VILLAGE STEPS: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."—Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa. Februrary 2008 VillageSteps funded the first of many schools in Zambia in 2006, Balm of Gilead. Attendance is now over 217 students. The school will soon have clean water, sanitary latrines, and an upgraded feeding program thanks our caring donors. A six classroom block will be started in July with involvement from a missions team from Enumclaw, WA. Five graduates from the school were sponsored through government middle school. Thirteen more students passed their exams this year and VillageSteps has committed to their ongoing education. VillageSteps has received proposals for over 4 more school partnerships and has initiated a partnership with Jesse Mbanga School. Through VillageSteps, Jesse Mbanga school has made great progress and now has a new water system that allows it to grow vegetables for the lunch program and to complete new toilets for the students. Three graduates have been sponsored to attend secondary school. New classrooms are awaiting funding. This school has a 99% pass rate. This school has initiated an early learning program for pre-schoolers. VillageSteps is at the forefront in recognizing the need for better education of children, especially in the urban setting, where families are overburdened caring for the children of deceased relatives and unable to feed, much less educate them. Right now, VillageSteps is on the ground seeking to assist community primary schools which have been struggling to give deserving children an education. Village Steps Link: