Trade Kings Foundation has donated educational materials such as textbooks and dignity packs worth K68,000 to the Girls Kick project in Lusaka’s Chibolya compound.

Speaking at the event, Tuesday, Trade Kings Group Manager for Public Relations Bridget Kambobe said the Foundation believed that education was an important transformational tool which would positively impact both the individual and society as a whole.

“The Trade Kings Foundation made a donation today to the Girls Kick Project in Lusaka’s Chibolya compound. The donated items included educational materials such as textbooks and dignity packs worth K68,000. Notwithstanding the government’s free education policy, a number of girls still cannot access education due to economic challenges, resulting in high absenteeism and low retention. Girls Kick Foundation teaches underprivileged girls the art of karate, a sport that instills discipline, builds self-confidence & hones leadership. The programme affords the girls the opportunity to participate in local and international tournaments as world class athletes. As part of the programme, the girls are also provided with educational resources and necessities to keep them in school,” said Kambobe.

“The Trade Kings Foundation remains resolute in its mantra of improving lives and we believe that education is an important transformational tool that will positively impact both the individual and society as a whole. We commend the Girls Kick Foundation for its initiative aimed at enhancing academic and physical education through karate. In the last 5 years, the Trade Kings Foundation have supported numerous underprivileged students in their pursuit of education through scholarships, enabling them to acquire the relevant skills in various fields to help them realise their career goals and dreams”.

And receiving the donation, Girls Kick Foundation Director Nayombe Muliyunda said the Girls Kick Project in Chibolya had been creating opportunities for the girls to have access to education.

Muliyunda said the foundation wanted girls to be great athletes but also to be academically sound.

“Girl Kicks Foundation is a non-governmental organization with the aim of using sport Karate to educate underprivileged girls in our society. Our goal is to train girls in Karate to be world class athletes good enough to compete in local and international tournaments. But our core business is education. We want the girls to be great athletes but also to be academically sound, to be able to bridge the educational gender gap. I relate to the girls because I was once in their situation. I grew up privileged but my world was turned upside down when I lost my parents at age 11. I went from being driven to school to walking long distances and most of the time without basic necessities and all I wanted was someone to give me a chance. We believe that given a chance, and the empowerment that comes with education, girls can contribute so much to our economy. As Girl Kicks, we also believe that strong women build strong communities, because these girls are the future leaders of the community,” said Muliyunda.

“With the coming of the new dawn government and free education, there is still a high number of girls in our communities that cannot access this education due to economic challenges. Lack of basic necessities such as uniforms, shoes, books and sanitary towels are the major deterrents of a girl child to stay away from school. This is where Girl kicks Foundation comes in to help bridge that gap by providing the much-needed necessities. Through partners such as yourselves, we provide school uniforms, shoes, books, writing equipment and sanitary towels to keep the girls in school. Chibolya compound is our first centre, with the hope of spreading to other communities countrywide”.