Theological Education and HIV/AIDS Outreach

Zambia

United Church of Zambia Theological College
Kitwe, Zambia

The United Church of Zambia Theological College originated from the former Bible School established at Kashinda mission of the London Missionary Society in Northern Zambia. The College moved to its present site at Kitwe, in 1961, and continues to be an important training ground for personnel of the United Church of Zambia and other churches both at home and abroad. The College is a co-educational institution, and, in collaboration with the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, offers a Bachelor of Theology degree, a Diploma in Theology, and a Certificate in Diaconal Ministry and Programs.

Theological education has always been essential to the life and work of the Church in Zambia, and indeed the world over. Churches look to their Theological College for trained leadership and also for exploration of new theological frontiers. In order to maximize this exploration the College has been and is still addressing key issues in its teaching programs such as the provision of adequate current teaching aids, provision of educational books, access to the internet’s electronic resources, recognizing the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, addressing training responses and outreach programs, and providing health care facilities to the College Community. In all these areas, the College needs assistance to obtain modern facilities and keep up with the expansion in available information and technology and training programs.

More specifically, the school is in need of instructional equipment to furnish five newly-constructed classrooms. In addition to black- and white-boards, a video camera, overhead projectors, and laptop computers are needed to help supplement instruction. The school’s library currently depends on donated books from well-wishers, most of which are second-hand and very out-dated. In fact, three quarters of the library’s collection includes books published between 1924 and 1959. In order to meet the University of the Western Cape’s requirements of 25,000 up-to-date volumes for bachelor and post-graduate studies, the library needs to acquire 19,300 books published after 1960.

In addition to the theological education it provides, the College is also working to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS infection and to provide care for infected and affected people in its community. The school participates in community outreach and research regarding at-risk individuals, and distributes clothes, educational materials, and food to orphans and vulnerable children. The school is also working to provide healthcare to the College community with a small clinic/sick bay on the College campus. Many key medicines and medical instruments are still needed to allow the clinic to be effective.

Below is a list of special ways in which you can help the United Church of Zambia Theological College:

• $50 will buy several current books for the school’s library
• $200 will help pay for a Licentiate probationer minister’s accommodations and meals during in-service training
• $500 will provide food and supplies for the College’s HIV/AIDS outreach program
• $2,000 will aide in the purchase of medicines and medical instruments for the health clinic
• $5,000 will purchase two laptop computers to supplement classroom instruction