even more opportunities to their children.
Jamison has a focused desire to do well in school and even says his favorite subject is English – his reason being because he needs it to pass his exams. Although English would also help him out when he takes his dream trip one day to America! Jamison is also a typical teenager who enjoys playing different games with his friends, cheering on his favorite football team, and eating his favorite food – rice and chicken. Coafrica may not have planted the seed of hope for Jamison, maybe he did that himself. With the classrooms we were recently able to build, it’s surely offering an environment conducive to real learning that he not only appreciates, but he says makes him happy. “Learning is fun and I am always happy now knowing that I am going to sit and learn in a good classroom.” He claims his parents also share that same happiness knowing that their children are safe and in a good learning environment, truly a gift they don’t take for granted. Jamison’s future is as big and bright as his smile. Our desire is that with continued support, he will be able to realize all his dreams and make a powerful impact on the next generation.
