Seven years ago, Susan began her journey at the Read for Rose Special Education Program. As a young girl with a hearing impairment, and due to the limited availability of special needs resources in her community, she had not yet developed literacy skills or a structured way to communicate. She was scared, isolated, and unsure of where her mother was taking her when they stepped through the doors of the Amos Youth Centre (AYC). Today, that girl is thriving. She now communicates fluently in Zambian Sign Language, writes her thoughts with confidence, knits beautiful doormats, and dreams of opening her own shop one day.

In Zambia, only a small minority of students have access to technology in education. For many students in communities like Kafue, a tablet is not a learning tool; it is an unfamiliar object, something seen from a distance but never held. The digital gap is real, and for children already navigating poverty, limited resources, and overcrowded classrooms, it widens every year.

In this blog, we catch up with Maureen, a student at University at Albany in New York who is an alumni of AYC’s Learning & Leadership Center and recipient of the SUNY Schenectady's Joan R. Dembinski '10 Study Abroad Scholarship, thanks to a partnership between the African Education Program and SUNY Schenectady County Community College.

Every year, Amos Youth Centre (AYC) joins the global community in recognizing January as National Mentoring Month, a time dedicated to celebrating the individuals who pour their time, wisdom, and compassion into guiding others. At our Learning & Leadership Centre in Kafue, Zambia, mentorship is more than just a program; it is a transformative pathway that builds confidence, shapes futures, and strengthens entire communities.