Our Moon

Despite having excellent academic results, the odds are stacked against these brilliant but financially disadvantaged students.

Due to a year-long gap between finishing high school and starting university, students struggle to compete for scholarships at international universities, and student loans don’t stretch far enough to cover all attendance costs at Zambian universities.

As a result, many struggle to reach their full potential, silently slipping back into the poverty cycle they’ve worked so hard to try to escape.

That’s why through our Young Leaders Programme, we transform our students into confident, courageous, curious critical thinkers who stand out in university applications.

Out of our Young Leaders programme, our scholars have gone on to secure places at prestigious institutions across the globe, as well as kickstart initiatives in their local communities, set up their own NGOs, work in purposeful careers and undertake impactful internships.

At the heart of our Young Leaders Programme is community. We foster a sense of social responsibility in these future leaders by encouraging them to come up with creative solutions to the problems they see around them.

Our Young Leaders programme is separated into four sections: reflection, alignment, balance and self-reflection.

To graduate from the programme, students are assessed on the skills they’ve developed through a community projective and summative essay.

After completing a series of courses, our students put their skills to the test by planning and executing a community project.

Applying the primary research skills taught on the programme, students design a strategy through a series of discussion groups, and must work together to instigate action.

Under the guidance of mentors from Ecolint, students write a 4000-word, fully referenced research essay exploring global issues through a Zambian lens.

We carefully select brilliant but financially-disadvantaged Zambian youth in collaboration with partner organisations, our alumni and through our social media channels.

To be selected for our Young Leaders programme, students must meet the following criteria:

• Have recently completed high school
• Graduated with outstanding high school leaving grades
• Be from the poorest communities and cannot attend university in Zambia
• Demonstrate brilliance and leadership
• Want to contribute to change in Zambia and on the continent

Applications usually exceed places available, so when making our final decision, we assess how much value we can add to a student. We aim to select students who are keenest to learn, and are committed to undertaking this rigorous programme.

We endeavour to select an equal number of young women and young men, which is why we’re actively seeking to partner with girls’ schools and NGOs.

If you’d like to partner with us, please contact helen.leale-green@ourmoon.org.uk for more details.