The African Education Program (AEP)

10/14/2026

A partnership with Street Business School helped lay the foundation for the Women’s Business Training at AEP’s flagship Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, locally known as the Amos Youth Centre.

Launched in 2021 in response to the economic challenges of COVID-19, the program helps women build the skills and confidence to strengthen their livelihoods and support their families.

Today, we are celebrating 39 graduates from the 13th cohort bringing our total to 362 women graduates! 🎉

Through four months of training and coaching, women learn practical skills in money management, record-keeping, marketing and business planning. Delivered in the local language and adapted to different literacy levels, the program supports women in growing an existing business or turning a new idea into reality.

A special thanks to Rubis Energy Zambia, whose generous partnership has supported three cohorts, including this latest group.

For AEP, supporting women’s economic independence is part of helping children, families and communities thrive. Each graduate carries forward new knowledge, greater confidence and tools to shape her own future. Congratulations to all 39 women! We are proud to celebrate this milestone with you and excited to see what you build next.

10/13/2026

How does becoming a mother change the way you lead?

For AEP Co-Founder and Executive Director Julie Anne Savarit-Cosenza, returning from maternity leave means carrying a new perspective into a mission she has devoted her life to.

In her latest blog, Julie-Anne shares a personal reflection on motherhood, leadership, and coming back to work—with the same mission and a bigger tomorrow. 💛

Read her story on our latest Medium blog → https://bit.ly/4hVQjQ1

10/12/2026

Every girl deserves the freedom to learn, grow, and shape her own future. 💛

The African Education Program joins the global community in marking International Day of the Girl under this year’s theme: “End child marriage and invest in girls’ rights.”

At our flagship Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, the Amos Youth Centre (AYC), the Peer-to-Peer Education & Mentoring Program takes the lead in delivering lessons on girls’ rights and the importance of ending child marriage.

The need is urgent. UNICEF’s 2024 Zambia report states that 29% of women ages 20–24 were married before their 18th birthday, including 5% who were married before age 15.

Through these lessons, peer educators explored how child marriage can interrupt education, increase the risk of early and unintended pregnancy, limit girls’ ability to make decisions about their lives, and perpetuate poverty and gender inequality.

By equipping young people with knowledge and the confidence to speak up, we help them become advocates for their own rights and for one another.

When we invest in girls’ education, health, and leadership, the benefits reach entire communities.

10/10/2026

Supporting mental health means caring for everyone who makes learning and growth possible—children, youth, families, and the staff who walk alongside them.

This World Mental Health Day, October 10, the African Education Program recognizes mental well-being as an essential part of our holistic approach at our flagship Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, the Amos Youth Centre (AYC).

Each week, AYC’s Programme Team facilitates mental health classes tailored to children’s ages and needs. Our work also extends to mothers and guardians, creating spaces to share experiences and explore ways to care for their own well-being while supporting their children.

The mental health of our staff matters, too. Their work requires patience, compassion, and energy. Recognizing their needs and supporting their well-being helps sustain both our team and the care they provide.

We are grateful to partners such as SuperBetter and Foundation for Family and Community Healing for helping us continue to make mental health a priority.

When we care for the people who learn, the families who nurture them, and the educators who guide them, we strengthen the whole community.

10/09/2026

Great learning experiences begin with educators who are supported to keep learning, too.

Three team members from AEP’s flagship Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, the Amos Youth Centre (AYC), recently participated in the American International School of Lusaka - AISL JUMP! Impact Fund Facilitator Training: Clement Mwanza, Academics & Scholarships Manager; Chanda Kashina, Young Learners Coordinator; and Annie Nyambe, Special Education Assistant Teacher.

The full-day workshop explored practical ways to make learning more engaging and meaningful, from thoughtful planning and clear communication to strategies for managing large classes. Participants also explored play-based learning and how internal and external motivation shape young people’s participation.

For educators supporting learners with diverse needs, opportunities to learn, reflect, and exchange ideas help strengthen what happens in the classroom every day.

At the African Education Program, investing in local educators is part of investing in young people’s futures. We are grateful for opportunities that help the AYC team grow their skills, spark curiosity, and support every learner’s potential. Thank you, AISL!!

10/08/2026

Did you know that your donor-advised fund can help a young person take their next step toward a brighter future?

On October 8, the African Education Program is proud to participate in DAF Day 2026 and we invite you to turn your charitable giving plans into opportunities for children, youth, and families.

