Maggie Indopu Wamunyima, Country Director, WISE Zambia
“I was raised in a small village in the Kaoma District in Western Province, Zambia. Growing up, I lived with my parents and eight siblings, along with other extended family members in a traditional African household. We had to walk nearly four miles to elementary school each morning.
“Most of my friends and schoolmates ended their education after 7th grade. There was no high school nearby. My mother was determined that her children would get an education, however, so we moved to attend Kaoma Secondary School. My mother had to work night and day to afford our tuition, and if she got hurt or sick, that would have been the end of our education.
“WISE gave me more than a scholarship—it gave me hope. This incredible organization allowed me to pursue higher education and complete a diploma. With their continuing support, I am now wrapping up my Bachelor’s Degree in Community Development. My work is allowing me to put my education into practice as I coordinate WISE’s educational and agricultural efforts in Zambia. ”
Since WISE hired Maggie in 2104, the number of vulnerable students and women benefitting from her wisdom and involvement has multiplied many times over. We will have 250 students in high school and 24 in college in 2020!
What greater example could there be of “giving back” — one of WISE Zambia’s Core Values — than that of Maggie Indopu Wamunyima? She says, “It won’t be long before more college students will graduate and begin giving back to their own families and communities.”
