The Teacher AYC Helped Shape: Isaac’s Story
By Annabel Mumba
Annabel Mumba is AYC’s Donor Relations Coordinator. She is a Scholarship Fund recipient, and a graduate of Mulungushi University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications (Journalism), and also one of our Success Stories.
Co-written by Pamela O’Brien, African Education Program’s Development Director, who is mentoring Annabel.
Every morning, before the first lesson begins, Isaac stands at the front of his classroom at Lusinde Day Secondary School in Petauke, Eastern Province, welcoming students eager to learn.
Isaac as a teacher in Eastern Province in Zambia.
To the learners sitting before him, he is simply Mr. Zulu, their teacher, mentor, and someone who believes in their potential. They know him as the person who patiently explains difficult concepts, encourages them to keep trying, and reminds them that education has the power to change their lives.
Long before he became a secondary school teacher, Isaac was sitting on the other side of the classroom. He was a young boy from Kafue searching for opportunities. Like many children growing up in his community, he found the path to higher education uncertain. Financial challenges at home meant that continuing his education was never guaranteed, and without support, his dreams could easily have ended before they had the chance to begin.
Everything changed when he encountered the Amos Youth Centre (AYC). What started as a place to receive academic support became a second home, a place where he found teachers who believed in him, mentors who encouraged him, nutritious meals that helped him focus in class, and a scholarship that would eventually open the door to higher education.
Today, more than a decade later, Isaac's story is no longer just about what AYC did for one young person.
Long before he became a teacher, Isaac was a curious young boy growing up in Kafue, raised by his mother with the help of his uncle.
“Growing up, we were always encouraged to take education seriously,. Even when things were difficult, we were reminded that education was something no one could ever take away from us.”
Like many families in the community, however, believing in education and being able to afford it were two very different things, especially before education was free in Zambia and signed into law in 2026.
Initially, Isaac was drawn to AYC’s Learning & Leadership Centre by its free academic tutoring; he quickly discovered that AYC offered far more than extra lessons after school.
It became a place where he could ask questions without fear, strengthen subjects he found challenging, and learn alongside other young people who shared similar dreams. Beyond the classroom, he found mentors who encouraged him to work hard, leadership opportunities that built his confidence, and a community that genuinely cared about his future.
"AYC became like a second home," he says. "The teachers believed in me, challenged me to do better, and constantly reminded me that I was capable of achieving more."
The academic support helped improve his performance in school, but the impact reached much further than his report cards. It gave him confidence, discipline, and the belief that his circumstances did not have to define his future.
The Scholarship That Opened the Door
Isaac smiles big on graduation day.
Before Zambia introduced free secondary education, thousands of families faced a difficult reality. Even when children performed well academically, many could not continue their education because of school fees.
Isaac knew he could succeed, but he also understood the financial burden his family carried.
Through AYC’s Scholarship Programme, Isaac was awarded a secondary school scholarship, ensuring that his school fees were covered and allowing him to continue pursuing his education without interruption.
"It was one of the happiest moments for me and my family," Isaac remembers. "It gave me confidence because I knew I could now focus on my education without worrying whether I would be sent home for school fees."
He continued attending academic tutoring sessions at the Learning & Leadership Centre, where teachers helped him strengthen difficult subjects and prepared him for national examinations.
“AYC never just focused on our grades, they taught us to become responsible young people, to serve others, and to believe that we could make a difference wherever we went.”
After completing secondary school, he was determined to give back to the community that had shaped him. As part of the College Prep Programme, he spent a year volunteering at the Centre, leading club sessions and mentoring younger students, particularly boys. This year of service helped him earn a College Scholarship and prepare for the next step in his education. He then enrolled at Kwame Nkrumah University to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Education. The young boy who had once relied on the guidance and encouragement of dedicated teachers had discovered his own calling: to become an educator himself.
Isaac facilitating a club at AYC.
Isaac now serves as a secondary school teacher in Zambia's Eastern Province, where he is helping shape the lives of the next generation of young people. Every lesson he teaches is built on the same encouragement, mentorship, and belief that once shaped his own life at Amos Youth Centre.
"I always wanted to make a difference in the lives of young people," he says. "Education changes lives, and I wanted to be part of that change."
Each day, he walks into his classroom knowing that behind every learner is a unique story. Some arrive full of confidence, while others carry challenges that are not immediately visible. Isaac understands this because he has lived it himself.
His experience at Amos Youth Centre taught him that education goes beyond textbooks and examinations. It is about seeing the potential in every child, offering encouragement when they need it most, and creating an environment where they can believe in themselves.
"When I look at my students, I remember where I came from," Isaac reflects. "I know that one word of encouragement or one opportunity can completely change someone's future."
Although he now serves hundreds of kilometres away from Kafue, the values that guide his work remain deeply rooted in the years he spent at Amos Youth Centre.
Isaac's story is about much more than one young man earning a university degree. It is about what becomes possible when a child is allowed to learn, grow, and dream beyond the limitations of their circumstances.
The support Isaac received through Amos Youth Centre did not end with a scholarship or a graduation ceremony. It equipped him with the knowledge, confidence, and values to become a teacher who now invests those same qualities in the lives of his own students.
At Amos Youth Centre, this is the vision behind every programme we deliver. Whether through academic tutoring, scholarships, leadership development, nutrition support, or mentorship, our goal has always been to equip young people with the tools they need not only to succeed personally but also to become people who uplift others.