A gift from your donor-advised fund supports community-led programs at our flagship Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, the Amos Youth Centre. Your generosity helps provide:

📚 Academic support and inclusive education for children with disabilities.
💛 Reproductive health education and resources that help young people make informed decisions.
🌱 Leadership, entrepreneurship, and practical skills that prepare youth to shape their futures.
🏫 Our new Learning & Leadership Center that is ready to begin Phase 2 of construction.

Every DAF grant that a donor nominates via the website is eligible for up to $5,000 in dollar-for-dollar matching funds, with one lucky nonprofit selected for a $25,000 match. Have a donor-advised fund? Recommend a grant to AEP on October 8 by 5 pm. Visit the website to learn how: https://www.halfmydaf.com/

10/07/2026

Three decades of experience. New tools to grow. Congratulations, Leah! 🎉

For more than 30 years, Leah has run her business using knowledge shared by friends, family, and her community. Now, she is building on that experience as a graduate of the 13th cohort of the Women’s Business Training at our flagship Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, the Amos Youth Centre.

Through formal training in record-keeping, budgeting, and tracking sales and profits, Leah has gained practical tools to better understand her finances and plan for her business’s future.

At the African Education Program, we believe investing in women entrepreneurs strengthens families and communities. We are proud to celebrate Leah and her fellow graduates as they put their skills to work!

10/05/2026

Today, we celebrate the educators who help young people learn, grow, and discover what they can achieve, including the young teachers in training at the African Education Program’s flagship Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, the Amos Youth Centre (AYC).

Meet Ignitious, an AYC alumnus, facilitator intern, and student teacher who is spending his gap year teaching Mathematics and Science to junior and senior secondary students before heading to college. Having benefited from these same classes, he is now giving back and helping other students build their knowledge and confidence.

His journey shows how investing in one young person’s education can create opportunities for many more.

A special shoutout to Ignitious and all of AYC’s young teachers in training! Your dedication, energy, and care make this work possible. As you prepare for your own futures, you are already helping shape the futures of others.

Happy Teachers’ Day!

10/02/2026

🎓 We love sharing stories about our alumni and today, we celebrate Precious!

Precious first walked through the doors of our flagship Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, the Amos Youth Centre (AYC) in 2017, when she was still a secondary school student. Nearly a decade later, she has graduated from Natural Resources Development College with a Diploma in Water Engineering!

Her achievement means so much. Precious is stepping into a field where women are still too rarely seen, and she is the first person in her family to earn a college qualification. Every time a young woman like Precious takes her place in engineering, she shows the girls coming up behind her what's possible.

Precious is now one of over 130 alumni who have graduated from college and university. Each of them represents years of hard work, determination, and a community that believed in them.

Precious, we are so proud of you and honored to have been part of your journey. Congratulations, and every success as you begin this exciting new chapter! 💙

Help the next Precious reach graduation day. Our College Scholarship Fund helps Zambian students cover tuition and the other costs that can stand between a talented young person and a diploma. For many of our students, this support makes the difference between dreaming about college and walking across the stage.

If Precious's story inspires you, please consider making a gift to the College Scholarship Fund. Every contribution, large or small, helps open the door for another young person to break new ground.

👉 Donate here: https://www.africaneducationprogram.org/donate

Thank you for being part of this journey with us.

09/29/2026

At the African Education Program, we believe every young person deserves the chance to learn, grow, and shape their future. That belief guides the holistic programming at our flagship Learning & Leadership Center, the Amos Youth Centre (AYC), in Kafue, Zambia and it extends to students with disabilities through the Read for Rose Special Education Program.

Today, we are celebrating a remarkable milestone: Precious and Goodson are preparing to finish Grade 12, becoming the first Read for Rose students to reach this stage of their education.

Their achievement belongs first to them. It also reflects years of support from their families, teachers, and the AYC team, who have helped them build communication skills, confidence, and opportunities to keep learning. It is a powerful testament to what sustained, individualized support can make possible.

Through Read for Rose, AYC is helping advance inclusive education in Kafue so that children with disabilities are seen, supported, and given the opportunity to pursue their goals.

Read Precious and Goodson’s story on AYC's Letters blog:

For Precious and Goodson, reaching Grade 12 is more than completing another stage of school. It is a milestone that once seemed uncertain. Both students are part of the Read for Rose Special Education Programme, which supports children with disabilities through education with individualized, student